BBC Sport NI at the NW200

Image source, Pacemaker Press

English rider Jamie Coward has returned home following an accident at the NW200 on Saturday.

Coward was taken to hospital in Coleraine after a crash in the opening Supertwins race at Quarry Bend on Saturday.

His wife Sally Coward confirmed on social media that he was returning home to England "battered and bruised with some injuries but still smiling".

"Lots of rest needed but we know Jamie," she continued in a post on X, external.

"Can't thank everyone enough, especially all the medical team and hospital staff, forever grateful."

Image source, Pacemaker

Road racer Damian Horan has explained that his condition is improving in hospital after he underwent a fifth operation to treat injuries sustained in a crash at the Cookstown 100 road races in early April.

The Republic of Ireland rider's accident occurred in the Open race and he was airlifted from the Orritor circuit to hospital by air ambulance.

"So over 2 weeks have passed since my big accident in the Open race in Cookstown and I have definitely improved a lot in that time although I am still immobile and confined to bed most of my bruising and swelling has gone," explained Horan on his Facebook page, external.

"Got through surgery no.5 yesterday which was plastic surgery to finalise the skin flap and graft on my right shin and once that has a bit of healing time they can go back in and sort my knee and tib/fib but all heading in the right direction.

"Hip has been pinned and plated , femur has a nail through it as it was snapped so they are sorted."

Athlone man Horan went on to explain the harrowing nature of all he has undergone in recent weeks.

"It been a tough couple of weeks of ops, heavy anaesthetics and pain relief but I have to say that my initial care by the Medical team at the track, the Air Ambulance team and then the Team of surgeons in the Royal Hospital in Belfast has been second to none.

"I was moved to the Ulster Hospital where I have been since last Monday week and I can't thank them enough for everything that they have done for me. They leave no stone unturned when it comes to top class health care".

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Northern Irish rider Gary McCoy remains in the critical care unit in hospital after an incident during the Supersport qualifying session on the first day of practice for the North West 200 on Wednesday.

McCoy was transported to hospital by ambulance while Englishman Craig Neve was taken from the circuit by air ambulance after both were involved in an incident at Mill Road roundabout six minutes into the Supersport qualifying session.

In an update provided by his wife Leana, she confirmed he is still in the critical care unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where "he is being cared for brilliantly by the team".

McCoy has suffered an extensive list of injuries including: 11 broken ribs, two fractures in his pelvis, a punctured right lung, a broken collar bone, a fractured right wrist, a broken left thumb and a small bleed in the brain.

Leana added: "I wanted to say on behalf of Gary and myself that we are so grateful for all of the kind messages, well wishes and support shown by everyone.

"Gary has a long way to go in terms of recovery but if there is one thing I have always said about my husband is that he is the most stubborn person I know and he's proving that each day."

Image source, BBC Sport

A rider has been airlifted to hospital with "non-life threatening injuries" after an accident in the final Superbike race at the North West 200.

The rider crashed at the Quarry Hill corner on the penultimate lap of the road race in Northern Ireland.

He was treated by medics at the scene before being transferred to hospital by air ambulance.

After a red flag stoppage, Davey Todd was declared the winner of the race ahead of Dean Harrison and Alastair Seeley.

Earlier on Saturday, English rider Jamie Coward was taken to hospital after an accident in the opening Supertwins race at Quarry Bend, and another rider was transferred to hospital after an incident at Church Corner which led to a red flag in the Supersport race.

On the opening day of practice on Wednesday, Northern Ireland's Gary McCoy was transported to hospital by ambulance while Englishman Craig Neve was taken from the circuit by air ambulance after an incident at Mill Road in Supersport qualifying.

Neve remains in ICU in Belfast, but both his and McCoy's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Image source, Pacemaker

Four-time winner North West 200 winner Peter Hickman says he has "probably" competed in his "last-ever" North West 200.

The Lincolnshire rider declined to take his place on the podium after a controversial first Superbike race on Saturday saw Michael Dunlop awarded the win over Hickman's 8TEN Racing team-mate Davey Todd after Dunlop had initially been penalised 10 seconds.

