By Glenn Le Santo

Friday’s provisional World Supersport front row at Assen was undisturbed by Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session. Only Karl Muggeridge and Fabrizio Pirovano were able to force their way into the top 10, squeezing in a fast lap each early in the session when the track was drying out. The final qualifying was another case of wet-or-dry as mechanics struggled to keep pace with the changing weather. Typical of the day was Fabien Foret’s experience, as the track finally dried out he sat astride his bike, newly set-up for a full dry session, only for a heavy rain shower to fall on the circuit before he could turn a dry wheel. Foret, no fan of wet racing, got off the bike and took no further part in the session.

Meanwhile, Foret’s teammate Pere Riba gave the rest of the paddock a lesson in professional racing. While the rest of the riders sheltered from the high wind and heavy rain, Riba asked his team to give him a bike in full wet set-up and went out to complete some valuable laps in the rain. He also took the opportunity presented by the empty track to try some wet starts. His efforts could well pay off as the weather looks likely to remain changeable.

Tomorrow’s race, in which Suzuki’s Katsuaki Fujiwara will start on pole, could well turn into a tire lottery if the weekend’s weather so far is anything to go by.

Final Supersport qualifying times, Saturday:

1. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 2:08.497
2. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 2:08.553
3. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha, 2:09.015
4. V. Ianuzzo, Italy, Suzuki, 2:09.123
5. Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Suzuki, 2:09.141
6. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 2:09.149
7. C. Cogan, France, Yamaha, 2:09.211
8. Kevin Curtain, Australia, Honda, 2:09.276
9. Iain MacPherson, Great Britain, Kawasaki, 2:09.317
10. P. Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha, 2:09.737


Marty Nutt was fastest in Superstock Qualifying. Times follow:
1. Marty Nutt, Great Britain, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:25.145
2. Mark Heckles, Great Britain, Honda CBR929RR, 2:25.187
3. Paul Mooijman, Holland, Yamaha YZF-R1, 2:26.447
4. James Ellison, Great Britain, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:27.188
5. Dario Tosolini, Italy, Ducati, 2:27.203
6. Andy Notman, Great Britain, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:27.489
7. Markus Wegscheider, Italy, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:27.812
8. Koen Vleugels. Germany, Yamaha YZF-R1, 2:28.706
9. Robert de Vries, Holland, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:29.065
10. Didier Vankeymeulen, Germany, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:29.401