TT 2016: Harrison sets Supersport pace on first night

Bradford's Dean Harrison topped the Supersport charts on the opening night of qualifying at the 2016 Isle of Man TT Races.

Harrison clocked 124.218mph (18:13.467) on his sixth and final lap of the session on the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki ZX-6R, leading the way from Ian Hutchinson on the Came BPT Yamaha, who lapped at 124.16mph.

Michael Dunlop was third quickest on his MD Racing Yamaha R6 with a speed of 124.05mph as the first night's practice session was held in perfect conditions, with the Mountain Course bathed in sunshine.

Morecambe's John McGuinness was fourth fastest on the Jackson Racing Honda (123.42mph) followed by Manxman Conor Cummins on the Valvoline Padgett's Honda, who clocked 123.35mph.

Flying Kiwi Bruce Anstey rounded out the top six on the second of Clive Padgett's machines with a speed of 122.65mph, followed by Peter Hickman on the Trooper Beer Kawasaki (121.49mph) and Jackson Racing's Steve Mercer (121.47mph).

Double Supersport TT winner Gary Johnson lapped at 120.84mph on the T3 Racing Triumph and was followed by James Hillier (Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki), who completed the top ten with a lap of 119.47mph.
On an incident-packed evening, William Dunlop came off at Sarah's Cottage on the IC Racing Yamaha, with Forrest Dunn off at the Waterworks. Ben Rea (Lambfell) and Ballymoney's Seamus Elliott (Hailwood Heights) were also among the fallers, but all riders involved escaped uninjured.

Meanwhile, reigning Lightweight TT champion Ivan Lintin was quickest on the Devitt RC Express Kawasaki during the opening session for the 650cc machines, clocking a speed of 116.773mph.

Lintin was followed by 2013 winner Hillier (114.341mph), James Cowton (113.227mph) and John Barton (112.213mph).

The session began with the speed controlled newcomers lap at 6.20pm and TT Rider liaison officer Richard Quayle led Alessandro Polita, Michael Booth, Seamus Elliott and Jochem van den Hoek around the course for their first closed road lap.

Bruce Anstey, who rode the Valvoline Padgett's Superstock machine and not the MotoGP-based RCV 213V-S, escorted Josh Daley, Andre Pires and Forrest Dunn while rider liaison officer John Barton took the final group of Darren James, Olaf Romijn and Alastair Fagan.