A WARRINGTON barefoot water skier got among a glut of medals won by Great Britain at the Europe and Africa Championships.

Tom Heaps, a former student of Bridgewater High School who hails from Grappenhall Heys, brought home three of the 11 GB gongs won at Maurik in the Netherlands.

The 25-year-old, who trains at Weaver Sailing and Ski Club in Frodsham, won gold overall, silver in jump and bronze in both open men's tricks and slalom.

His clubmate Rick Moyes, 34, from Stockport, won gold in tricks.

Barefoot water skiing at competitive level is not for the faint-hearted.

As the name suggests, the competitors do not use skis but only their bare feet on the water.

They are towed by a boat which generally travels faster than for other water ski disciplines, reaching speeds of up to 45mph (72kph).

Like regular – or classic - water skiing, barefooters compete in the three events of slalom (crossing the boat’s wakes from one side to the other repeatedly), tricks and jump.

In jump, the skier goes over a ramp in a superman pose and has to land and ski away. All that matters in jump is the distance achieved.

Medals are awarded in each individual event.

British Water Ski & Wakeboard (BWSW) is the sport’s national governing body.