DMC Panavto’s Kev Coghlan narrowly missed out on winning his first World Supersport race this afternoon in Phillip Island. The Scot was pipped to the post on the final lap by Yakhnich MV Agusta’s Jules Cluzel. The former World Superbike racer took the lead on the penultimate corner to take the spoils from the Perthshire lad, after a five lap dash, due to a red flag. Core PTR’s Raffaele De Rosa finished in third place.

MAHI Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu took the lead on lap one, followed by Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark and San Carlo’s Roberto Tamburini, but Van Der Mark overtook the Kawasaki to go into the lead a lap later. With sixteen laps to go 20-year-old Intermoto Ponyexpres rider PJ Jacobsen pushed his way into third, followed by Coghlan. But two laps later the Scottish lad got the better of the diminutive New Yorker to go into third.

But Jacobsen's good form was not to last, as on lap four the former MCE British Superbike racer experienced a technical problem at Swan, bringing a premature end to his rookie World Supersport race. But with thirteen laps to go Sofuoglu overtook Van Der Mark to go into first, with Coghlan hot on his heels propelling his way to second, going into the Honda Corner.

But the red flag came out with eight laps remaining, after CIA Honda’s Jack Kennedy experienced an engine blow out on the Gardner straight going into Doohan, and oil was spilled out on the track, while he was sixteenth overall. The Dubliner had been ruled out of this weekend’s World Supersport opener after doctors refused to deem him fit enough to ride, after breaking his ankle in testing this week. But he defied medical opinion and managed to get on the bike to compete this afternoon.

After the red flag there was a quick re-start over five laps. Sofuoglu again took the lead followed by De Rosa and Marino, but on the second of five laps Van Der Mark crashed, followed by leader Sofuoglu. But both riders managed to get back on their respective bikes and joined the back of the pack.

With the former triple champ out of contention Marino went into first, followed by Cluzel, De Rosa, and Coghlan. On the final lap the Perthshire rider went into third, but seconds later went into first over taking Cluzel and De Rosa in the process. But on turn 11 Cluzel had the pace to get the better of Coghlan to go into the lead, and take the win, with Marino and Tamburini completing the top five.

Smiths Triumph’s Graeme Gowland was able to take advantage of the re-start and ended the race in seventh. His Motorpoint British Supersport, wildcard team-mate Billy McConnell crashed after the re-start at Siberia, but was unhurt. Com Plus Racing’s Fraser Rogers ended the day in fifteenth, picking up a valuable point.