HAMPSHIRE round the world yachtsman Alex Thomson has won a top gong for a daredevil stunt that saw him fly 120ft above the water behind his racing boat.

The incredible feat involved Thomson, from Gosport, kitesurfing behind his 60ft boat Hugo Boss then attaching a rope to his waist and flying up to a height twice that of the boat's 60ft-high mast.

Thomson, who pulled off the trick wearing a suit, then landed back in the water behind Hugo Boss.

In total 35 people were involved in the making of the clip including Alex Thomson Racing operations manager Ross Daniel, professional kitesurfer Susi Mai and Thomson’s kite-surfing coach Ray Kasper.

The film of the stunt was awarded the top spot in the sport category at the inaugural London Brand Film Festival awards.

The video has been watched by more than 1.3 million people on Youtube.

The feat, dubbed the Skywalk, was the third in a trilogy of stunts that have seen Thomson stand on the keel of his boat while it was moving and walk all the way to the top of the mast.

Stewart Hosford, CEO of Alex Thomson Racing, said: “It is a pleasure to work with a sponsor that truly understands Alex’s passion for adventure, and supports our team in pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

"We look forward to more successful campaigns in the future as we continue our partnership.”

The award is the latest accolade for Thomson and his team following his second-place finish in the Vendee Globe solo round the world race in January.

He was pipped to the top spot by Armel Le Cleac'h of France by just 16 hours after 74 days of non-stop racing around the planet.