Peter Harrison has been selected for Great Britain and will compete in the World Topper Championships.

The youngster, from Bexhill, was included in the junior set-up, which earmarks sailors with Olympic potential, after a series of impressive performances in national and open events.

He wants to repay the faith shown by British selectors with a good performance at the World Championships, which are staged in Carnac, France, in August.

Harrison, 13, said: "I'm pleased to be part of Team GB and am looking forward to my first World Championships. I'll compete in the under-15s class.

"It will be a fantastic experience and give me an idea of the level I have to be at to achieve international success."

He will also compete in his third nationals two weeks earlier in Plymouth.

A busy schedule takes him through to October and includes the Crewsaver Inland Championships at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire, the South East Championships and a series of training weekends with Team GB (South East).

He said: 'I've entered a lot of events. I'll be racing almost every weekend. I love sailing, I find it exhilarating.

"I used to be a swimmer but the training was boring. My father taught me to sail in a two-crew mirror boat and now I'm having a lot more fun.

"I have three big dreams. I want to be a professional sailor, sail around the world like Helen McArthur and make the Olympics.

"I am willing to work hard and see where it takes me."

Harrison is following in a 50-year-old family tradition. His late grandfather Roy founded Bexhill Sailing Club and father Rob has been a national championship competitor. His uncle Doug Bishop was also a competitive sailor.

He said: "My grandad sailed locally and my dad competed at at a reasonable standard. But I want to do more and go further."

Rob said: "Peter has shown a good aptitude for sailing which the selectors have picked up on and he is aiming to go at least one step beyond anything either me or my father did competitively."