Young Tauranga sailors Sam Barnett and Zak Merton have made the 2013 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team to compete at the ISAF Youth World Championship in Limassol, Cyprus, in July.
They are the latest in a proud tradition of Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club sailors to represent New Zealand at the annual ISAF Youth World Championship Regatta which brings together the world's best youth sailors.
Barnett and Merton follow in the wake of Tauranga sailors Peter Burling, Tom and Jason Saunders, Bruce Kennedy, Sam and Molly Meech, Sam Bullock, Trent Rippey and Sven Pedersen.
The 16-year-olds will compete in the two-handed 420 class and straight after the regatta will travel to Valencia, Spain, to compete in the Open Men's 420 World Championship.
Barnett is a recent Tauranga arrival, having moved here with his family in late 2011. He grew up in Devonport, Auckland, and learned to sail at Wakatere Boating Club but later than most, having previously been into mountain biking. However, once he got on the water, he has never looked back. In his first full season in the Optimist Open Fleet, he achieve his goal of representing New Zealand at the Asian Optimist Championship.