As they commenced lap 2 Katoh and Ukawa had a small gap as it looked like West could have been holding up some of the other guys. Katoh fell on lap 2 putting the 2 Shell Advance riders (both on soft fronts) in 1^st and 2^nd. Jacque and Melandri are really putting some serious pressure on West who looks to be handling it quite well.

With 23 laps to go Ukawa had over a second on but on the next lap Ukawa ran off the track, losing a lot of places and giving Australia’s Anthony West the lead. The two Chesterfield Yamahas of Nakano and Jacque were right on his tail.

Nakano stuck it under Westy for the lead with 20 laps to go and Jacque also got underneath Anthony a lap later. A few corners later Melandri also snuck past Westy.

3 laps later Ukawa had made up a lot of the ground that he lost when hitting the dirt 5 laps earlier and with 16 laps to go took West for 4^th position. An amazing comeback.

Ukawa got past Melandri for 3^rd with 14 laps to go and set out after the two Yamaha men out front who had a couple of seconds on him at this stage.

By lap 13 Waldmann had closed right up to the read of Westy and looked to be setting up for a pass. Anthony seemed to be having a little trouble in the middle of the corners where Waldmann is all over him but the Honda has enough power to let Anthony leave him a little on the exits.

Waldmann did get through on Westy for 5^th on lap 14 and Jacque took Nakano for the lead when his pit-board told him that Ukawa was closing them down.

11 laps to go and Jacque had half a second on Nakano but Ukawa looked to still be gaining on them. A fantastic ride from the Japanese Honda rider.

Ukawa had closed right up on to the tail of the Yamaha riders with 8 laps to go. West was promoted to 5^th after Waldmann lost the front end.

In one of the greatest comebacks ever Ukawa took both the Yamaha men for the lead a couple of laps later. Katoh had also completed a miracle by working his way back up to 6^th position after being at the back of the field when he crashed earlier in the race.

Nakano took Jacque for 2^nd with 3 laps to go in order to see if he could close down on Ukawa.

Last lap – Nakano had closed the gap down to race leader Ukawa and looked to have the corner speed while Ukawa had the power. A third of the way through the lap Nakano attempted a pass but had to pull out and lost a bit of ground which gave Ukawa enough room to take a magnificent win.

Race Result

1. Ukawa
2. Nakano
3. Jacque
4. Melandri
5. West
6. Katoh
7. Matsudo
8. Waldmann
9. Boscoscuro
10. Porto
11. Battaini
12. Stigefelt
13. Yuzy
14. Nohles
15. Debon

Championship Standings

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