Sam Bell

Sam started sailing from a young age at Kawakawa Bay where he raced dinghies at the local boat club and spent his summers cruising on his parent’s yacht. After a highly successful age-group career playing Rugby, Sam switched his focus to his other passion, sailing.

Age: 26

He joined the RNZYS Youth Training Programme and after graduating has gone on to win numerous Keel Boat National Championships. Sam was a core crew member of the highly successful Young 88 Triple 8 that in 2009 went on to win the BMW World Sailing Cup in Italy. He then joined WAKA Racing and is now a key member of the team being able to cover Pit, Trim, and Bow positions.

Sam also worked a number of years as a sail maker, firstly at Halsey Lidgard and then North Sails. Now, when he is not sailing, he is a builder at Searle Builders.

Significant Achievements:

2010	1st	Knickerbocker Cup Grade 2	(Trim/Pit)
	3rd	Baltic Match Tour Tallinn Grade 2	(Trim/Pit)
	3rd	Match Cup Sweden WMRT (Magnus Holmberg)	(Pit)
	6th	Portugal Match Cup WMRT (Magnus Holmberg)	(Pit)
	2nd	Slovenia Match Cup	(Pit)
	7th	Match Race Germany WMRT (Magnus Holmberg)	(Pit)
	1st	Korea Match Cup Qualifier	(Pit)
	2nd	Rolex China Sea Race (IRC & Line)	(Mast/Grind)
	2nd	Subic Bay Commodores Cup (IRC & Line)	(Mast/Grind)
	1st	BMW Sailing Cup World Final	(Pit)
	1st	BMW NZ Sailing Cup	(Pit)
	7th	Omega Cup (Sailing with Magnus Holmberg)	(Pit)
2009:	6th	Monsoon Cup World Match Race Tour	(Pit)
	1st	Asian Match Racing Championships	(Pit)
	1st	Chicago Match Cup Grade 2	(Trim)
	3rd	Knickerbocker Cup Grade 2	(Trim)
	1st	Rimini Match Race Grade 3	(Trim)
	1st	BMW NZ Sailing Cup	(Pit)
	1st	BMW Sailing Cup World Final	(Pit)
	1st	Young 88 NZ National Championships	(Pit)
2008:	6th	NZ Match Racing National Championships	(Pit)
	2nd	Young 88 NZ National Championships	(Pit)
2007:	6th	Auckland Cup Match Race Cup Grade 1	(Pit)
	6th	Hardy Cup Grade 3	(Main)
	1st	Young 88 NZ National Championships	(Pit)
2006:	3rd	New Zealand Keel Boat Nationals	(Pit)
	1st	Young 88 NZ National Championships	(Pit)
	5th	NZ Match Racing National Championships	(Pit)
2005:	1st	New Zealand Coastal Classic B division winner