The Brits defend the International Challenge, as Alex Phillis takes the final race win, denying McWilliams four for four. Images: Kris & David Hodgson

Sunday dawned cool but sunny over Phillip Island for the final day of the International Island Classic, with all eyes on the International Challenge category, where the UK team lead by Jeremy McWilliams headed into the final two races with a 24-point lead.

Jeremy McWilliams leading off the start in Race 3 of the International Challenge on Sunday.

Jeremy McWilliams leading off the start in Race 3 of the International Challenge on Sunday.

With the schedule back on track after a full day of racing on Saturday, the first International Challenge of the day (Race 3 of the weekend) commenced just after 11am and McWilliams continued his weekend form, setting a 1:36.388 lap while taking a two-second win over fellow UK rider Peter Hickman.

2017 International Island Classic - Jeremy McWilliams on his way to win number three

2017 International Island Classic – Jeremy McWilliams on his way to win number three

Despite a strong showing by the Australian riders, taking five of the top 10 positions, with Shawn Giles third, Alex Phillis fourth, Jed Metcher fifth, Steve Martin eighth and Chas Hern 10th; the UK team extended their lead by a further two points, finishing the third race on 516 points, to Australia’s 490.

2017 International Island Classic - Shawn Giles

2017 International Island Classic – Shawn Giles

Ireland made a strong showing with Paul Bryne and Derek Sheils in sixth and seventh respectively, with Ireland third in the team tally, on 392 points.

2017 International Challenge Race 3 (Sunday) Results:

  1. Jeremy McWILLIAMS (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yamaha Harris F1 1297 9:54.056
  2. Peter HICKMAN (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yamaha Harris F1 1250 9:56.052
  3. Shawn GILES (AUS) / TBR / D&D / Pablos M-cycle Tyres AUS 1982 Suzuki Katana 1294 9:56.850
  4. Alex PHILLIS (AUS) / Arnolds Fruit Market / RS Taichi AUS 1982 Suzuki XR69 1177 9:59.979
  5. Jed METCHER (AUS) / T-Rex Racing / Race Center / ACID Australia AUS 1982 Honda Harris F1 1100 9:59.991
  6. Paul BYRNE (IRE) / DMR Motorsport / Purgetec Pty Ltd IRE 1981 McInt. Suzuki 1260 10:00.010
  7. Derek SHEILS (IRE) / Tom Dermody / DMR M-sport IRE 1982 Suzuki XR69 1260 10:00.905
  8. Steve MARTIN (AUS) / TBR / D&D / QBE AUS 1982 Suzuki Katana 1294 10:00.947
  9. John McGUINNESS (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1982 Honda Harris F1 1150 10:02.481
  10. Chas HERN (AUS) / T-Rex Racing AUS 1982 Honda Harris F1 1100 10:02.510
  11. Conor CUMMINS (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yamaha Harris F1 1250 10:02.662
  12. James HILLIER (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yam. Harris F1 1250 10:11.705
  13. David JOHNSON (IRE) IRE 1982 Suzuki Katana 1000 10:13.906
  14. John ALLEN (AUS) / C&M M-cycle Repairs – PC’s AUS 1978 Yamaha TZ 750 10:16.594
  15. Pat MOONEY (USA) / Dave Crussell / Pat’s Auto Sales / Vanson Leathers USA 1982 CMR Yamaha FJ 1200 10:19.713

McWilliams’ three from three left him in the lead for the Ken Wooton Perpetual Trophy heading into the final race, with 120 points to Peter Hickman’s 116, with Aussies Shawn Giles (112 points) and Jed Metcher (110 points) not far behind.

2017 International Island Classic - Conor Cummins, Peter Hickman

2017 International Island Classic – Conor Cummins being overtaken by Peter Hickman

The final race of the 2017 International Island Classic saw Alex Phillis break McWilliams’ streak, taking an early lead which he carried through to win the race, with an excited Australian crowd cheering him on.

2017 International Island Classic - Alex Phillis leads McWilliams down the straight - a lead he maintains for all of Race 4 to take the win

2017 International Island Classic – Alex Phillis leads McWilliams down the straight – a lead he maintains for all of Race 4 to take the win

Race 4 saw Alex Phillis (Arnolds Fruit Market / RS Taichi Suzuki XR69) win by 0.475 from McWilliams (Team Winfield Yamaha Harris F1), while Steve Martin on the TBR/ D&D/QBE Suzuki Katana took third with both Jed Metcher (T-Rex Racing / Race Center / ACID Australia Honda Harris F1) and (DMR Motorsport / Purgetec McIntosh Suzuki 1260) hot on his heels.

