Mixed fortunes for Paris and Boucher in Supersport

American Melissa Paris and Canadian Marie-Josée Boucher had mixed fortunes at Miller Motorsports Park in their attempts to become the first women ever to compete in a Supersport World Championship event.

Both the Markbilt Racebikes Yamaha and Boucher Racing Team Honda girls obtained wild-card entries for the seventh round, where they would be up against the WSS season regulars in the first-ever visit of Supersport to the Utah circuit.

Paris, wife of AMA Superbike racer Josh Hayes, confidently earned her place on the grid amongst her male colleagues but retired on lap 7, while Boucher, who usually competes in the Canadian Superbike Championship, failed to make the 107% cut in qualifying.

Back in 1998 Germany's Katja Poensgen did take part in one World Supersport race at the Nurburgring on a Suzuki, finishing in twentieth place, but that was the year before Supersport took on its current FIM status of World Championship.