Oxford TAG Triumph's Richard Cooper claimed his first Motorpoint British Supersport pole position of his career this morning at Assen, despite crashing out with a minute remaining.

Mar-Train Yamaha's Stuart Easton was the early pace setter before the championship leader was demoted to second by Smiths Triumph's Glen Richards. The reigning champion was improving his time lap by lap, closing down on the British lap record, before Cooper jumped to the top of the time sheets.

With just under three minutes remaining, the red flag was brought out after CF Motorsport's Glenn Irwin and Appleyard Macadam's Graeme Gowland crashed, leaving enough time for one flying lap. As the green flag was dropped, the middle-weight machines roared out of pit lane in the hope of claiming pole.

Cooper crashed out at turn 10 whilst trying to secure his spot at the top of the time sheets and could only sit and hope nobody stole away his first pole position. Fortunately for him, nobody improved their time and Cooper will line up at the front of the gird for this afternoon's first Supersport encounter.

Richards held on to second spot ahead of Profile Triumph's Luke Mossey on his return to Supersport action after missing the previous four rounds through a spine injury. The all Triumph front-row proving the new Daytona 675 is finally matching the championship-winning pedigree of its predecessor.

Championship leader Stuart Easton will front the second row of the grid ahead of Tyco Suzuki's Taylor Mackenzie, claiming his best qualifying performance of his rookie campaign, and Samsung Honda's Jason O'Halloran. Smiths Triumph's Billy McConnell is seventh on the grid ahead of the wildcarding Dutchman Kervin Bos and the first of the Gearlink Kawasaki riders, Ben Wilson.

Championship contender Alastair Seeley could only manage qualifying on the fourth row of the grid, questioning whether the Northern Irishmen is at full fitness yet and able to remain in contention for his second British Supersport title.

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