As preparation for a life on the water goes, sailing 20,000 nautical miles on a round-the-world voyage is not a bad place to start.

That was the mission Nathan Pearce’s parents embarked upon when the Canadian kitefoiler was just nine years old, opening his eyes to some spectacular destinations as well as the sport he now competes in on the global stage.

“My parents always wanted to do a round-the-world trip on their boat,” Pearce said.

“When I was nine, we left Vancouver and sailed all the way to New Zealand – that’s where I picked up kiting and kite racing.

“I just fell in love with the ocean. Seeing all the cool new places, meeting new people, experiencing nature, the wind, learning kitesurfing – it was an amazing experience.

“We went to some really cool places that not many people get to go to. They were untouched for the most part, it was so cool to be in the middle of nowhere and go exploring.

“I would say the Society Islands, around Tahiti, and the Tuamotus, are definitely some of the coolest places I’ve ever been.”

Pearce picked up kitefoiling quickly and, remarkably, this is his fourth appearance at a Youth Sailing World Championships.

His debut came aged 13 at The Hague in 2022 and he became U17 European champion this year, as well as winning silver at the Canadian National Championships, finishing as the leading male from his nation in the process.

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“My favourite bit is the speed, I really enjoy racing at 20+ knots,” he said. “I love the tactical sense of the speed too.

“Every event you go to, you keep learning. I know the other guys pretty well, we see each other at the international events so I see them quite often.

“The vibe is really chill, everyone is really nice and helpful, there is just a friendly vibe to the fleet.

“The Canadian squad is a tight-knit community, there are not too many of us. It is my first time meeting most of these guys but some of them go to my high school at home so it’s nice to do an event like this with them.”

Like countless other Canadian teenagers, Pearce also has a passion for ice hockey – he supports Vancouver Canucks, his hometown club – and skiing.

But it is in the ocean that he feels truly at home and hopes to appear on the sport’s ultimate stage in the coming years.

“I would like to go to the Olympics in ’28, that’s my goal,” he said. “I have met a lot of top kitesurfers and their dedication is so impressive.

“They are always very down-to-earth and they are just so passionate about our sport, improving the sport and always learning.

“I look up to people in other sailing disciplines as well, like SailGP, as that is another option I might want to pursue in the future.

“For now, the Olympics is definitely a big dream. After that, I’ll see where I end up.”