Sunshine Coast-based Queenslander Chris Vermeulen can finally see light at the end of the tunnel. After an injury-ravaged World Superbike campaign, Vermeulen has earmarked round eight of this year’s championship in San Marino for a massive turnaround in fortunes.

The Yandina resident, who turns 28 on this week, injured his right knee in a high-speed crash at the Phillip Island season opener, which eventually required surgery and a short period of convalescence before he returned to action at round four in the Netherlands.

But he’s been in an strange place ever since, safe in the knowledge that he can’t do any more structural damage to the recuperating knee – but with the sobering fact that he will probably require a full reconstruction once he retires from racing.

“Everyday life hasn’t been such a hassle for me [since getting the injury], and if I was a builder or house painter I would be fine,” said Vermeulen, back in Queensland while the WSBK title takes a month off.

“But on a bike there is a lot of bend and push going through the knee, and that’s where I’ve had problems. Early on I had to lift my seat about 20mm and lower the footpegs on the Kawasaki, and that had a big impact on the bike’s handling.

“But I didn’t really have a choice, as a full reconstruction would have kept me off the bike for a minimum of six months, and that just wasn’t possible with lots of important stuff starting soon, such as testing the all-new Kawasaki.”

With his right knee gradually regaining strength, Vermeulen reverted to a normal seating position at the last round in Salt Lake City, and he was encouraged by his performance.

“Race one was difficult because I made the wrong tyre choice, but in the second I really went up a gear and rode away from my teammate Tom [Sykes], which was really great.

“But I was still slow at changing direction compared to a lot of the other riders, as the longer corners didn’t suit the Kawasaki – that’s what the biggest problem was.”

Despite the Kawasaki struggling to match the pace of its Japanese and European rivals, Vermeulen believes he will still be a powerful force at the next round in Misano on 27 June.

“It was always my goal to be strong there, and the big inroads I made in America have given me even more confidence,” said Vermeulen. “I finished second behind Casey [Stoner] in the 2007 MotoGP race there, and it’s a circuit I know really well. I am working my butt off while I’m back in Australia, and I hope to hit the ground running in Misano.”

But as much as pride will play a part for Vermeulen the last six rounds of this year’s title, he’s also made no secret that riding the all-new 2011 model Kawasaki is what he’s really hanging out for.

“The first test is planned in early August in Japan, followed up by plenty of miles in October and November,” he commented. “I am really looking forward to it, as the goal is to get Kawasaki back up the front of the World Superbike pack, where it belongs.”

Italian Max Biaggi leads this year’s World Superbike title from Suzuki’s Leon Haslam and Honda’s Jonathan Rea. Wollongong’s Troy Corser (BMW) is the top Aussie contender in seventh.