The Northern Ireland rider was one of a bunch of riders contesting the lead on the opening lap when he and Hickman missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane and went straight on.

Hickman pulled off to the left to take his 10-second penalty in the 'stop box' while Dunlop proceeded and was given a 10-second penalty for his alleged infringement and the official timings adjusted accordingly.

Davey Todd, winner of Thursday's Superbike race, had built up a seemingly unassailable 10-second advantage at the front but despite losing significant ground as a result of the first-lap incident Dunlop remarkably battled his way to the front on his BMW and ended up crossing the line first.

Dunlop's 10-second penalty was then rescinded after the race and the Ballymoney man awarded the victory, much to the dismay of Todd and his 8TEN Racing team-mate, third-place finisher Hickman.

"It's been a bit of a sad end, really. There's a lot of stuff going on and a lot of things have happened that shouldn't have happened," Hickman said on BBC Sounds.

"That will probably be my last-ever North West unfortunately. We're not going to be here and be treated the way we've been treated.

"Rules have been bent for certain people and not others. It's not right, it's not fair so that's it I'm afraid."

After the race, Event Director Mervyn Whyte said in an interview with BBC Sport NI: "Results are always provisional. The footage will be looked at afterwards and if there is a change required then a change will be made.

"The stewards are currently reviewing the situation at the current time and if it has to be changed, it has to be changed.

"Bearing in mind they are always provisional results until they're approved by the stewards in the meeting."

Organisers told BBC Sport NI that there were no changes to any results following the meeting of stewards at the conclusion of the event.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Davey Todd completed a hat-trick of wins at this year's North West 200 when he took victory in the feature Superbike race which rounded out the action over the Triangle circuit on Saturday.

Having won the opening Superbike outing on Thursday night and Saturday's Superstock race, the Yorkshireman now has nine career wins at the event.

Todd was involved in a thrilling dice for the lead with Dean Harrison when the red flags went out to halt the race following an incident involving a rider who was airlifted to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The leading bunch of riders had finished their fifth lap and Todd was awarded the victory as he enjoyed a 0.4-second advantage over his compatriot when they crossed the line.

Todd's 8TEN Racing team-mate Peter Hickman had got off to a flying start but his hopes expired when he started touring on the approach to University.

Michael Dunlop had ground to make up but moved through the field to sit fourth after lap one, third after his second circuit and then up to second by the end of lap four with the help of the fastest lap of the race of 125.48mph.

The Ballymoney rider's race ended however when he retired his BMW on the run to Mather's Cross.

Alastair Seeley also gave chase to the leaders and took the final podium berth, with Ian Hutchinson fourth, Josh Brookes fifth and John McGuinness sixth.

Michael Dunlop also ended the meeting with a treble of wins, while Richard Cooper won two races and Paul Jordan secured a maiden success.

Superbike race two results

1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

4 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

5 Josh Brookes (Aus, Honda)

6 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

8 Michael Rutter (Eng, BMW)

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Richard Cooper edged out Adam McLean on the final lap of four to take victory in Saturday's opening Supertwins race at the North West 200.

It was a fifth Supertwins success at the event for the 42-year-old three-time British champion.

The KMR Kawasaki rider was pushed all the way by Northern Ireland rider McLean, who was just two tenths of a second behind his Nottingham rival on a Flitwick Yamaha at the chequered flag.

Sixty-one-year-old Jeremy McWilliams was third on a JMcC Aprilia to claim his 13th podium finish.

McLean and Cooper were contending for the win again in the second Supertwins outing when the pair collided and crashed out on the exit to the Juniper Hill chicane on lap three.

Their departure left the way clear for Paul Jordan to take the victory by 9.8 seconds ahead of Michael Sweeney and Barry Furber.

The result gave Aprilia their first NW200 Supertwins triumph.

In race one, McLean led the field across the line after lap one after Cooper went onto the grass as he entered the start-finish chicane, before Cooper assumed the lead by the end of the second circuit.

