The Superbike World Championship's first ever official appearance at EICMA, the International Motorcycle Exhibition that took place throughout last week at the Milan Fair, concluding Sunday, proved to be an outstanding success.

With its 500 square metres of SBK Paddock Show, the same structure that forms the focal point for paddock activity during World Superbike rounds, stand G82 in pavilion 18 of the show was constantly under siege from Superbike fans and enthusiasts throughout the four days open to the public.

Following Wednesday's 2011 round-up and look-forward to 2012 by Infront Motor Sports CEO Paolo Flammini to a packed international press conference, the scene was set for the remaining days with events, bike displays of Superbike, Supersport and European Junior Cup machinery, grid-girls, gadgets and posters, on-stage presentations, videos, an dedicated merchandise corner, video-game challenges and most importantly rider interviews and autograph sessions for the general public.

All the top protagonists of the 2011 season were out in force, taking turns to be interviewed on the stage by Virgin Radio's DJ Ringo, as well as Superbike presenters Giovanni di Pillo and Gianluigi ‘Mister Helmet' Ragno.

A big thanks from Infront Motor Sports therefore go out to 2011 champion Carlos Checa, Marco Melandri, Max Biaggi, Eugene Laverty, Leon Haslam, Michel Fabrizio, Jonathan Rea, Troy Corser, Sylvain Guintoli, James Toseland, Ayrton Badovini, Noriyuki Haga, Ruben Xaus, Roberto Rolfo and Jakub Smrz, as well as Chaz Davies, Luca Scassa, Davide Giugliano, Lorenzo Zanetti and all the other people who dedicated their time and efforts to the event.