Troy Bayliss and Colin Edwards again the early leaders in the final race of the 2002 season.  Edwards has a 6 point buffer so Bayliss needs to win and Edwards to finish 3rd or worse in order for the Australian to secure the 2002 Championship.  Edwards only needs to finish in front of Bayliss in order to clinch the championship.

Ruben Xaus in 3rd and with the leading duo on lap 3 but Edwards out in front and has the speed to stay there.

By a third race distance Edwards had a couple of bike lengths on Bayliss, Ruben Xaus not too far behind in 3rd.  The Spaniard set the fastest lap on the 9th time around the Imola circuit.

With 10 laps to go Troy Bayliss set a new lap record, 1m48.704. Edwards still holds the lead though, Xaus a few bike lengths behind Bayliss and holding down a clear 3rd place.

Bayliss trying so hard, the Ducati wiggling around violently, another lap record, 1m48.3 and still Colin Edwards holds the advantage.

Bayliss under Edwards for the lead, Colin tries to get him back in to turn 1. Two-thirds race distance and Bayliss is ahead, Edwards 2nd, Ruben Xaus a couple of seconds behind in 3rd.  Even if Bayliss wins from Edwards, the American will still take the championship, albeit by a tiny 1 point margin.

Troy Bayliss slowed proceedings up a little, allowing Xaus to close on to the back of them, if the Spaniard can get past Edwards and relegate the American to third it means Bayliss could take the title.

With 5 laps to go Bayliss was still holding off Edwards, Xaus around a second behind.  Bayliss is trying to allow his team-mate to  catch up but Bayliss got through on Bayliss, the Australian has to pull something out of the bag to get past Edwards.  Bayliss gets him in to the left-hander to re-take the lead.  Xaus still a second behind but getting slightly closer, Bayliss needs the Spaniard to push Edwards down to 3rd.

With only 3 laps to go Ruben Xaus was within striking distance of Colin Edwards, only a couple of bike lengths between them.   But Bayliss had to pick the pace up again to fend off Edwards, and the pace needed was too fast for Xaus who started losing a little ground on Edwards.

2 laps to go, still Bayliss from Edwards, Xaus trying to get on to the back of Edwards but can't quite manage it.  Colin Edwards made a fantastic move to take the lead after Bayliss got in a little too hot.  Lapped traffic also becoming a factor now but all passed safely thus far.

Final lap - Edwards leads, if he comes first or second the championship is his.  Bayliss gets the lead in to Villeneuve Chicane, Edwards gets him back at the next turn, Bayliss through again at the next corner, then Edwards again takes the lead at the next corner.  Edwards then got a good run and pulled out a couple of lengths on Bayliss, the championship is his.  This means Honda has won all major four-stroke championships in 2002, MotoGP, World SuperBike and World SuperSport.

After the race Ruben Xaus said that he was catching Edwards but in the last few laps his clutch started slipping.

Colin Edwards is 2002 World SuperBike Champion.

• Sep 29 - WSS - Honda announces their 2003 World SuperSport Teams
• Sep 29 - WSBK - Warm-up, Imola - Race 1 - Race 2 -
• Sep 29 - WSS - Warm-up, Imola - Race -