16 Hannah shocked by her double success; Welsh girl's title on debut books that world place.

SAILING SHOCKED Llandenny sailor Hannah Tilley is riding a crest of a wave after landing a RYA Volvo Youth National Championships title on what was her debut at the prestigious event.

And the 15-year-old Llandgefedd and Cardiff Bay sailing talent had double cause for celebration after discovering her victory in Largs last week had led to her being selected to represent Great Britain at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Buzios, Brazil, in July.

Tilley has only recently stepped into the Laser Radial class - the one-person dinghy sailed by women at the Olympic Games - and arrived on the west coast of Scotland for the five-day regatta just looking to make a good account of herself in an experienced Radial fleet.

But sitting in pole position at the top of the girls' field at the end of day three and with unpredictable and often gale-force winds making sailing impossible on the final two days, Tilley was crowned RYA Volvo Youth National champion for the first time and booked her seat on the plane to the ISAF Youth Worlds.

Tilley's victory and selection now means she joins an elite band of sailors who have won RYA Youth National titles and represented Britain at the ISAF Youth Worlds, including three-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie and all three of the famed Yngling 'Blondes in a Boat.' An astonished Tilley, who will be the youngest member of RYA Volvo Team GBR in Brazil said: "It is such a surprise! This was my first event in the Radial and if someone had said to me a week before that I would win the event and be going to the Youth Worlds there is no way I would have believed them.

"Even though I knew I won the event, I didn't want to believe I could be selected. It was pretty close between me and the other girls and they are a bit more experienced than me so when I was told I was going to Brazil I was just absolutely speechless and it's still sinking in!" Tilley will actually be flying the flag for Britain twice in Buzios this summer having already been selected for the Laser 4.7 World Championships at the same venue the week after the ISAF Youth Worlds.

She added: "My aim now for the summer is to do well at the

Laser 4.7 Worlds and get as much experience as possible from the ISAF Youth Worlds, which will just be invaluable." Duncan Truswell, RYA youth racing manager, said: "The conditions over the week were fickle and unpredictable and huge credit must go to the sailors and organising team for their patience and their commitment to trying to get as much racing on as possible.

"There are many talented sailors on our RYA Volvo Youth Squad programme and we plan to work very closely with them in the next few months to develop their medal-winning potential for the various forthcoming class European and world championships this summer."

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South Wales sailor Hannah Tilley has landed a RYA Volvo Youth National Championships title on her debut in the event