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Northern Ireland rider Jonathan Rea will partner fellow Briton Tom Sykes in the KRT Kawasaki team in next year's World Superbike Championship.

Rea, 27, announced that he would be departing from the Pata Honda team a couple of months ago and his his move to Kawasaki is not a surprise.

The Ballyclare man has achieved 15 victories in his 140 starts in the World Superbike Championship.

Rea won four times this year and finished third in the championship.

Last year's World champion Sykes finished second in this season's series behind winner Sylvain Guintoli.

"After three years working with Loris Baz to grow up a young talent, we will start in 2015 a new strategy, with an experienced and fully formed rider Johnny Rea," said KRT team manager Guim Roda.

"We are sure he can increase the whole team performance and he will be a very good team-mate with Tom Sykes.

"Both have a big respect for each other, and I'm sure both guys will increase their performance."

Rea rounded off his Honda stint with fourth and second places in Sunday's final round of the season in Qatar.