Jet-ski ace makes waves

The 18-year-old from Bexhill took top spot in the latest competition contested in perfect conditions at Nitrojet Lake in Cirencester.

Hards produced a series a fine moves including a monkey flip, back flip, 180 degree nose stab and kamikaze to clinch the narrowest of victories as a solitary point was all that separated the leading three players.

The teenager was first off after drawing the No.1 lot and despite the unnerving effect posed by a couple of brick walls on either side of the lake he managed to keep his wits about him to do enough to hold off the rest of the field.

Hards, who finished runner-up in each of the previous two rounds, now lies first overall out of 17 competitors on the amateur circuit and fifth out of 14 on the professional circuit.

The next round is at Queenford Lake, Oxford - a venue Hards knows well as he trains there each month.