McLean set the fastest lap of the race at 110.927mph to take over at the front next time but Cooper made his move on the dash to Metropole on lap four and held onto his advantage.

Last year's double Supertwin rider Peter Hickman retired at the end of lap two while battling for a rostrum place.

Supertwins race one result

1 Richard Cooper (Eng. Kawasaki)

2 Adam Mclean (NI, Yamaha)

3 Jeremy McWilliams (NI, Aprilia)

4 Michael Sweeney (RoI, Aprilia)

Race two result

1 Paul Jordan (NI, Aprilia)

2 Michael Sweeney (RoI, Aprilia)

3 Barry Furber (Eng, Yamaha)

4 AJ Venter (SA, Kawasaki)

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Davey Todd was the winner of a hotly contested Superstock race at the North West 200 on Saturday.

The Yorkshireman crossed the finishing line with just over half a second to spare from Dean Harrison, with Peter Hickman a further two-tenths of a second behind in completing the rostrum spots.

Record wins holder Alastair Seeley was the early pacesetter after lap one, with Todd, Harrison, Michael Dunlop and Hickman in hot pursuit.

Todd hit the front after the next nine miles of the Triangle circuit, with Dunlop's challenge ending when he retired.

A lap of 124.236mph on lap five moved Hickman ahead of Seeley and into contention for the win but Todd retained control and took victory on his 8TEN Racing BMW.

For the English rider, it was his second success of the event and the eighth of his North West career, the 29-year-old having won the Superbike curtain-raiser on Thursday evening.

Todd won both Superstock races last year.

Harrison achieved his runner-up finish on a top-five leaderboard dominated by German manufacturer BMW.

Seeley was fourth and Ian Hutchinson fifth, with Northern Ireland's Paul Jordan sixth.

"The boys have done a fantastic job to put these bikes together. We've had no testing at all," said Todd of his team after the race.

Saturday Superstock result

1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

4 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

5 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

6 Paul Jordan (NI, Honda)

7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

8 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Richard Cooper made it North West 200 win number seven by coming out on top in a thrilling Supersport battle over a shortened distance of four laps on Saturday.

The Nottingham rider also won the Supertwins race earlier in the day.

The initial running of the Supersports was halted when red flags were displayed on lap three of six after incidents at Mill Road and Church Corner.

Both riders involved were subsequently taken to hospital for observation.

When the race re-started after a lengthy delay, over the reduced distance, Honda Racing rider Dean Harrison took charge at the head of affairs, leading after each of the first three circuits.

A thrilling battle ensued as the Yorkshireman came under threat from challengers Cooper, Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd and Peter Hickman.

By the final lap it was left to Cooper, Harrison and Dunlop to dispute the lead, that trio having shaken off their pursuers.

Cooper and Harrison both mounted the grass section at the final chicane as the leading three battled for supremacy, with the 42-year-old three-time British champion somehow staying on board his machine and ultimately prevailing by 0.4 seconds on his BPE by Russell Engineering Yamaha.

For Cooper, it was a second Supersport win of his career at the North West, the Englishman having also taken a win in the middleweight class 12 months ago.

Dunlop completed the rostrum places and set the quickest lap of the race at 118.315mph, just shy of the benchmark he set in winning Thursday's Supersport event.

"I was like, 'that one I'm having," Cooper told BBC Sport NI after the race.

"We came here to win and we did it."

Dunlop hinted in his post-race interview that he believed he had been hard done by the events in the closing stages.

"It was a great race. Everyone was on the same run, it was hard to call that one," he said.

"The two boys knew they weren't making the turn so let the brakes off. The two of them ran on but I made the chicane. They made a clear advantage.

"I ran on earlier [in the Superbike race] but didn't get an advantage from it. I'm not going to cry about it, what do you say about it unless the organisers look at it. It was great racing. It's always going to go to that last chicane."

