Kiwi sailor Greta Pilkington first ventured onto the water at six weeks old and will now realise her life dream of representing New Zealand at the Paris Olympics.
Pilkington, 21, has been added to the Kiwi sailing contingent, bringing the squad to 10, and will contest the single-handed ILCA 6 class, previously known as Laser Radial.
"I can't really remember the first time I went sailing," she told AM. "Both my parents are really, really keen sailors and we have a family yacht called 'Playboy'.
"I first went on that yacht when I was six weeks old, so I've been brought cruising and going away with my family, but sailing a Laser Radial/ILCA 6 for four years now."
Pilkington won the national title at 18, and took out the class at Sail Auckland - New Zealand's top Olympic-class regatta - over the past two years. She also finished sixth at Sail Sydney in December, just weeks after completing a Bachelor of Architecture degree.
That performance qualified the boat for New Zealand, but Pilkington has had to again earn her right to compete in the class at Marseille.
"It's quite a long wait, but really exciting and I really enjoyed the process, just learning each regatta and getting better," she said.
"I've never sailed in Marseille, but I'm really fortunate my coach, Mark Howard, has done a lot of coaching at Marseille, and he has a lot of knowledge and experience, so that will be awesome for me to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can.
"I think it will be a range of conditions."
Also in Pillkington's camp is triple Olympian Jenny Armstrong, who competed for New Zealand at Barcelona 1992, before winning 470 gold for Australia at Sydney 2000.
Only two Kiwis have contested the women's Olympic Laser Radial previously, with Jo Aleh finishing seventh at Beijing 2008 and Sara Winther 20th at London 2012. Aleh will combine with Molly Meech in the 49erFX class at Marseilles.
"One of my most precious memories is having my picture taken with Molly shortly after she won her [470] silver medal at the Rio Olympics," said Pilkington. "I was only 13 at the time, and now going to the Olympics alongside her and many other sailors I admire is an incredible feeling."
