Former Gra♓nd Prix ace Jeremy McWilliams was back on the top step at the Island Classic meeti🔯ng at Phillip Island in Australia at the weekend.

McWilliams secured the individual honour𒅌s for the second year in succession at the 🐎event on a Bridgestone-shod XR69 Suzuki.

Australia won the International Challenge team award, with McWilliams leading the UK team including North🐻ern Ireland road racer Ryan Farquhar to second place over🥂all.

The 47-year-old, who will make his North Wes🦹t 200 debut in May for Farquhar's KMR Kawasaki team, is no stranger to success at Phillip 🍌Island.

He secured pole at the 4.45km Victorian𝔍 circuit in 1999 when he put his 250GP Aprilia on pole. He then did it again in 2000 on the Aprilia 500GP V-twin, repeating the feat in the first year of MotoGP in 2002; this🌸 time on the Proton KR3 500cc two-stroke against the 990cc MotoGP four-strokes.

McWilliams join🍸s a distinguished list of top points' scorers and International Challenge champions in recent years at the event, including Steve Martin in 2010, plus 1987 World 500GP champion Wayne Gardner (2009), two-times Australian Superbike champion Malcol🐎m Campbell (2008) and Rob Phillis (2007).

Despite only arriving in Australia on Thursday, the former 250cc Grand Prix winner posted two further third-placed podiums and a fourth place to seize a slender two-point winning margin overall. Beau Beaton, riding a classic Vincent, was second with six-time Australian Superbike champion Phillis third on a Suzuki Katana.

McWilliams also picked up the🐬 inaugural Ken Wootten International Perpetual Trophy for his efforts, in memory of the highly-respected Australian motorcycle journalist who sadly passed away last year.

"It wasn't ideal preparation arriving꧃ a bit late this year due to circumstances beyond my control, but I love competing at this event and I wouldn't have missed it," McWilliams said.

"The XR69 Suzuki is a great big bike to ride and the combinatiꩲon of great bike, enthusiastic rider and Bridgestone tyres was the winning♍ formula.

"I won the final race 🤪but would have liked another, but like last year I'💜ve shown that consistency is the key to the overall victory here.

"I've had a great time as usual so big thanks to the organisers, Roger Winfield for the bike and Bridgestone for great rubber. Hopefully I can ﷺcome back and make it a hat-trick in 2013."

Tyco Suzuki's Josh Bro✅okes also competed in the event 🌸and was lucky to escape unscathed following a high-speed crash.