The event, which takes place between January 21 and 30, is the last major Paralympic competition at senior level prior to the London 2012 Games.

The British team are going to a holding camp in Auckland for two weeks to acclimatise before heading to Christchurch on January 18.

Weir is one of one of four defending champions to be named as part of Britain's team along with Stephen Miller, Bev Jones and Dan Greaves, and the 31-year-old Londoner is in confident mood.

"I have been in great form lately and I think I can do really well in my events," said Weir.

"I'm in the T54 for men, which is the toughest in the world, but I really want to put down a marker for London 2012 and show what I am about.

"We have a great group heading to New Zealand and if we perform to our best, we can definitely do very well."

As well as established stars such as Weir, the team includes a small group of development level athletes such as outstanding junior talent Jade Jones.

Jones, who is coached by Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson and her coach Ian Thompson, has already proved her credentials at age group level but steps up to compete in a senior event on the global stage for the first time.

Meanwhile Peter Eriksson, the UK Athletics' Paralympics head coach and team leader, is set to meet the team in Auckland as he has flown directly to New Zealand from his home in Canada.

At the last IPC Athletics World Championships in Assen 2006, a British team including the likes of Grey Thompson and Danny Crates finished fifth with 27 medals - nine gold, nine silver and nine bronze.

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