A SPORTING youngster has left competitors in his wake with a string of national and international victories. Wakeboarder Kris Janczuk, of Biggleswade, completed a double victory to become both the British and South African junior boys wakeboarding champi

A SPORTING youngster has left competitors in his wake with a string of national and international victories.

Wakeboarder Kris Janczuk, of Biggleswade, completed a double victory to become both the British and South African junior boys' wakeboarding champion for the second year in a row.

The 15-year-old was also recently selected to represent Great Britain in the Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) wakeboard championships in Vilvoorde, Belgium.

He contributed to a superb team effort by coming first in the first round of qualifying, first in the semi finals and a subsequent runner-up in the finals after four days of competition against 14 other wakeboarders.

The Stratton Upper School student came out of the competition with a silver medal adding to the team's haul of six medals out of a possible nine competition sections in their comfortable overall gold.

This adds to his recent impressive run of results, which include a fifth place at last year's world championships in Moscow and the Wakestock Junior Championship title which he claimed this year.

Kris first started wakeboarding in South Africa at only eight-years-old in 1998.

Among early titles he won were the South African national novice title and South African rookie of the year. Kris also represented South Africa at the world championships in Sydney, 2003, where he finished seventh in a field of 35.

Kris' family moved back to the UK in 2004 and he wasted no time in entering the national wakeboarding tour and notching up a series of impressive victories, securing three first places and three runners-up finishes.

Wakeboarding is becoming increasingly popular and fashionable in the UK and is a modern take on the more established water skiing.

Wakeboarders travel at slower speeds to their skiing counterparts and employ techniques taken from surfing and snowboarding, standing on just one board with their feet stationary in two clips. Boarders are judged on style and technique as they attempt a variety of tricks including tantrums and powerslides.

Dad Alistair said of his son's talent: "Kris and I used to live on a river back in South Africa and had all the free time in the world to get involved.

"Kris should now certainly become a professional. He goes to the world championships next year still qualifying as a youngster.

"He is currently ranked sixth in the world and has a good chance of becoming world champion.