RICHARDS CROWNED CHAMPION DESPITE CRASH WITH HEARTACHE FOR KENNEDY Glen Richards lifted the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship protected by Datatag title in dramatic style last weekend as he crashed out of the final race of the season. Dramatically Jack Kennedy continued but suffered a technical problem just six laps later and was forced to retire. Richards had been pushing to try and move up the order but on the second lap a mistake and Westfield cost him dearly as he ran on into the gravel and tipped off, as Kennedy was running fifth and looked set to steal the title at the last hurdle. The MarTrain Yamaha just had to finish to lift a maiden title but there was heartbreak as he suffered a technical problem on the eighth lap which saw him forced into pitlane. Richards said: “I can’t believe it really; I missed a gear and ran through the gravel and then tipped off it which meant I couldn’t restart. I sat there at the side of the track trying not to ball my eyes out and then coming back on the taxi bike I got the news. You never want to win a championship under these kind of circumstances but I have been really lucky; someone has been looking after me upstairs.” As the title contenders were both out of the race, there was an epic battle for the final race win of the season between Billy McConnell, Christian Iddon and Richard Cooper, but it was a double win for McConnell as Iddon crashed out unhurt at Westfield on the penultimate lap. Cooper claimed second and Luke Jones was promoted to third. Motorpoint British Supersport Championship protected by Datatag Sprint race result: 1. Billy McConnell (Smiths (Gloucester) Triumph) 2. Jack Kennedy (MarTrain Yamaha) +0.165s 3. Glen Richards (Smiths (Gloucester) Triumph) +0.170s 4. Christian Iddon (Oxford TAG Triumph) +0.229s 5. Richard Cooper (Oxford TAG Triumph) +0.294s Motorpoint British Supersport Championship protected by Datatag Feature race result: 1. Billy McConnell (Smiths (Gloucester) Racing Triumph) 2. Richard Cooper (Oxford TAG Triumph) +0.090s 3. Luke Jones (777RR Triumph) +3.590s 4. Graeme Gowland (Seton Tuning Yamaha) +8.936s 5. Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) +9.113s Motorpoint British Supersport Championship protected by Datatag final standings: 1. Glen Richards (Smiths (Gloucester) Racing Triumph) 372 2. Jack Kennedy (MarTrain Yamaha) 363.5 3. Billy McConnell (Smiths (Gloucester) Racing Triumph) 340 4. Christian Iddon (Oxford TAG Triumph) 285.5 5. Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) 259 For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com