Kawasaki's WSB team got their World Superbike and Supersport winter testing schedule under way at Spain's Almeria track today under clear blue skies and warm termperatures.

New signing Broc Parkes joins existing rider Makoto Tamada are on the ZX-10R while Joan Lascorz and veteran team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara are circulating on the ZX-6R.

Parkes is determined to get to grips with the Ninja ZX-10R before the season starts and this job is made a little bit more easy for him as he receives information and help from his experienced team-mate Makoto Tamada, who is going into his second season on the Ninja ZX-10R," said a team spokesman.

"Lascorz, the very talented Spanish revelation of the 2008 WSS season is showing an overwhelming enthusiasm to get the most out of his new bike and certainly his well-experienced veteran team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara can teach him a trick or two.

"Both riders are working closely together to make adaptation to the new Ninja ZX-6R as quick and and easy as possible. Both teams are sharing their pitboxes in a joint effort to create team spirit and synergy between them and to get to know one another."

After this two-day test, more testing will be done in the weeks to come, to make sure the kick-off of the 2009 racing season will be a success. The next official test, organised by the World Championship series organiser FGSport, will be held from January 23 until January 25 at the new Portimao track in Portugal.