Queensland’s former three-time New Zealand Superbike Champion Robbie Bugden suffered a broken right leg at Wanganui’s Cemetery Circuit round of the International Tri-Series on Boxing Day.

The Team Suzuki rider was taken down in a first turn incident during the final race of the weekend, breaking his tibia and fibula in a devastating incident on the famous street circuit.

Despite his injury, Bugden still managed to finish third overall in the series won by arch-rival Andrew Stroud, but is now in doubt for the official New Zealand Superbike Championship, which kicks off on 29-30 January at Levels.

After winning the championship three years straight aboard the GSX-R1000, last season saw Bugden finish runner-up to fellow Suzuki rider Stroud in a battle that went down to the wire at the season finale.

In a positive result for the Aussies, Dan Stauffer won the Robert Holden Memorial feature race at the Cemetery Circuit following a tight battle with Stroud – becoming the first ever Australian to win the prestigious Robert Holden Memorial trophy.

Following his success in the Tri-Series, Stauffer has now been confirmed for the entire NZSBK series for the Bernard Racing Yamaha team.