Ben Townley has signed to ride for Honda in Australia next season. Image: Alex Gobert.

Current MX Nationals and Super X champion Jay Marmont has welcomed former World Motocross Champion Ben Townley to Australia for 2012 and looks forward to taking on the Kiwi in the new year.

Townley was announced last weekend as a Pro Open rider at Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing alongside dual British champion Brad Anderson in an all-international line-up, which Marmont believes strengthens the sport at the local level.

“I’m looking forward to racing Ben, because he brings a level that’s on the next level again,” Marmont said. “For the ammount of money that sponsors are putting in and what the manufacturers put into the series, it deserves a great level of riding.

“I feel like Josh [Coppins] brought it this year in the motocross and that Ben will raise the bar again next year, along with Brad Anderson. The level will be raised that little bit more in the Pro Open class. I think it will push riders like me to try and beat them, so when you do then it will be worth it.”

While Marmont welcomes the competition on a domestic level, he admits that he has been in discussions with international teams and would consider a move overseas if the right offer was on the table.

“I do speak to overseas teams and I have spoke to some as soon as last week,” he revealed. “They’re interested in building foundations, but it’s still baby steps at the moment and they want me to keep winning championships in Australia.

“There is good money to be earned over here, plus everything we do is good. I’ll always take things into consideration, but for me I want to be on the best team I can and see where we end up over the next few years.”

Marmont is yet to confirm his future, believed to be in negotiations with both Yamaha and Kawasaki at this point.