Magny Cours: Ten Kate Honda race report

Muggeridge hits 'fever' pitch at Magny-Cours.

Ten Kate Honda's Karl Muggeridge notched up his third consecutive win of the year in the 11th and final round of the World Supersport championship at Magny-Cours in France.

The 29-year-old Australian, aboard the yellow CBR600RR number 31 machine, equalled team-mate Chris Vermeulen's run of three victories in a row, to crown another memorable day for the Niewleusen-based team, who finish the year with seven wins from 11 races.

"I am very happy to have won my third race of the season. I had glandular fever at the beginning of the year and I let it get the better of me. It cost me the first half of the season," said Muggeridge who leapt up to fourth in the overall standings.

Vermeulen had to play second fiddle to his fellow Australian for the third race running but the recently-crowned 2003 World Supersport champion - who will switch to the World Superbike championship aboard the CBR1000RR machine - was very pleased.

"I really wanted to win my last race in World Supersport after three years in the series but Karl rode really well. The team has worked really hard and I'm happy with second. I am ready for World Superbikes and the CBR1000RR looks a great machine," said Vermeulen.

Broc Parkes, marking his debut race for the Ten Kate team, was vying for a podium position until disaster struck on lap 20. "I just tried too hard. I got excited at the prospect of an all-Ten Kate podium," came the honest appraisal from the young Australian who clocked the fastest speed of the race - 266.6km/h.

Team manager Ronald ten Kate was thrilled with the team's third consecutive one-two finish after the results at Assen, Holland and Imola, Italy. "It's been a fabulous year with Chris winning the title and Karl doing so well. It was a shame for Broc," said Ten Kate.

As well as becoming the youngest-ever World Supersport champion at 21 years, three months and nine days [when he took the title at Imola, Italy], Vermeulen also hit the double century mark for points scored in a season - a record 201.

"It's been a perfect season. We're looking forward to the step up into World Superbikes as well as defending our World Supersport title," said team owner, Gerrit ten Kate.

World Supersport championship race result (23 laps - 101.453km):

1 Karl Muggeridge, Australia (Ten Kate Honda) 40m 24.892s,
2 Chris Vermeulen, Australia (Ten Kate Honda) +3.543s,
3 Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Holland (Yamaha) +6.338,
4 Sébastien Charpentier, France (Honda) +6.565s,
5 Stéphane Chambon, France (Suzuki) +8.737s,
6 Pere Riba, Spain (Kawasaki) +14.446s,
7 Matthieu Lagrive, France (Yamaha) +23.042s,
8 Christian Kellner, Germany (Yamaha) +23.908s,
9 Christophe Cogan, France (Yamaha) +24.138s,
10 Werner Daemen, Belgium (Honda) +30.680s.

Championship points after 11 of 11 rounds:
1 Vermeulen 201
2 Chambon 137
3 Van den Goorbergh 136
4 Muggeridge 134
5 Katsuaki Fujiwara, @Japan (Suzuki) 119
6 Christian Kellner 90
7Charpentier 72
8 Alessio Corradi, Italy (Yamaha) 68
9 Fabien Foret, France (Kawasaki) 64,
10 Jörg Teuchert, Germany (Yamaha) 60
13 Broc Parkes, Australia (Ten Kate Honda) 47.

-tkh-