A TAVISTOCK College student is on top of the world after clinching her first ever international windsurfing title at the age of just 15.

Saskia Sills became the ISAF Youth U19 female world champion at only her second ever international RS:X race series, the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships at Dun Laoghaire in Ireland last week.

After bronze at the RS:X Youth Europeans earlier in the month, Saskia came back from a nervous wobble in the penultimate race of the series, to win the title with a second place, finishing just behind Israel's silver medal winner Naomi Cohen.

Saskia, who was 16 on Tuesday, said: 'I am so chuffed, I can't believe it.

'I have not been on the water as much as I would have liked for the last three months because I have had exams, and so I have just been working hard in the gym. I did not expect to even ­medal. My first RS:X international event was only last week.

'We have had videos from the Olympic team, Nick Dempsey and Paul Goodison, and all the support team around us have been encouraging us to start this Olympic summer with medals and here we are.'

Saskia has been largely dominant in the girls' RS:X fleet with four wins and three second places in her scoreline.

Tavistock College principal Helen Salmon said: 'Tavistock College is very proud of Saskia.

'This is a remarkable achievement and a great piece of news coming days before the Olympics.'