The first Supersport Race of the 2011 Isle of Man TT Races got off to a tricky start after the original race was red flagged due to an incident.

Re-starting later in the day, the race was shortened to three laps. Strong contenders included Cameron Donald who initially led the pack, followed by Michael Dunlop, Bruce Anstey, and Gary Johnson, with each rider jockeying for a leader board position.

By the end of the first lap, Dunlop was surging clear ahead of Donald. Johnson, Anstey, Guy Martin, and Keith Amor rounded out the top six, but with most of the front runners pitting for fuel, the race entered a confused state as positions flitted back and forth and large gaps appeared.

After one of the leading riders retired, Ian Lougher surged into second behind Johnson with several riders in hot pursuit, making for a thrilling last half.

A further turning point after another pit stop completely changed the game, with Donald back in front and Anstey just four seconds behind. Further drama unfolded, which saw one of the leading rider’s bike expire.

Several nail-biting miles remained, which saw the winner clinch his eighth TT victory by 8.39 seconds.