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Cool Crutchlow tells us how he did it

Cal Crutchlow has proved to be more than just a super-fast rider in 2009; he has proved that he had all the qualities needed to win the intensely competitive WSS Championship at the very first time of asking.

His endless aggression and will to win meant that some people thought he would not resist the temptation of chasing down race leader and Championship rival Eugene Laverty in the Portimao race last weekend. But Crutchlow added a cool head and patience to his list of qualities when it mattered most. His reward for his unique mixture of total aggression and applied intelligence? The WSS Championship for himself and Yamaha's first WSS crown since 2000.

"I didn't need to push," said Crutchlow of the final raceday in 2009. "I knew the pressure of the race and I showed in morning warm-up we could do the times and be up there for the race wins, but I didn't need to. I just wanted to finish the race. The aim was to win the championship, not the race. Eugene rode fantastic, superb, and he put a lot of pressure on with the times that he was doing all weekend. But I didn't need to win it to win the championship."

Winning in WSS this year has been a true team effort for Crutchlow, his official Yamaha team based in Germany, and Crutchlow is understandably proud of the season he and his support staff have put in. "We have proved that we are the fastest over all the year and all credit to Yamaha for that, they have built a good package around me. I have put a lot of effort in myself, and it is good to be the 2009 World Champions."

Having set blistering times in his first Yamaha official WSB test only a couple of days after leaving WSS behind, Crutchlow has opened a new chapter in his career the way he approached his first WSS Season - flat out.