2017 International Island Classic - Steve Martin

2017 International Island Classic – Steve Martin

Shawn Giles on the (TBR / D&D / Pablos Motorcycle Tyres Suzuki Katana 1294) took sixth and was the final Aussie placing in the top 10, with both Chas Hern (T-Rex Racing Honda Harris F1) and Peter Hickman ( Team Winfield Yamaha Harris F1) posting DNF results.

2017 International Island Classic - International Challenge Race 4 Start

2017 International Island Classic – International Challenge Race 4 Start

The provisional score for the 2017 International Challenge has Team UK winning on 651 points, 11-points in front of Australia on 640 points. Ireland sits at third with 539, while the United States took fourth with 357 and New Zealand was fifth on 323 points.

2017 International Island Classic

2017 International Island Classic – Jeremy McWilliams pulls an enormous early lead in Race 3

Alex Phillis may have headed off McWilliams total domination of the International Challenge races and prevented a four for four, but nothing could prevent him from taking the 2017 Ken Wooton Perpetual Trophy with 159 points, to tied runner up’s Jed Metcher and Shawn Giles on 147. Paul Bryne was the next highest scorer on 140-points.

2017 International Challenge Race 4 (Sunday) Results:

  1. Alex PHILLIS (AUS) / Arnolds Fruit Market / RS Taichi AUS 1982 Suzuki XR69 1177 9:57.000
  2. Jeremy McWILLIAMS (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yamaha Harris F1 1297 9:57.475
  3. Steve MARTIN (AUS) / TBR / D&D / QBE AUS 1982 Suzuki Katana 1294 10:00.256
  4. Jed METCHER (AUS) / T-Rex Racing / Race Center / ACID Australia AUS 1982 Honda Harris F1 1100 10:00.427
  5. Paul BYRNE (IRE) / DMR Motorsport / Purgetec Pty Ltd IRE 1981 McInt. Suzuki 1260 10:00.565
  6. Shawn GILES (AUS) / TBR / D&D / Pablos M-cycle Tyres AUS 1982 Suzuki Katana 1294 10:01.921
  7. Derek SHEILS (IRE) / Tom Dermody / DMR M-sport IRE 1982 Suzuki XR69 1260 10:05.409
  8. Conor CUMMINS (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yamaha Harris F1 1250 10:07.111
  9. John McGUINNESS (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1982 Honda Harris F1 1150 10:08.667
  10. James HILLIER (UK) / Team Winfield UK 1984 Yam. Harris F1 1250 10:15.249
  11. David JOHNSON (IRE) IRE 1982 Suzuki Katana 1000 10:15.481
  12. John ALLEN (AUS) / C&M M-cycle Repairs – PC’s AUS 1978 Yamaha TZ 750 10:26.798
  13. Pat MOONEY (USA) / Dave Crussell / Pat’s Auto Sales / Vanson Leathers USA 1982 CMR Yamaha FJ 1200 10:29.600
  14. Scott WEBSTER (AUS) AUS 1982 Harris XR69 1200 10:31.216
  15. Barrett LONG (USA) / Dave Crussell / Longevity Racing / Dunlop USA 1980 Yamaha TZ 750 10:33.798
2017 International Island Classic

2017 International Island Classic – Jeremy McWilliams

2017 Ken Wooton Perpetual Trophy

  1. Jeremy McWILLIAMS (UK) – 159
  2. Jed METCHER (AUS) – 147
  3. Shawn GILES (AUS) – 147
  4. Paul BYRNE (IRE) – 140
  5. Conor CUMMINS (UK) – 133
  6. Steve MARTIN (AUS) – 132
  7. Derek SHEILS (IRE) – 132
  8. John McGUINNESS (UK) – 125
  9. James HILLIER (UK) – 118
  10. Peter HICKMAN (UK) – 116

Provisional 2017 International Challenge Final Team Points:

  1. UNITED KINGDOM – 651
  2. AUSTRALIA – 640
  3. IRELAND – 539
  4. UNITED STATES – 357
  5. NEW ZEALAND – 323

2017 International Island Classic Sunday Gallery:

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