Qatar in the Middle East was the official start to the 2005 Superbike World Championship, but for unlucky Australian riders Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge it was a kick off they would prefer to forget.

The former world champion Aussie duo were both struck by a debilitating virus at round one, and are counting on a healthier round and results when they head to their home track at Victoria’s Phillip Island for round two of the championship on April 1-3.

The pair did mount up for the superbike season opener, but limped home, with 2003 world supersport champion Vermeulen managing a creditable eighth and fourth placings to be fourth overall, while his Winston Ten Kate Honda team mate Muggeridge finished in ninth place in the first race and an unfortunate crash in the second leg puts him in 12th spot on the ladder.

But the signs are looking good for round two. A six-week recovery layoff between the opening two rounds and a positive official SBK test at Spain’s Valencia circuit (March 12-13), has both riders primed to please at Phillip Island.

In Valencia tests, Vermeulen was fourth fastest with Muggeridge sixth, Vermeulen just a fraction slower (.158sec) than pacesetter fellow Aussie Troy Corser on his Corona Suzuki.

“Physically, I feel so much better now after getting over the really bad flu that I had in Qatar,” explained Vermeulen. “To leave Qatar in fourth place wasn't so bad, but I could've done with some more points. We finally got a bit more quality time on the bike at the test at Valencia and started to make some real progress so I think we'll be pretty competitive by the time we reach Phillip Island.”

Muggeridge with his mediocre results will have an extra incentive at the Island but still finds it hard to relax even at his home round.

“It's always great to race at home with lots of mates there. Actually, I'm never that nice to my mates during race weekend - I'm always too focused - but at least I can make it up to them this time because Isabelle and I are getting married up on the Gold Coast the week after the race. That's going to be a great chance to kick back and relax and I'm really looking forward to it."

Neither are under any illusions about the task ahead with the quality and depth of competition the most intense in years.

“Troy (Corser) and Kagayama were no real surprise in Qatar because the Suzuki looks like a really strong package and they're both good riders,” said Vermeulen, who finished second in both WSBK races at the Island last year.

“Overall, I think the Winston Ten Kate team and the Honda CBR1000RR are just as strong. We've had a difficult start to the year and not had nearly as much testing time as we would like, but we're all working really hard to catch up and the bike is even stronger than last year."

Muggeridge is also in a buoyant and circumspect mood about his prospects for Phillip Island and beyond, “There were a couple of others that surprised me in Qatar, but I don't think they'll be able to stay up there all season. That race was so early, I think it threw everyone a bit.

“I'm getting my health back, so I can see how fast I can be. Fourth after day one at Valencia wasn't too bad and it was great to put some laps in on the bike but , we're still searching for that base setting. We've obviously got more things to play with and adjust on the Superbike than we had on the Supersport machine - it's just that we haven't really started that part yet, so there's definitely lots more to come.

"I really like Phillip Island, but I've never been very successful there,” said Muggeridge. “ In last year's Supersport race I had to limp home with technical problems for just three points. But I’d really like to get this year going with a couple of good results at the Island.”

For Muggeridge, Qatar represented a tough baptism into World superbike racing after stepping up from the world supersport class – where he was 2004 world champion.

“The move up from Supersport isn't really anything more than I expected,” explained Muggeridge. “ As far as riding the bike goes, the 1000 is pretty similar to the 600 but it's finding the strong base setting that we haven't really had a chance to do yet. The testing before Qatar was a washout and then I had this flu that just wiped me out for the test and the race there.”

On the other hand Vermeulen is on more familiar territory, having made the step up to the Superbike ranks last year, where he finished an impressive fourth in his debut season winning four races.

His efforts and those of the team stunned the world with how competitive they made the Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR in its first year of Superbike competition.

“We had a pretty good Superbike debut in 2004 and I was pleased to take four wins and fourth in the championship on a brand new bike that started as a standard Honda,” Chris added. “With a year of development behind us, I've got some competition in the team now with Karl, and the team's been working hard on the bike over the winter so I think we'll be even stronger this season. But the competition's increased as well, so it's not going to be easy!”

This year an impressive six Australians will be racing in the Superbike World Championship and two Aussies in World Supersport. The Phillip Island event will also feature full grids of locals in the opening round of the Australian championships for superbike, supersport and superstock.