A DETERMINED Carl Fogarty shook off a 100mph qualifying crash to claim two seventh places in the opening round of the Superbike World Championship at Misano in San Marino.

But with the disqualification of second race winner Anthony Gobert, Fogarty was lifted up to sixth.

The Blackburn double world champion crashed in Saturday's final session after making adjustments to his Castrol Honda.

"I drifted wide and onto a dusty part of the track and the tyre was still shiny and new. Before I knew what was happening I was flung up in the air," said Fogarty, who suffered concussion, gashed his left elbow, skinned the knuckles of his right hand and cracked a bone in his wrist.

But the Blackburn ace refused to throw in the towel.

"Everything seemed to go wrong. The crash left me feeling terrible.

"My hand is numb and my body is aching. "Add that to the problems I'm having with the bike and you can understand I'm feeling a bit down. The bike just does not suit me at the moment. We will have to work hard on it.

"But I'm pleased this opening round is out of the way and I'm ready for Donington," he said.

The opening race was won by John Kocinski (Ducati), with Troy Corser (Ducati) second and Pier-Francesco Chili (Ducati) in third.

Burnley hope Neil Hodgson, after qualifying a fine third, made a nervous start and had to settle for 12th in the opening race.

Hodgson's luck ran out in the second race and mechanical problems forced him to retire.

Gobert (Kawasaki) won the second race but was disqualified for a technical infringement after the bike was deemed to be illegal by scrutineers after the race. Kocinski was second with Corser third.

Championship points: Kocinski 45, Gobert and Corser 36, Chili 29, Crafar 24, Slight 20, Fogarty 19.

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