The former motocross rider from Northumberland qualified well at a track he knows from his championship winning campaign in Spain last year.
The 22-year-old, on his Team Benjan Honda got a great start and was inside the top ten from the off.
'Gowla' stayed in and around the top eight in the early laps before moving past fellow Brit Jonathan Rea on the Ten Kate Honda on lap 6.
It was at this stage though that Gowland began to notice some slides from the rear end of his Honda CBR600, and as he was about to enter the final corner on lap nine, he had to pull out of the race with fluid leaking onto his rear tyre.
"I felt really comfortable in sixth and was begninning to reel in Nannelli who was in front of me," said Gowland.
"I braked into the last turn and the rear end came around on me, combined with some earlier moments I sensed that something was wrong and something was on the rear tyre.
"I am gutted I had to retire but it was just a broken clip that allowed fluid onto a tyre, sadly just one of those things."
Gowland's team-mate, Finn Vessa Kallio scored a couple of points for 14th place. He has scored points in all three races so far.
