The 18-year-old Dunedin-based sailor has just won the ILCA 6 (Laser Radial) competition at the New Zealand Youth Championships in Auckland to secure his spot at the Sailing Youth World Championships at Lake Garda, Italy, in June.
Zach beat more than a dozen of the country’s leading sailors over four days at Murrays Bay Sailing Club and will now represent New Zealand against the best in the world.
"You have to back yourself, and believe you can do it.
"But it’s pretty incredible really."
He said he loved "getting among it" when sailing.
"On the second and third day, I was really solid. To be able to lock it up with a race to spare was really special."
Mother Jenny Armstrong, a member of the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame who represented New Zealand and Australia across three Olympics in sailing (and won gold for Australia at the Sydney Games in 2000), was "super proud".
"He’s worked so hard and so long; particularly in Dunedin, where he spent so many hours on the water by himself.
"It’s really paid dividends."
"I love how he’s handled himself, and kept his composure to get the job done."
Controlling your emotions while on water was vital for any good sailor, she said.
"It’s about being forward-thinking. Over four days, there are lots of opportunities to make mistakes — it’s how you deal with them that sets you apart."
Zach is also an apprentice builder.
"I work for someone who used to do similar stuff.
"He understands what I’m doing and what I want to achieve."
The Otago Yacht Club’s support had also been "awesome", he said.
Despite the fact Zach was born in Australia, Ms Armstrong was under no illusions as to Zach’s loyalties.
"He’s Kiwi. That’s his preference, and it’s mine, too."
