NW200: Peter Hickman denies Richard Cooper with final lap pass to claim maiden Supertwin win on north coast

Swan Yamaha rider Hickman shadowed Cooper (Jack Reid Cars Kawasaki) through the four-lap race before making a decisive pass into Metropole on the final lap and pulling a gap on the run along the Coast Road to secure the win by just under half-a-second.

Cork’s Mike Browne overhauled Jeremy McWilliams (Bayview Hotel Paton) to seal the final rostrum place on his Aprilia.

Hickman took the lead from pole ahead of Cooper, who hit the front and opened a slight advantage going into Station corner.

At University on lap one, Cooper was narrowly ahead of McWilliams, who was into second ahead of Hickman as the top three already began to pull away from the rest of the pack.

Cooper had an increased advantage at Metropole in Portrush for the first time from Hickman in second and McWilliams.

At the end of lap one, Hickman was right behind Cooper although McWilliams was beginning to lose ground in third.

There was nothing between the leading duo on the Coast Road on the second lap and they flashed over the line to start their third lap locked together.

McWilliams was lying third on the Paton with Browne in fourth trying to close the three-second deficit to the Northern Ireland rider.

Hickman was poised behind Hickman and had a look at Juniper chicane with only a tenth of a second between them.

On the fourth and final lap, Cooper began to open a slight gap on the run to Station Corner, where his Kawasaki seemed stronger than Hickman’s Yamaha, but they were nose-to-tail once more at Ballysally roundabout for the last time.

Hickman was poised and made his move for the lead into Metropole on the brakes.

The 37-year-old was able to open a few bike lengths over Cooper, denying him the chance to attack into Juniper chicane.

Cooper was unable to muster a response and Hickman closed out his first Supertwin success at the North West by 0.489s.

Browne claimed the final podium place from McWilliams, who was only 0.6s back.

Christian Elkin was fifth on his Kawasaki with Barry Furber completing the top six on his Yamaha.

Cookstown man Gary McCoy was seventh on the Madbros Kawasaki ahead of South Africa’s Allan Venter (Kawasaki).

Tobermore’s Adam McLean – one of the anticipated top contenders on the J McC Roofing Racing Kawasaki – was ruled out of the meeting after sustaining a wrist injury following Thursday’s collision with Davey Todd in the opening Supersport race.