Mahi Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu was the only rider to lap inside the 1’45’s during today’s World Supersport qualifying session at Portimao – meaning the former triple champ bagged his 19th career pole in the class, with a 1'45.924 - but Pata Honda's Michael Van Der Mark was within a tenth of the three-time champion to take second.

The Turkish rider led as soon as he left the pits with Van Der Mark and Reparto Corse’s Jules Cluzel fighting hard to topple the Kawasaki man from the timesheets – but to no avail. The Dutchman and Frenchman had to settle for completing the front row.

Initially it was former MCE British Superbike contender, PJ Jacobsen who led the charge in the opening stages of the qualifying session with a 1’46.697. But on the 29 minute mark CIA Insurance Honda's Jack Kennedy made his mark on the timing-screens and went into the provisional pole spot – after a 1’46.682, narrowly edging ahead of the American.

The Dubliner was on fine form and continued to improve his lap times and with less than 20 minutes left to the qualifying session clocked a 1’46.484. But the diminutive New Yorker and the championship leader, Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark were never far behind.

DMC Panavto-Yamaha’s Kev Coghlan was slowly making his way up the timesheets, and after 30 minutes the Scot had made his way up to fifth – after a 1’46.893 rotation. But Mahi Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu stormed from the pits and straight to the top of the timing-screens – knocking Kennedy down the pecking order.

The triple champ lapped a 1’46.240 and was soon the first rider to lap inside the 1’45’s. Van Der Mark was having a good bash at pole, but could only manage second with ten minutes remaining. Reparto Corse’s Jules Cluzel was just inside the top ten but a 1’46.089 placed him second, but Van Der Mark hit back to regain that spot.

When the chequered flag appeared, Kennedy was unable to make it back on to the front row, but heads row two, just ahead of his team-mate De Rosa, and Pata Honda’s Lorenzo Zanetti. The Irishman tried a last lap dash but got held up on the track and had to settle for a 1’56.310.

Coghlan’s last lap was in vain as he too was halted by traffic on the circuit. He just missed out on the second row by a few tenths, but the Perthshire rider will start from seventh on the grid, and makes up the third row with Jacobsen and Marino, after the Scot’s best lap of a 1’46.644.