A regular on the world Laser circuit for more than eight years, sailor Thomas Saunders has achieved some impressive results in his career so far. Frequently finishing near the front of the fleet at the world’s major regattas, the Kiwi – nicknamed ‘The Shark’ – had a consistently successful 2019 and was one of three New Zealanders to claim a top 10 position at the 2019 Laser World championships. Saunders reached No 8 in the world rankings in September 2018, and is now focused on realising his ambition of winning Olympic Gold at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Born in Tauranga, New Zealand, Saunders began sailing when he was nine years old, and started competing in races at the same young age. In 2010 he won the Youth Sailing World Championships Laser Radial title in Instanbul, Turkey. Two years later he became a regular on the Laser circuit, regularly achieving notable results against the best sailors in the world.

In 2017, he won the Enoshima Olympic Week at the venue for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, beating a quality field, and finished in 8th position at the Laser Standard Men’s World Championship in Split, Croatia. His impressive form has continued in recent years, finishing in 6th place at the 2019 World Cup Series in Enoshima and 10th at the 2019 Laser World Championships in Sakaiminato, Japan. With the Tokyo Olympics on the horizon, Saunders is definitely one to watch.