Althea Ducati's Carlos Checa took his fifth World Superbike win at Miller Motorsport Park in the opening encounter, taking charge with 14 laps to go and then controlling the action from the front to cross the line more than two seconds ahead of Marco Melandri.

Checa played his pass for the lead perfectly, putting a move on Melandri halfway round the lap where his 1198 is much faster through the turns and then put enough of a gap on the Italian that he couldn't use the BMW's superior top-end to come back along the Salt Lake City track's long front straight.

Max Biaggi got the better of Jonathan Rea for third with six laps left after several tries to pass across the line. Rea was stronger than the Italian on the brakes but made a pass stick and then kept the feisty Irishman behind him for a 16-point haul.

Eugene Laverty, on the second works Aprilia, passed poleman Jakub Smrz for fifth place while Chaz Davies scored his best result of the season, coming in behind the Czech rider and in front of Tom Sykes, who led for the opening laps but was shuffled back to fifth in the space of one lap and then couldn't find an answer.

Michel Fabrizio got the better of Leon Haslam, who make a scorching start but just hasn't had enough serious track time this weekend, for ninth while Davide Guigliano slid from a front-row start to 12th but ahead of Sylvain Guintoli, who started sixth. Leon Camier was the last of the Brits in 13th while his team-mate John Hopkins crashed out.

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