Saturday Supersport race results

1 Richard Cooper (Eng, Yamaha)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Michael Dunlop (NI, Ducati)

4 Davey Todd (Eng, Honda)

5 Peter Hickman (Eng, Triumph)

6 Alastair Seeley (NI, Kawasaki)

7 Josh Brookes (Aus, Honda)

8 Paul Jordan (NI, Honda)

Image source, BBC Sport

It was a comeback ride for the ages from Michael Dunlop to pick up his third win of the 2025 North West 200 but it wasn't without controversy.

When Peter Hickman and Dunlop missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane on the opening lap, Hickman stopped to take a 10-second penalty while Dunlop didn't.

Ahead of both of them, Davey Todd was storming to what looked like an unassailable lead before a quite remarkable recovery ride from Dunlop saw him take the lead on the final lap and the chequered flag.

The race win was initially given to Todd with Dunlop hit with a 10-second penalty but that was rescinded and the Ballymoney man was awarded the win.

Here's how the riders reacted after the race:

Peter Hickman (third)

"It's dead simple, if you run onto a chicane, you have to stop and put your foot down and go again.

"Michael Dunlop obviously got pulled in by me into Mather's Cross and we both missed the chicane. Michael went straight on, I cut across to the stop box and went like you're meant to.

"If you don't do that, it's a ten second penalty and that's the rules. As far as I'm concerned one of us gets a ten second penalty and the other doesn't, but who knows what's going to happen."

When the official race result was confirmed, Hickman interrupted Todd's interview to say to him:

"You won that race mate - well done. I'm not going on the podium."

Davey Todd (second)

When told Dunlop had been given the race win:

"Of course he did. It's his back yard isn't it? Fair play to him - he's obviously riding well. I should have won the race anyway. We were miles in front and we had a technical issue with the bike. It started running really slow so I don't know what was wrong with it.

"I've no words. There's a rule and they just change rules to suit whoever. I don't want to say too much more. It's the way it is. We've got to move on and keep racing."

Michael Dunlop (first)

"We were pushed into the chicane, Peter jumped over the grass which was dangerous. We went over the curb. I came back to win.

"The rules say if you cut the chicane you have to put your foot down. For safety reasons I couldn't do that.

"It was too dangerous. End of story, I didn't gain an advantage, got past everybody and won the race. You can't start swerving all over the road.

"I didn't gain an advantage, people got past me and I made another mistake. I think I deserved the race, I lost a load of time and came back again."

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Michael Dunlop took a controversial win in the first Superbike race of the day at the North West 200 on Saturday to complete a treble at this year's event.

The 36-year-old won the first Superstock and Supersport races on Thursday.

Dunlop was one of a bunch of riders contesting the lead on the opening lap when he and Peter Hickman missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane and went straight on.

Hickman pulled off to the left to take his 10-second penalty in the 'stop box' while Dunlop proceeded and was docked 10 seconds on the official timing screens for his alleged infringement during the race.

Davey Todd, winner of Thursday's Superbike race, had built up a seemingly unassailable 10-second advantage at the front but despite losing significant ground as a result of the first-lap incident Dunlop remarkably battled his way to the front on his BMW and ended up crossing the line first.

Dunlop's 10-second penalty was rescinded after the race and the Ballymoney man awarded the victory, much to the dismay of Todd and his 8TEN Racing team-mate, third-place finisher Hickman.

Dunlop's margin of victory was two seconds over Todd, with Hickman a further five seconds in arrears.

The Ballymoney rider set the fastest lap of the race on his fifth circuit, his speed of 125.539mph just one second off Glenn Irwin's one-year-old lap record.

Later in the day Todd won Superstock and Superbike races to take a hat-trick of his own while Richard Cooper secured Supersport and Supertwins victories on Saturday and Paul Jordan a maiden triumph in the Twins.

Speaking after the race, Dunlop told BBC Sport NI: "A good ride there. We were pushed into the chicane, Peter jumped over the grass which was dangerous. We went over the curb. I came back to win.

"The rules say if you cut the chicane you have to put your foot down. For safety reasons I couldn't do that . It was too dangerous. End of story, I didn't gain an advantage, got past everybody and won the race.

"You can't start swerving all over the road. I didn't gain an advantage, people got past me and I made another mistake. I think I deserved the race, I lost a load of time and came back again."

