WSS: Competitive entry list unveiled.

The entry list for the 2009 World Supersport Championship has been unveiled by the FIM, with 30 riders set to take to the starting grid for the first round in Australia.

Arguably one of the most competitive fields the Supersport series has seen in some time, a mixture of experience, young talent and past winners make up the entry list as rival teams attempt to wrest the crown from multiple winners Ten Kate.

Ten Kate begin their quest for an eighth consecutive title with possibly their most coveted line-up yet having invited 2007 Champion Kenan Sofuoglu back to the team to join 2008 winner Andrew Pitt. Between them, Sofuoglu and Pitt have won 13 of the last 26 Supersport races.

Their closest challenge is anticipated to come from Yamaha's factory Supersport team, in particular British Superbike race winner and World Superbike wild-card star Cal Crutchlow. The Brit, who will be joined by the experienced Fabien Foret, has already proved quick in testing and is likely to fight for wins this year.

Other notable entrants include MotoGP refugee Anthony West, who moves to Stiggy Motorsport in 2009, while ex-GP racer Eugene Laverty is also tipped to shine at Parkalgar after his star turn for Yamaha in a handful of the 2008 rounds.

Elsewhere, Suzuki will be represented by Hoegee, although only Barry Veneman is confirmed with them so far. Kawasaki switch their factory backing to the new Provec Motocard.com team, luring hotly tipped Spaniard Joan Lascorz to join multiple race winner Katsuaki Fujiwara.

Triumph, meanwhile, also turn their attentions to a new team in 2009 after moving their support from SC to the BE1 Racing concern. Factory Racing, meanwhile, will also run a pair of 675 bikes in 2009.

A strong year for Honda beckons, with Robbin Harms leading a three-strong offensive for the re-branded Benjan Racing, which will race under Veidec RES Software Honda, while Mark Aitchison moves to Honda at Althea and Massimo Roccoli also goes the way of the Japanese manufacturer after leaving Yamaha. In all, there will be 16 CBR600RRs on the grid.

Interesting new faces, meanwhile, include Italy's Fabrizio Lai and Indonesian rider Doni Tata Pradita, who come to the series having competed in grand prix racing last year. They will race for ECHO Honda and Yamaha YZF respectively.

The full 2009 World Supersport Championship entry list:

1. Andrew Pitt AUS HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR
54. Kenan Sofuoglu TUR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR
35. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha SSP YZF R6
99. Fabien Foret FRA Yamaha SSP YZF R6
13. Anthony West AUS Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR600RR
105. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR600RR
50. Eugene Laverty IRL Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR
117. Miguel Praia POR Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR
77. Barry Veneman NED Hoegee Suzuki GSX-R 600
TBA. Hoegee Suzuki GSX-R 600
21. Katsuaki Fujiwara JPN Kawasaki Provec Motocard.com ZX-6R
26. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Provec Motocard.com ZX-6R
8. Mark Aitchison AUS HANNspree Althea Honda CBR600RR
14. Matthieu Lagrive FRA HANNspree Althea Honda CBR600RR
24. Garry McCoy AUS Triumph BE1 Racing 675
69. Gianluca Nannelli ITA Triumph BE1 Racing 675
7. Patrick Vostarek CZE Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR
55. Massimo Roccoli ITA Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR
51. Michele Pirro ITA Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni YZF R6
28. Arie Vos NED Veidec Racing RES Software Honda CBR600RR
127. Robbin Harms DEN Veidec Racing RES Software Honda CBR600RR
32. Fabrizio Lai ITA ECHO CRS Grand Prix Honda CBR600RR
83. Russell Holland AUS ECHO CRS Grand Prix Honda CBR600RR
19. Pawel Szkopek POL Factory Racing Triumph 675
96. Matej Smrz CZE Factory Racing Triumph 675
71. Jose Carlos Morillas Cuenca ESP Holiday Gym Racing Yamaha YZF R6
88. Yannick Guerra ESP Holiday Gym Racing Yamaha YZF R6
9. Daniel Dell'Omo ITA Kuja Racing
30. Jesco Gunther GER RES Software Veidec Racing
5. Doni Tata Pradita INA YZF Yamaha R6