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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 16, 2009

Southern California teen youngest to sail solo around world


SHAYA TAYEFE MOHAJER
Associated Press Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

In this Monday July 13, 2009 file photo, Zac Sunderland, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., takes a look out the front hatch of his 36-foot yacht in San Diego.

LENNY IGNELZI | AP file photo

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MARINA DEL REY, Calif. — A 17-year-old in Southern California has become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.

Zac Sunderland docked Thursday in Marina del Ray, completing a 28,000-mile trip that began last year.

The teenager's family, friends and hundreds of curious onlookers cheered as his 36-foot Intrepid boat came into the harbor.

But the shaggy-haired Thousand Oaks native might not have the record for long. British sailor Mike Perham is a few months younger than Sunderland, and is sailing a bigger, faster boat.

The record was held by an Australian who was over 18 when he completed the voyage in 1996.

Sunderland was 16 when he left Marina del Ray on June 14, 2008.