Victory for Edwards in race one at Assen.

Castrol Honda's Colin Edwards took an emphatic victory in today's opening race of the crucial 12th and penultimate round of the World Superbike championship at Assen in Holland.

Edwards was in fourth place on the opening lap before moving into second - ahead of Noriyuki Haga and Troy Bayliss - by the end of the first 3.7-mile circuit. A lap later the 28-year-old Texan was ahead of race leader Neil Hodgson to take his second win at the Assen circuit, finishing 3.6 seconds ahead of Bayliss.

Robert Wilkins_1

08 Sep 2002

Victory for Edwards in race one at Assen.

Castrol Honda's Colin Edwards took an emphatic victory in today's opening race of the crucial 12th and penultimate round of the World Superbike championship at Assen in Holland.

Victory for Edwards closes the points gap to series leader Bayliss to 24, the closest Edwards has been to the title lead since the Japanese round in April when the pair left Sugo, also 24 points apart.

''I always felt I could win but that opening lap was a bit dicey,'' reported Edwards. ''I knew once I was in front I could make the break and I was kept in touch with Troy's progress - in fact I had just about every detail except the lunch menu on my pit signal board!''

He added: ''I couldn't fault the machine at all, it ran perfect and despite a bit of trouble with tyre selection yesterday Michelin came up with the goods. I've got to just keep winning and see how the championship develops. There's now three races left and I want to win the lot.''

Edwards victory was the 28th of his career making him the second most successful rider in the championship's history. It was also a record-equalling sixth win in succession and a record 22nd podium finish of the year.

Race 1 results - Assen (Netherlands) - round 12 of 13:

1.Colin EdwardsUSACastrol HondaHonda32m 58.601s 16 laps
2.Troy BaylissAUSDucati InfostradaDucati +03.606s
3.Noriyuki HagaJPNPlaystation2-FGFAprilia +05.351s
4.Ruben XausSPADucati InfostradaDucati +07.741s
5.Pierfrancesco ChiliITANCR AxoDucati +16.262s
6.James ToselandGBHM PlantDucati +19.592s
7.Gregorio LavillaSPAAlstare Suzuki CoronaSuzuki +21.882s
8.Ben BostromUSADucati L&MDucati +22.166s
9.Broc ParkesAUSNCR ParmalatDucati +36.474s
10.Juan Bautista BoriaSPASpaziotelDucati +44.127s

11. Marco BorcianiITAPederciniDucati +46.636s
12. Peter GoddardAUSBenelli SportBenelli +1m 04.516s
13. Mauro SanchiniITABertocchiKawasaki +1m 05.036s
14.Serafino FotiITAPederciniDucati +1m 38.856s
15.Jeronimo VidalSPAWhite EnduranceHonda +1m 51.113s
16. Thierry MulotFRAPacificDucati +2m 01.314s
17. Mark HecklesGBCastrol Honda RumiHonda +1 lap

Rtd. Ivan ClementiITAKawasaki BertocchiKawasaki +3 laps
Rtd. Lucio PederciniITAPederciniDucati +7 laps
Rtd. Steve MartinAUSDFX RacingDucati +9 laps
Rtd.Chris WalkerGBKawasaki RacingKawasaki +10 laps
Rtd. Alessandro AntonelloITADFX RacingDucati +10 laps
Rtd.Neil HodgsonGBHM PlantDucati +12 laps