A disconsolate Todd revealed that he had suffered mechanical problems and said: "Fair play to him he is obviously riding well but we should have won the race anyway.

"We were miles in front and we had a technical issue with the bike and it started riding really slow. I don't know what's wrong with it and I wasn't sure if it was going to finish.

"I have no words. There is a rule and they just change the rules to suit whoever it suits."

Hickman declined to take his place on the podium after the race in protest at the outcome.

"It's dead simple, if you run onto a chicane, you have to stop and put your foot down and go again," stated Hickman.

"Michael Dunlop obviously got pulled in by me into Mather's Cross and we both missed the chicane. Michael went straight on, I cut across to the stop box and went like you're meant to.

"If you don't do that, it's a ten second penalty and that's the rules. As far as I'm concerned one of us gets a ten second penalty and the other doesn't, but who knows what's going to happen."

Saturday Superbike race one result

1 Michael Dunlop (NI, BMW)

2 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

4 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

5 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

6 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

7 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

8 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

Ride on board with Davey Todd for the final lap of Thursday's Supersport race at the North West 200.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Alastair Seeley says he will "regroup and go again" after an engine issue forced him out of Thursday's Superbike and Superstock races at the North West 200.

The engine of Seeley's BMW spectacularly blew up on the run to Mill Road roundabout on the opening lap of the Superbike race, and the lack of time for repairs meant he did not start the Superstock race.

The 45-year-old is aiming for a record-extending 30th win at the international road race on his return to the NW200 after missing the event last year.

Seeley admitted it "wasn't our night" on the north coast of Northern Ireland.

"I tried my best to get off the track as quickly and safely as possible," Seeley posted on Facebook.

"We were unable to retrieve or replace the engine in time to complete the Superstock race.

"Very disappointing for the team and I after so much effort and promising results but we will regroup and go again on Saturday."

Seeley and his SMS team will aim to have his BMW repaired for two Superbike races and a Superstock race on Saturday.

He qualified fourth for the Superbike races and will line up second on the grid in the Superstock class.

The Northern Ireland rider will also compete in the second Supersport race after finishing ninth in Thursday's opener.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Ian Hutchinson says he "kept believing" that he could return to being competitive in motorcycle road racing after suffering adversity in the form of a number of serious injury and illness setbacks which threatened to derail his career completely.

The Yorkshireman was speaking after finishing third in Thursday's Superstock race at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland.

The 45-year-old had multiple operations after suffering compound fractures to his leg in a crash at Silverstone in 2010, the same year that he won a record five races in one week at the Isle of Man TT.

Hutchinson displayed unimaginable resilence by heroically bouncing back to take his overall tally of TT wins to 16 in subsequent years but a major crash in the 2017 Senior TT saw him suffer another crushing blow in the form of a fractured femur.

After two lost years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the three-time North West winner then suffered a stroke in 2023 which resulted in him have his racing licence revoked.

He returned to road racing action again in 2024 but had to settle for a series of top-15 TT finishes.

"It's been a nightmare really. Eight years of being nowhere near the pace but I kept believing in myself," Hutchinson told BBC Sport NI.

"I carried on going, training hard, everything, its been hard.

"I hope my daughter is watching and has seen that Daddy can still ride."

Hutchinson was riding for the MLav Racing team, who were making their bow at the North West under team manager Michael Laverty.

"MLav gave me a ring in November about doing this project and it sort of came together in the last four weeks or so," he explained.

"It's been very rushed but we've got there and I've been believing ever since my 2017 crash that I could come back.

"Two years after that I was bad with a frame on my leg, then there was Covid, then I had the stroke.

"This [the podium] is massive."

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Davey Todd led from start to finish to claim his first Superbike win at the North West 200 on Thursday night.

Riding a BMW for the 8TEN Racing team, the Yorkshireman had just two tenths of a second to spare over runner-up Dean Harrison at the finishing line.

Todd's team-mate Peter Hickman, the pole position man, was a further 1.4 seconds adrift in completing the podium places, with Michael Dunlop, Ian Hutchinson and Jamie Coward completing the top six.

