Practice at the Bear Competitions Cookstown 100 in Co Tyrone on Friday is being run as free practice in wet and breezy conditions at the Orritor course.

The event organisers have also confirmed that three races scheduled to have taken place after practice have been scrapped, with the emphasis on ensuring all competitors complete their mandatory five practice laps around the 2.1-mile course.

In the first Supersport session, Derek McGee topped the times as he makes his return to the event for the first time since 2019.

McGee, riding an ex-Ten Kate World Supersport Yamaha R6, set the fastest lap in a time of 1m 38.140s (77.033mph) in the A Group session by 4.2s from Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed, with Skerries man Michael Sweeney third quickest on his EM Building Yamaha, only 0.078s down on Tweed.

placeholder image — Derek McGee (Yamaha R6) was fastest in Supersport free practice at the Cookstown 100 on Friday as he made his return to the event for the first time since 2019. (Photo by Rod Neill/Pacemaker Press)

Aberdeenshire’s Shaun Buckle, Liam Chawke and Kevin Keyes rounded out the top six.

Michael Dunlop went out at the rear of the Supersport A Group on his BMW M1000RR machine.

Veteran Paul Cranston was quickest on his 600cc Honda in the B Group session with a time of 1m 42.721s (74.662mph), just under a second ahead of Limavady’s Michael Gahan (Yamaha), with Brian McCormack third fastest, 1.6s further back on his Triumph.

There was a slight delay before the Supersport B Group free practice session because of possible oil on the course at Mackney’s.