In August, Sade Ferguson surprised everyone – including herself – to claim gold at the Junior Waterskiing World Championships in Spain.

The skiing all-rounder will call Stoney Park home this summer, but will sit out this weekend’s Slalom Series  as she attempts to continue to set the pace as the best teenager in her division.

“I’d like to be number one, but a lot of hard work and pressure comes with that because I’m one of the youngest in my age group,” she said.

“I’m competing against some of a lot stronger girls so I have to stay focused on what I need to work hard for.”

That hard work has seen Ferguson selected in the under-21 world squad for the next junior world championships.

She knows the hard work has only just begun.

“I’m hoping to continue to improve and hopefully get picked in some of those teams to continue my career,” she said.

Helping Ferguson’s cause for selection is her strong ability as an overall skier in the three classes of jump, trick and slalom.

While she is the current jump junior champion, the teenager admitted it was slalom that she currently enjoyed the most.

“I’m more of an overall skier, but I prefer slalom at the moment because I’m skiing the best, but when my jump is good it’s usually that,” she said.

“It’s really hard (to focus on all three), but you’ve got to go out there and focus on one event at a time.

“I definitely need to improve on my trick to bring up my overall ranking but other than that I was very happy how I skied at world’s.

“It takes a lot of preparation, a lot of tournament sets and skiing is more mental so if you can get the mental side right then you’re pretty right.”

Being a champion doesn’t come without its share of overcoming hurdles along the way – it’s what makes the feeling that much sweeter.

“I broke my leg two years ago but I’ve recovered from that and touch wood I’ve been good ever since,” she said.

“It put me back mentally and I was a bit scared of trick for a while, but I’ve overcome that now and I love trick now.”

The champion waterskiing status is a long way from growing up in outback Queensland.

“I lived in Roma which is in drought so I used to barefoot,” she said.

“But then I tried waterskiing on the Sunshine Coast and then came here (to Stoney Park) for a change and I’m loving it here; it’s so amazing.”

Ferguson will sit out this weekend’s Slalom Series at Stoney Park.