World Supersport for Peris

By Colin Fraser

TORONTO, ON -- On Jan. 6, Team Bikers’ Days-Yamaha-Moto1 World Supersport squad manager Renaud Lamarque announced that Calgary’s Chris Peris would ride for the team in 2006. Newly crowned European Superstock 1000cc champion Didier Van Keymeulen has already signed to lead the works supported team fielding the brand new 2006 Yamaha R6.

Peris becomes the first Canadian to ever contest the World Supersport series, for production based 600cc class sport bikes. In 2005, the Topline Printing-backed Yamaha pilot was the top privateer in AMA 600cc class action. He also netted third in Hindle 600 Sport Bike class National competition in Canada. Although Peris missed two of eight 2005 Parts Canada National rounds, he was in line to take the runner-up honours before skipping the series final to attend a U.S. event in Atlanta.

At the Canadian doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway in July, Peris earned pole, set the fastest lap and won both parts of the doubleheader, one in the dry, the other in the wet, after crashing.

The 19-year-old is currently competing in the New Zealand National Championship, riding a GSX-R750 in Open Superbike but concentrating on the 600 Supersport class with a GSX-R600. The main goal of the Peris “down under” program is to gain experience with the World and Canadian series mandated Pirelli rubber, having spent 2004 on Michelin tires and last year with Dunlop.