Yukio Kagayama took a popular, and emotional victory ahead of his Rizla

Suzuki team-mate John Reynolds in the opening race of the third round of

the THINK! British Superbike Championship at Snetterton.

But Reynolds hit back strongly, taking the second race honours to extend

his lead in the points standings.

Kagayama, the 29 year old Japanese rider is still recovering from the life

threatening injuries sustained in a horror crash last August at Cadwell

Park, and had compounded that by taking a battering in heavy tumble during

Friday free practice at the Norfolk circuit that had wrecked his Rizla

Suzuki bike.

"I worried after Friday if I could rider - I decided to try qualifying and

then not to race would have been sad," said Kagayama. He started from the

second row, but was soon duelling for the lead, going ahead at quarter

distance and then fighting back to regain the advantage after Reynolds had

gone through to hold the upperhand for six laps.

"I am very, very happy - last year was very hard, big crash, but now I am

back," he smiled after holding off, by 0.414 secs, Reynolds, but the twice

former champion was to dictate terms next time out, grabbing the lead from

the off, and then holding off the intense pressure from his title rival

Michael Rutter.

The HM Plant Honda Fireblade shattered the lap record as he overcame a slow

start to reel in Reynolds, but had to settle for second best as the

Nottingham rider took his third victory of the season to open up a ten

points advantage over Rutter.

Sean Emmett, fourth in the opener aboard the MonsterMob Ducati, came in

third, just ahead of Kagayama - the two riders are now level on points,

third overall as they go into the Holiday Monday 3 May fourth round at

Oulton Park.

James Ellison hit double top to take a single point lead over Dennis Hobbs

in the race for the British Superbike Cup after Jon Kirkham, the

pace-setter prior to this round had a dismal time, crashing out of the

action.

Michael Laverty enjoyed his first victory as a MonsterMob Ducati rider in a

dramatic third round of the British Supersport Championship, finishing

ahead of Karl Harris and Pere Riba. And, making it a great day for the

Laverty family, his younger brother Eugene won the British 125GP race,

ahead of John Pearson and Christian Elkin.

Kiel Bryce enjoyed maiden glory in the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 cup, taking

the victory on aggregate time in a two part race and with it the lead in

the series, ahead of Adam Jenkinson whose hopes of a hat-trick of victories

ended in a tumble at two thirds distance. Jon Boy Lee finished the race

in second place, ahead of James Hillier.

Danny Beaumont grabbed the honours in the third round of an incident packed

National Superstock Championship - the Berkhamsted rider was running half a

second clear of Ben Wilson when the race was stopped three laps early after

a spectacular crash by Mark Heckles at Russells. He tangled with third

placed Tristan Palmer as he tried to nudge through, but was thrown high

off his bike, escaping with foot injuries. Andy Tinsley, placed fourth

shares the lead in the series with Wilson. Earlier, Derek Shiels had won

the Superstock Cup race.