MOTIVATED: Argentine sailing coach Maria Ferrario with some top line young sailors. PHOTO: File
It was a special moment when Peter Burling, Sam Meech, Molly Meech and Jason Saunders dropped in to the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club after their triumph at last year's Rio Olympic.
The club's young centreboard sailors had a private chat with the four Tauranga Olympians and their advice was taken on board.
But it was Burling, gold medalist in Rio and multiple world champion in the 49er class, who made the biggest impact.
His message was all about the importance of planning and managing pressure whether you win or lose, but the main thing was to just enjoy the sport.
"It is not a job, it is still fun," was his message.
Burling emphasised how important it was to spend as much time out on the water as possible.
But trying to get the young sailors out of the water may be the biggest challenge after Burling guided Team New Zealand to an historic America's Cup win this week.
One of the full time coaches at the Tauranga Yacht club mentoring the young sailors is former Argentina international sailor Maria Ferrario.
The 30-year-old is in her third year running the club's centreboard sailing school. She is delighted there are so many promising sailors performing at national and international level.
Top of the pile is Trent Rippey, 20, who with partner Josh Porebski proved they can compete with the best 49er sailors in the world at the Kiel Week regatta in Germany last week.
With Burling and Blair Tuke busy in Bermuda it was a chance for Rippey and Porebski to show they can take over from the best 49er pair in history.
They were right in the running for the first two days before finishing outside the medals.
Ferrario says Rippey, a former Tauranga Cup P Class champion, "is developing so fast".
"After he did well in the European champs he got very good recognition and he has really focused on going to the next Olympics," she said.
Rippey says it is inspiring to be from Tauranga and he hopes to follow Burling into the 49er boat.
"Peter is a super hard worker and never leaves a stone unturned when he is testing things. Everything on the boat has been tested and it's something pretty cool to do ourselves.
"In sailing there are so many variables but his work ethic is what impresses me the most."
Undoubtedly the strongest area for sailing talent at Tauranga Yacht Club is the Optimist (9-14 years) category.
"All of the sailors we have in the Optimist top 20 out of 250 boats nationwide have potential to go on an Olympic campaign," Ferrario said.
"The sailors at this age just need to keep improving and getting more serious. We have many at the club who, when they qualify for New Zealand teams and start going overseas and representing the country, get very serious about racing."
Ferrario says there are several New Zealand reps showing plenty of potential led by James Barnett, Lachlan Dillon and Max Scott.
"Lachlan, who is 14, is in Toronto, Canada doing the North American Championship in the Optimist class. The top 15 sailors in the country go and Lachlan is 13th for the year's ranking.
"I think he is very good. He started sailing very young and has lots of natural talent. He feels the boat very well and can make it go very fast."
Barnett, 15, finished top five in the Optimist rankings but decided to jump up a class to go to the 420 world championship to be held in December.
Ferrario thinks Barnett is now much better at dealing with setbacks.
"I think for sure he will be a top sailor in years to come. He has moved up from Optimist. He takes everything very serious and now he is 15 he has matured. He is very determined and pushes himself very hard."
Scott, 14, qualified 20th and will travel to the Optimist Asian Championship in Hong Kong in September.
"Max is a different sailor in that he enjoys the social part. He has improved a lot and he has sailed in many different boats which is a good thing. That is what Peter Burling did and all the Olympic sailors," Ferrario said.
It is not just about the boys at the Tauranga club.
Leading a talented group of young female sailors coming through the ranks are Teaghen Denney, 13, and Anya Pearce, 15.
Ferrario says the two Optimist sailors have the potential to become top class competitors.
"Anya started sailing only a year and a half ago from zero. She is a fast learner. Teaghen started very young when she was 7 and learnt all the skills very early. She is a very good talent.
"They are both going to Australia with the New Zealand team in late November."
Centreboard chairman Peter Warren says the America's Cup success will most likely mean an increase in numbers of people wanting to sail.
"There probably will be a little boost in numbers. When Pete won the world championship and when we won the America's Cup last time we saw increases in the club," he said.
"Like every club we have our ups and our downs but the reality is this is all good news for our club. As long as we keep doing what we are doing right then we have a very positive future going forward."
Burling, who was made a life member of the club when he was just 15 thanks to club legend Jim Gilpin, likes to drop in to the club unannounced when he is home to have a quiet chat with the young sailors after school.
No chance of that this time. A hero's welcome awaits Burling and no one deserves it more.