The leading three riders were all targeting a first NW200 Superbike win.

Glenn Irwin had dominated the feature blue riband class of the meeting since 2017, racking up 11 consecutive successes before deciding to end his road racing career.

Todd had previously won six races over the 8.9-mile Triangle circuit, four in the Supersport class and two Superstock victories in 2024.

Todd got off to a flying start off the line but was chased down by Honda Racing rider Harrison throughout the four-lap sprint.

Harrison set the fastest lap of the race on his second circuit at 124.125mph but fell just short of recording his first win at the meeting, instead having to settle for his 11th podium finish.

Dunlop's fourth position belied the fact that he suffered bumps and bruises in a spill during Superstock qualifying earlier on Thursday.

A delighted Todd said after the race that it was "really special" to chalk up the Superbike win that had "been eluding him for quite a while".

Last year's Senior TT winner had finished runner-up to Irwin in all three Superbike outings 12 months ago.

Todd is the first rider from outside Northern Ireland to win a Superbike race since fellow Englishman McGuinness triumphed in 2012.

North West all-time wins record holder Alastair Seeley retired with mechanical problems.

Superbike results

1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

4 Michael Dunlop (NI, BMW)

5 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

6 Jamie Coward (Eng, BMW)

7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

8 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Peter Hickman led an 8Ten Racing one-two as he beat team-mate Davey Todd in Superbike qualifying at the North West 200.

Hickman, who has never won a Superbike race at the international road race, set a blistering final lap of 4:19.168 to take pole for the three Superbike races.

Todd was 1.106 seconds behind Hickman, will Dean Harrison had to settle for third after leading most of the session.

Alastair Seeley was fourth and Michael Dunlop rounded out the top five.

Todd, Harrison and Seeley were split by lone tenth of a second over an 8.9 mile lap.

Jamie Coward was an impressive sixth, while Ian Hutchinson, Erno Kostamo, John McGuinness and Paul Jordan completed the top 10.

The first Superbike race takes place on Thursday evening before two more outings on Saturday - including the feature North West 200 feature race.

Superbike qualifying results

1. Peter Hickman (BMW) 4:19.168 (124.599 mph)

2. Davey Todd (BMW) +1.106 (124.069 mph)

3. Dean Harrison (Honda) +0.015 (124.062 mph)

4. Alastair Seeley (BMW) +0.095 (124.017 mph)

5. Michael Dunlop (BMW) +2.209 (122.974 mph)

6. Jamie Coward (BMW) +2.240 (121.933 mph)

7. Ian Hutchinson (BMW) +0.647 (121.636 mph)

8. Erno Kostamo (BMW) +0.339 (121.481 mph)

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Honda's Dean Harrison has pipped Richard Cooper to pole position in Supersport qualifying at the North West 200.

Harrison, who has never won at the North West 200, claimed top spot with his final lap to beat Cooper, who took pole in the Supertwins, by just 0.104 seconds.

Davey Todd was third, Michael Dunlop was fourth on his Ducati and Peter Hickman was fifth.

Paul Jordan and Adam McLean continued their strong performances in qualifying in sixth and seventh, while Jamie Coward was another strong contender in eighth.

Mike Browne was ninth, but Alastair Seeley, who has more victories in than any other rider at the North West 200, was only 10th in qualifying.

The first Supersport race takes place on Thursday evening in the second of three races around the Triangle circuit.

Supersport qualifying

1. Dean Harrison (Honda) 4:34.296 (117.727 mph)

2. Richard Cooper (Yamaha)+0.104 (117.682 mph)

3. Davey Todd (Honda) +1.325 (117.117 mph)

4. Michael Dunlop (Ducati) +0.445 (116.928 mph)

5. Peter Hickman (Triumph) +1.248 (116.402 mph)

6. Paul Jordan (Honda) +0.279 (116.285 mph)

7. Adam McLean (Yamaha) +0.443 (116.100 mph)

8. Jamie Coward (Triumph) +0.446 (115.906 mph)