A Tooting-born water skier is looking to defend his gold medal at this week's world championships.

Slalom specialist Freddie Winter, 29, who was born in Tooting but now lives in Florida, will be out to retain his title, having won the slalom gold at the last World Championships in France in 2017.

Winter, who is also the reigning US Masters champion, is likely to face tough competition at this year's World Waterski Open Championships in Malaysia.

His teammate Will Asher, another slalom specialist, won silver behind Winter at the 2017 Worlds and is a two-time slalom world champion and five-time US Masters Champion. The 37-year-old has been stacking up the medals in major competitions in recent months.

The slalom world record holder, Nate Smith of the USA, Italy's Thomas Degasperi and Robert Pigozzi of the Dominican Republic, will be among those out to stop the Brits topping the podium.

Winter studied business management at the University of London's Royal Holloway College in Egham and has an MBA from the University of Louisiana.

He trains in Florida, at JB Ski (Thorpe) in Chertsey, at Oxford Water Ski Club and in Greece. He has made multiple appearances for GB.

The championships began on Monday, with Winter's preliminary round scheduled to take place on Friday. The final of the slalom will take place on Sunday.