Leon Haslam claimed his first pole of the Bennett British Superbike Championship season at Knockhill on Saturday afternoon.

Michael Rutter had looked to be heading for the pole start until HM Plant Honda rider Haslam eclipsed him late in the qualifying session at the damp Fife circuit.

Riding the North West 200 Ducati, Rutter had clocked a 52.966-second lap around the short but demanding 1.2713-mile circuit, but Haslam first shaved off two tenths and then finished with 52.692secs.

"I've not had the best of seasons, but I am pretty happy with this," said 25-year-old Derbyshire rider Haslam.

"I've got a good set-up in both the dry and now the wet, so I can't wait to get going in these races."

Haslam has a strong pedigree at Knockhill, having won at 125cc level and more recently finished on the podium four times.

Yet he still needs to open his seasonal account and end a run of 16 races without a victory to revive his title chances.

He is currently fourth in the standings currently led by former champion Shane Byrne, who is 99 points clear of the pack.

The Airwaves Ducati rider is again well on the pace, though he escaped with nothing more than dented pride when he slid out of the qualifying session.

He returned on his second machine and was third fastest, behind Rutter in 52.974secs, and a split second up on Relentless Suzuki rider Michael Laverty.

Cal Crutchlow, second in the title stakes, missed out on a front-row start by 0.174secs for the first time this season, starting alongside Leon Camier, back after injury.

Tom Sykes, the double race winner at Oulton Park, ran seventh just ahead of Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison.

Karl Harris headed the third row of the grid with 53.768secs with Tristan Palmer, Billy McConnell and and Tom Grant alongside him.

Steve Mercer, who took over the second MSS Discovery bike yesterday when Stuart Easton decided his right wrist, broken at Snetterton, was too weak to continue, ran 21st fastest.

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