A TALENTED Christchurch windsurfer has scooped a top award at a ceremony honouring up-and-coming athletes.

Emma Wilson, 16, was awarded the One to Watch honour by Sir Steven Redgrave at the SportsAid event.

Previous recipients include diver Tom Daley, sprinter Jodie Williams and Paralympian Hollie Arnold.

Emma said: "I’ve watched them for so many years on TV and hopefully I can become one of them.

"It’s an amazing feeling. Out of all the amazing athletes put forward, I can’t believe that I’ve been chosen.

"It’s crazy. Windsurfing’s not that big so I really can’t believe it. To be recognised for my achievements out of so many other great achievements, I really can’t believe it.”

The award follows an exceptional 12 months for the young sailor, who in 2014 won two gold medals at the youth world championships - one in the under-19 age group when she was still just 15 years old - with a performance described by coach Leo McCallin as one of the best he had ever seen in the sport.

"Last year winning the youth world championships was my biggest achievement so far and this ranks almost alongside it,” Emma added.

This year, Emma has picked up a silver medal at the 2015 youth world windsurfing championships in Poland and the Yachting Journalists’ Association’s Young Sailor of the Year Award back in January.

She is now preparing for the ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships, which take place in Malaysia next month.

“I go to the ISAF youth worlds in December and that’s my big competition for this year,” she explained. “Next year I’ll do some more senior World Cup events and then it all builds up in the four-year cycle to 2020 and hopefully I can go to the Olympics."