Supersport - Clutch failure spoil Ellison's chance (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Supersport - Clutch failure spoil Ellison's chance

11:36am Thursday 31st March 2011 in Sport

BOGDANKA PTR biker James Ellison was on course for a podium finish at Donington Park on Sunday before clutch problems forced him to retire from the second round of the World Supersport Championship.

Ellison, from Kendal, was in third spot when the problem struck but was unable to see out the race as he dropped down the field, while teammate Pawel Szkopek crashed out on lap 19.

He said: “I really wanted that podium. We’ve worked hard for it all weekend and I knew I would be a contender in the race. I was very confident but unfortunately the clutch broke.

“I was trying to preserve it as much as I could in the second half of the race but with one lap to go the bike just wouldn’t accelerate and I had to pull into the pits.”

Ellison is 11th overall on 10 points as the championship moves to Assen, Holland, on April 17.