Japanese double for Izutsu

Noriyuki Haga is out in front in the title race

Hitoyasu Izutsu claimed a surprise double victory on his Kawasaki when he won both races in the third round of the world superbike championship.

The wins at the Sugo track were his first in national or international competition in his seven years as a professional rider.

Izutsu pulled away from championship points leader Noriyuki Haga on a Yamaha after eight laps in the 25-lap first race, which was marred by a collision on the first corner that sent five riders spinning from the race.

It's never easy at the Japanese round. There's a lot of wild card riders out there who are prepared to win or crash.

Colin Edwards

Italy's Pier-Francesco Chili on a Suzuki was third behind Haga.

Australian Troy Bayliss, replacing injured world champion Carl Fogarty of Britain in the Ducati team, was one of the five involved in the crash as was American team mate Ben Bostrom.

I'll take fifth and third places and move on to round four," said Honda rider Colin Edwards of the US who is second in the championship standings.

In the second race, Izutsu battled with defending Japanese champion Wataru Yoshikawa for the lead for much of the race until racing clear on the 19th lap.

Yoshikawa finished second with Edwards third and Haga fourth. Australian Troy Corser on an Aprilia was fifth after finishing ninth in the first race.

Haga now leads the championship with 104 points with Colin Edwards, who finished fifth and third, on 94.

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Race one results

1 Hitoyasu Izutsu (Japan) Kawasaki 37 minutes 57.425 seconds

2 Noriyuki Haga (Japan) Yamaha 38:01.237

3 Pier-Francesco Chili (Italy) Suzuki 38:01.518

4 Akira Ryo (Japan) Suzuki 38:01.776

5 Colin Edwards (U.S.) Honda 38:02.437

6 Keiichi Kitagawa (Japan) Suzuki 38:03.888

7 Makoto Tamada (Japan) Honda 38:06.457

8 Wataru Yoshikawa (Japan) Yamaha 38:14.303

9 Troy Corser (Australia) Aprilia 38:30.349

10 Gregorio Lavilla (Spain) Kawasaki 38:45.519

Race two

1 Izutsu 37:47.120

2 Yoshikawa 37:47.343

3 Edwards 37:51.422

4 Haga 37:54.372

5 Corser 38:01.892

6 Akira Yanagawa (Japan) Kawasaki 38:04.657

7 Tamaki Serizawa (Japan) Kawasaki 38:04.824

8 Kitagawa 38:10.641

9 Ryo 38:12.627

10 Lavilla 38:27.024

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Championship standings:

1 Haga 104 points

2 Edwards 94

3 Corser 69

4 Chili 59

5 Lavilla 54

6 Izutsu 50

7 Anthony Gobert (Australia) Bimota 36, Carl Fogarty (Britain) Ducati 36

9 Yoshikawa 28

10 Katsuaki Fujiwara (Japan) Suzuki, Yanagawa 27