By Glenn LeSanto

YZF-R6 Yamahas finished first and second in the Supersport World Championship race at Sugo, Japan Sunday, Paolo Casoli winning and Jorg Teuchert finishing second. Andrew Pitt was third on a Kawasaki.

Belgarda Yamaha’s Casoli topped off a perfect weekend with the win in the third round of the Supersport World Championship Series. Pole sitter Casoli led the race from start to finish, neatly avoiding the mayhem behind him, to close the gap on Championship leader, Pere Riba, to 11 points. Riba finished fourth on his Ten Kate Honda CBR600F4i, while Kevin Curtain, who had been tied with Riba on points going into the race, slipped into second place in the table after finishing down in sixth place.

The hapless Jamie Whitham was one of the days many DNFs, although this time he didn’t crash but was forced out of third place with an electrical problem. Reigning Supersport World Champion Teuchert’s second-place finish hauled him up the Championship table to fifth in points.

Several riders crashed, many of them on the exit of turn two, including Bontempi, who was running second when he fell on lap 13.

Australian Pitt finished third for the second time in two weeks and held onto his fourth-place in the Championship points. Second-place finisher at Phillip Island, Adam Fergusson, was unhurt when he fell on lap five.

Casoli was obviously pleased with his weekend’s work. “It’s been a great weekend and today has been fantastic,” said Casoli. “I got a good start and despite suffering from chatter from the front end I just got my head down and concentrated on winning the race.”

The riders now fly home to prepare for the next round, Casoli’s home race, in Monza on May 13.

Results follow:

1. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha
2. Jorg Teuchert, Germany, Yamaha
3. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki
4. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda
5. Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Suzuki
6. Kevin Curtain, Australia, Honda
7. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy, Suzuki
8. Fabien Fouret, France, Honda
9. Christian Kellner, Germany, Yamaha
10. Iain MacPherson, UK, Kawasaki