AN extreme sports specialist from Little Downham is aiming for greater success in Europe after he secured the UK Downhill Dirt Surfing championship. Jody Jaggard, a 27-year-old roofer, won the national title at the Go Fast Speed Day, in Eastbourne, where

AN extreme sports specialist from Little Downham is aiming for greater success in Europe after he secured the UK Downhill Dirt Surfing championship.

Jody Jaggard, a 27-year-old roofer, won the national title at the Go Fast Speed Day, in Eastbourne, where racers from around the world competed in a range of extreme sports.

And it was in the relatively new sport of dirt surfing that Jody excelled - not only winning the UK championship but also earning points in the International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) World Championship.

The UK Championship was the first event in the country to be affiliated to the IGSA and Jody was delighted with his victory. He said: "It was a great event and the standard of competition was very high.

"There were racers from all over Europe and although they have been competing for longer, I am able to go out and practice on a daily basis."

But having picked-up world championship points, Jody is hoping to add to his tally. He said: "There are events held all over Europe and now I would like to attract sponsorship so that I can continue to compete."

Dirt surfing has evolved from kite landboarding, where a kite propels the rider and their wheeled board.

The dirt surfboard is based upon the same board used in kite landboarding but the rider relies on gravity to propel them along a course.

Jody's experience in kite landboarding certainly made a difference, as did his regular practice sessions at Cherry Hill, Ely.

And now, Jody is aiming to bring these new sports to a larger audience. He explains: "Kiting is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and I hope that it won't be long before an extreme sports club is established in Ely.