Dickies British Supersport Championship rookie Rory Skinner and his family run Watermans Team MSR squad scored their first ever podium finish in the class with a hard-fought third place at Donington Park on his Chris Walker-supplied Kawasaki ZX-6R.

The 18-year-old held third place behind the dominant Integro Yamahas of double champion Jack Kennedy and 2019 runner-up Brad Jones for most of the race, and came out on top of a thrilling last-lap battle with multiple supersport race winner James Westmoreland on Kawasaki UK’s officially supported ZX-6R.

“I’m delighted to finally get on the podium. We’ve been making improvements all season and have been close on a few occasions, only for bad luck to strike us, so it felt sweet to stand up on the podium with Jack and Brad," said Skinner.

“I made a good start but it was really tough to try and make a break as the wind was very strong and changeable, so I had to play it safe with my braking markers as the conditions were changing every lap.

"I knew that James and Tom would be tough opponents as they are fast and experienced riders but I led the group for so long I wasn’t going to give up the podium without a fight! Thankfully I was able to get to the apex of the Melbourne Hairpin first and repass Westy. It was a good and clean battle, and it's brilliant to have taken the podium and beat the official Kawasaki team in a fair and square battle.

"It feels especially good because for so long it looked like Assen would have been our final round and so I have to thank all my sponsors, both those who have been with us all season and those who came on board after Assen – we wouldn’t have been here without any of that support, so this is for them.”