Carlos Checa has not only won both Magny-Cours races presented this week-end but, by doing so, he has also taken the World Superbike championship for the first time in his career.

He only needed to finish 13th in the first event to wrap-up the title, but Checa couldn’t settle for less than his 13th victory of the season.

It was also a time for Ducati to rejoice as it has secured its first riders' title since Troy Bayliss won in 2008.

But for the Spaniard, that first major title did not come easy since he had to wait for it to arrive this year; having had made his debut on the international stage back in 1993.

Checa's success also means that Ducati has regained the World Superbike manufacturers' crown it ceded to Aprilia in 2010.

His only pre-race title rival, Marco Melandri (Yamaha), was second after a late charge through to the podium, with Leon Haslam (BMW) making his German based team happy with a top three finish.

Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) was a close fourth, with Eugene Laverty (Yamaha) slowing to end up fifth.

Then, in the second event of the day on the French circuit, Carlos Checa and Althea Ducati confirmed their status as the best WSBK Championship rider-team combination by winning again.

Just as he did in the first race, Laverty began to struggle in the closing stages, with the fast-approaching Marco Melandri getting the better of him on the final lap to end-up second.

Despite losing out to his team-mate, third for Laverty means he has now assumed the same position in the WSBK standings.

Following his run to third in race one, a fourth place finish for Leon Haslam signals his best points' haul as a BMW rider, while Sylvain Guintoli completed the top 5.

<sup>WSBK Magny-Cours Race-2
Pos. Rider Team/Bike Time/Gap
1. Carlos Checa Althea Ducati 1098R 38mins 17.851secs
2. Marco Melandri Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +1.267s
3. Eugene Laverty Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +2.043s
4. Leon Haslam BMW Motorrad S1000RR +6.506s
5. Sylvain Guintoli Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +7.843s
6. Leon Camier Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +8.360s
7. Joan Lascorz Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +15.285s
8. Ayrton Badovini BMW Italia S1000RR +15.549s
9. Troy Corser BMW Motorrad S1000RR +16.278s

WSBK Standings – After Magny-Cours
Pos. Rider Team Points
1. Carlos Checa Althea Ducati 467 points
2. Marco Melandri Yamaha SBK 360
3. Eugene Laverty Yamaha SBK 283
4. Max Biaggi Aprilia Alitalia 281
5. Leon Haslam BMW Motorrad 216</sup>