By Glenn LeSanto

The sidecar Superpole session at Phillip Island was disrupted first by both the weather and then by a big crash during the preceeding practice session. Frenchman Jann Hansen escaped with bruising but his passenger Jean Claude Gougaud was taken by helicopter to the hospital with multiple fractures to the legs, arms and ribs along with suspected head injuries.

When the sidecar Superpole session finally got underway at Phillip Island the eight competitors who had qualified found themselves racing in low light as the dusk began to draw over Phillip Island. The session was declared “wet” so the riders had to complete up to nine laps in difficult conditions with poor light, high winds and a wet circuit.

Despite only completing six laps the pairing of Steinhausen and Hetherington grabbed pole from Klaffenbock and Parzer. Spence and Winders came third.

Passenger Paul Woodhead, who had been taken to the hospital the previous night to have a keyhole operation on his knee, rides with World Champion Steve Webster.

Most people would have flown home after such an ordeal and it’s a credit to just how tough the guy is that he managed four laps in a cramped sidecar to take sixth position on the grid.

Times follow:

1. Steinhausen/Hetherington, Suzuki, 1:51.675
2. Klaffenböck/Parzer, Suzuki, 1:51.875
3. Spence/Winders, Kawasaki, 1:54.235
4. Abbott/Biggs, Yamaha, 1:54.374
5. Liechti/Locher, Kawasaki, 1:55.106
6. Webster/Woodhead, Suzuki, 2:01.745
7. Hauzenberger/Hänni, Suzuki, 2:03.369
8. Guy/Peach, Suzuki, 2:06.269