A LEE Valley sports worker has been crowned world champion after five days of sailing on the other side of the world.

Sam Brearey competed in ten races over five days last week to win the International Fireball World Championships in Mandurah, west Australia.

Along with team-mate Tom Gillard, Mr Brearey represented Great Britain in their boat called North Meets South, and saw off stiff competition to add the world title to their victory in last year's European Championships.

When not racing on the water, Mr Brearey, 22, works as a sports development officer at the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, and is based at Myddleton House Gardens in north Enfield.

Of his victory, he said: “It's been an amazing 12 months, and having worked so hard to get to a position to challenge for the world title, it's a great feeling for it to have paid off.

“Adding the world title to become European and World Champion at the same time is an incredible feeling."

And he couldn't contain his excitement on Twitter after winning the title on Saturday, January 7, posting: "World Champion. Can't stop smiling!"

Mr Brearey, who lives in Saffron Walden in Essex, will return to the UK to help with the park authorities sporting plans to tie in with this year's Olympics, including encouraging more young people to take up sports like kayaking and canoeing at the Lee Valley White Water Centre in Waltham Cross.