WELLINGTON Point graphic designer Scott Wintle is riding a wave of success after being crowned the world's best disabled water-skier in the jump event.
The 40-year-old paraplegic won gold in the Men's Seated Jump event at the World Disabled Water Ski Championships in Milan, Italy, on August 31.
He scored the crown, edging out 15 competitors from seven countries, after jumping 20.5m, slightly less than his Australian record-breaking 20.9m chalked up in 2006.
It was a sweet victory for Wintle as it was the first time he had competed in the jump since three categories were combined into a more challenging event and was able to call home with the news on Father's Day.
The championships, held every two years, attract competitors from all over the world and categories included skiing sitting or standing.
"I was able to ring home on Father's Day to say I had won gold, which was great," he said.
"I love the sport and have been competing for Australia since 2001 but it was nice to come home with a gold medal.
"It can be dangerous but you don't think about it at the time," Wintle said.
He also competed in the slalom and came fifth in the more difficult Trick event, in which he performed 360 degree twists in the air during 20-second runs.
The Trick is a signature event, after he won it at the 2007 World Championships in Townsville.
But competing was not the only activity on Wintle's agenda while in Milan.
The father of two played a crucial role in propelling the Aussie team to third place overall behind the US and Italy.
He was elected to captain Australia's team of five men and one woman to the event, in recognition of his water-skiing expertise.
He was also selected to be a classifier, a coveted role awarded to world-class athletes and team doctors and one Wintle had strived for since he was first selected for the Australian team in 2001.
No hurdle has been too great for the daredevil, who met wife-to-be Eliza in 2006, 12 years after a motorcycle accident in Switzerland snapped his spinal cord, leaving him paralysed in the legs.
Being a keen windsurfer before the accident, Wintle kept his interest in water sports and got involved in water skiing through a Sporting Wheelies "Come & Try" day in 1999.
His brother, Warrick, played a part in getting him to world-class standard and spent hours towing him behind his jet ski at Wellington Point.
Wintle has competed at the 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007 World Titles and has been overall Australian Champion in his MP2 division since 2003.
