Yakhnich Yamaha’s Sam Lowes claimed his first World Supersport win of the year at Assen, after fighting an intense battle with rival MAHI Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu that went all the way to the chequered flag.
The Lincolnshire lad led from the start of the race, but the Turkish rider was never far behind and the lead changed numerous times over the 21 laps.
Lowes edged into the lead on the brakes into the Geert Timmer chicane on the final lap, and narrowly managed to take the win to claim his place on the top of the podium. Earlier in the race, Lowes also had to contend with Sofuoglu’s team-mate Fabien Foret. The Frenchman did keep up with the two leading riders, but fell off the pace with three laps remaining.
Rivamoto’s Jack Kennedy had a great race, and at one point was even in contention for a podium finish. With 20 laps to go the Dubliner was up to third, behind Sofuoglu and did remain inside to top five. But with five laps remaining he was overtaken by Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark, followed closely by Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres’s Florian Marino and ParkinGo MV Agusta Corse rider Roberto Rolfo, resulting in the Irishman eventually crossing the line in seventh place as his tyres fell away.
Scottish rider Kev Coghlan was not far behind Kennedy and gradually made his way up the grid and finished well inside the points in eighth, after fending off advances from Team Goeleven’s Andrea Antonelli.
ParkinGo MV Agusta Corse’s Christian Iddon finished just outside the top ten in eleventh. With seven laps left out on the Assen track, Stockport’s finest was battling for tenth place with Pata Honda’s Lorenzo Zanetti, but even though the Brit did get the better of the Italian, he could not sustain his lead when the chequered flag appeared. But Iddon did hold off a challenge from Lowes’ Yakhnich Motorsport team-mate Vladimir Leonov who finished the race in twelfth.
