KNUTSFORD sailor Niki Birrell is preparing to take on the rest of the world’s best on home waters this week.

He is part of a 76-strong British team for the latest round of the ISAF Sailing World Cup series, which takes place at Weymouth and Portland – venue for the Olympic Games and Paralympics in 2012.

Birrell, 28, again joins Alexandra Rickham in the SKUD class to defend a gold medal they won last year.

A long list of 17 rivals, including British newcomers Will Street and Megan Pascoe, are out to stop them.

Birrell and Rickham completed their preparation for the five-day event, which starts today, Wednesday, by finishing as runners-up at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in the Netherlands last month.

A gear failure forced the five-time world champions to retire from the eighth race, costing them a lead they had established earlier in the competition.

Before that, the Paralympic bronze medallists won gold in the SKUD at the second leg of the EUROSAF Champions Cup in Italy.

Birrell, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, and Rickham put together an outstanding series on Lake Garda, winning all but one race to claim overall honours.

They are hoping to represent Great Britain again in Rio next year.

Racing in the Paralympic classes concludes on Saturday.