Buildbase BMW's Ryuichi Kiyonari kicked off the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown at Assen by topping the timesheets, snatching the advantage from Title Fighter Dan Linfoot in the final ten minutes of the opening free practice session.

Kiyonari started the session by setting the initial pace, before championship leader Shane 'Shakey' Byrne closed in, however it was Linfoot who was on the attack this morning and he fired the Quattro Plant Kawasaki ahead by just 0.001s.

Triple title-winner Kiyonari completed a succession of fast laps and that moved him ahead in the closing stages with Linfoot holding second ahead of Byrne in third. Josh Brookes narrowed the gap as he led the Milwaukee Yamaha charge in fourth place ahead of an eager Stuart Easton in fifth.

Tommy Bridewell was sixth fastest ahead of an improving James Ellison in seventh on the leading Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki as John Hopkins, Jon Kirkham and Peter Hickman completed the top ten which featured five different manufacturers.

The sixth Title Fighter Chris Walker was eleventh fastest ahead of Barry Burrell and Bimota Alstare Junior's Christian Iddon in 13th.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Assen, free practice one result:

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) 1m:37.752s
Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +0.113s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.454s
Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.516s
Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.594s
Tommy Bridewell (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.958s
James Ellison (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +1.070s
John Hopkins (Tyco Suzuki) +1.153s
Jon Kirkham (Halsall Biker Gear Kawasaki) +1.539s
Peter Hickman (RAF Reserves Honda) +1.607s




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