The Gloucester-based Smiths Racing Team have announced that they will contest the 2014 British Supersport Championship with the official backing of Triumph Motorcycles.

Now in their fourth season of competition with Triumph, the team won the 2012 British Supersport Championship with Glen Richards, who took seven victories on the Triumph Daytona 675, with fellow Australian team-mate Billy McConnell claiming third place in the series with a further six wins.

Having retained the services of Richards and McConnell for 2013, the team took delivery of a pair of brand-new Triumph 675R machines and throughout the season has engaged in an ongoing development programme, which has recently seen McConnell claim victories at recent rounds of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship.

Defending champion Richards has struggled with injury this season but finished tenth in the World Supersport Championship race at Donington Park to give the new Triumph its first World Championship points.

For 2014, the team will continue with two riders in the British Supersport Championship, as well as selected World Championship meetings.

Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: "We are very pleased to be appointed the official Triumph team in the 2014 British Supersport Championship. Our team has worked incredibly hard to develop the brand new 675R this year and as the season has progressed, we have proven just how competitive the machine can be. We look forward to working with Triumph and will be continuing with Billy McConnell next season as part of a two rider team and fully expect to be challenging for the championship."

Rick Cawley, Triumph Motorcycles General Manager, UK and Ireland: "We're delighted to be working with Smiths again next season. We have a great relationship with the team and very much value the passion and commitment they bring to Triumph's race programme. They have been instrumental in taking the 675R from an award-winning road bike to a highly competitive race machine and we're looking forward to next season with relish."