5 days ago
The barefoot water skier with big medal hopes in European Championships
TOM Heaps is flying the flag for Warrington and aiming to spark up the European Barefoot Waterski Championships this week.
The 26-year-old electrician from Grappenhall Heys goes into the event in Chartres, France, with high medal hopes for Great Britain based on his past record.
Heaps, who trains at Weaver Sailing & Ski Club in Frodsham, has won multiple medals and titles at world and European championships, including silver in the jump event at the former last year.
At the 2024 Europeans, he won four medals including a gold and heads to France as the 2025 open men's British champion in slalom, jump and overall as well as the silver medallist in tricks.
He is a former junior boys' world champion and world record holder in barefoot jump.
The former Bridgewater High School student will be one of 10 athletes representing GB from tomorrow until Saturday.
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.
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.
