Last updated 13:36, Thursday, 07 August 2008

Allendale's Graeme Gowland secured a point at Brands Hatch in the first of the two rounds of the World Supersport Championship held on the British Isles at the weekend.

Graeme Gowland

However, there was little in the way of celebration, as the event was overshadowed by the death of fellow Brit Craig Jones in the event.

Graeme had provisionally qualified in 19th after the first qualifying session on Friday but hopes of improvement in the second session were scuppered by tyre heat issues and rain showers.

However others did improve so “Gowla” was pushed down the order to 27th on the grid for Sunday’s 23 lap race.

Gowland failed to make any ground when the lights went out for the race.

He soon began to make progress and was up to 23rd by lap five, and then up to 18th when the red flags came out as rain was falling and two riders had gone down at Graham Hill Bend.

Gowland lined up in the 18th spot for the restart, with the result an aggregate of both races.

By the end of lap one, he was down to 22nd but he was back up to 17th by lap five.

Gowla was up to 16th on track, but 15th on aggregate on the seventh lap when Craig Jones crashed on the final turn and the red flags immediately came out.

Tragically Craig died in the early hours of Monday morning and Graeme and his family offer their sincere sympathies to Craig’s family.

Graeme added: “I am shocked and saddened by Craig’s death and my thoughts are with Craig’s family, friends and team.”