Motorcycling: Easton breaks duck to move into second

Stuart Easton claimed his first win of the 2010 British Superbike season in the first of two races at Oulton Park yesterday.

The 26-year-old Scotsman injured his leg in a heavy crash just a week before the season started, but six races into the season the Swan Honda racer lies second in the overall standings.

"It's great to win the first race of the season for the Swan Honda team and I had a good start and just managed to hold off Tommy Hill," Easton said. "It was a close one out there but hopefully we can make it two out of two in the next one."

The Northern Irishman John Laverty came in third, his first podium finish. "It is brilliant for me to be on the podium for the whole of the Buildbase Kawasaki team as they have really been working hard and this shows how much progress we have made," Laverty said.

Laverty moved up two places in the final lap, overtaking his brother Michael, and Alistair Seeley

"That last lap was pretty hectic but as we went into a chicane on the final lap I was hard on the brakes, Seeley missed a gear I think, and my brother Michael went wide so I was able to move up."

The chequered flag in the second race went to Michael Laverty, who finished a full six seconds ahead of veteran Michael Rutter for his first Superbike win.

Championship leader Tommy Hill came in third, while pole-sitter Ryuichi Kiyonari dropped to fourth place after running wide on the 10th lap.