The FIM Supersport World Championship was back in action at Imola and in a fierce Tissot Superpole session, it was Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) who clinched pole position at home. The Swiss, who has looked one of the fastest riders all weekend, took his third pole position and became the first Swiss to take back-to-back poles in WorldSSP.

In what has been a circuit that has seen much drama for Krummenacher so far in the Pirelli Italian Round, the championship leader made it count when it counted. Storming to a new lap record and pole position in the final moments of the Tissot Superpole, Krummenacher will lead the field down to the Tamburello Chicane for the first time on Sunday. Teammate Federico Caricasulo completed the session in second place to make it a BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team one-two, whilst Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) completed row one, despite crashing at the final corner in the last moments of the session.

Row two features Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) in fourth position, a solid starting place after his crash on Friday. Behind him is Japanese sensation Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who was the first non-Yamaha ride and once again, impressing aboard the Kawasaki ZX-6R. Row two is completed by Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse), who achieved his best WorldSSP qualifying at Imola.

Behind the top half-dozen, Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was in seventh place, less than half-a-second from the front row. Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) continued his positive weekend and used his experience to place in eighth position, ahead of fellow experienced Italian Massimo Roccoli (Team Rossa Corsa), who was an impressive wildcard in ninth place. Fellow wildcard Luca Ottaviani (SGM Tecnic) completed the top ten.

Hannes Soomer (MPM WILSport Racedays) was top Honda rider in 11^th position, whilst other notable names such as Maria Herrera (MS Racing) and Rob Hartog (Team Hartog – Against Cancer) were 15^th and 22^nd respectively.

Watch the WorldSSP race on Sunday from 12:15 LT (GMT+2) with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Top six after Tissot Superpole, full results here

1. Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) 1’50.239 (New Lap Record)
2. Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) 1’50.671
3. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) 1’51.188
4. Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) 1’51.329
5. Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’51.387
6. Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse) 1’51.444