BENDIGO'S two Olympic silver medallists were back on home turf on Saturday.Sailing champion Glenn Ashby received a hero's welcome at Lake Eppalock's Bendigo Yacht Club, while basketball star Kristi Harrower made a flying visit to the Schweppes Centre to help her father, Bernie, coach the Bendigo Bank Spirit, at training camp."It's awesome to be back out at the club," Ashby said."It's nice to reflect on my sailing career and look back at the last 20 years of my life. "I have a lot of good memories out here. It's just a shame there's not more water in the lake."The clubhouse was packed as Ashby spoke about his silver medal Olympic performance with crewmate Darren Bundock in the Tornado class."It's an experience I'll never forget," Ashby said."We were bitterly disappointed not to get the gold medal, but the excitement of completing the regatta and ticking the box, as far as the life experience of going to an Olympics, is quite overwhelming."It's the pinnacle of sport and for me to go over there and come away with a medal... only 10 per cent of the whole Australian team came away with a medal... it's something I'll always remember."It wasn't just the sporting experience Ashby will cherish for the rest of his life."Walking into the opening ceremony with 400-odd of your Australian team-mates is something I'll never forget," he said."That feeling alone makes the sacrifices you have to make all the more worthwhile."I met some fantastic people. On the plane on the way home, I got to sit in business class alongside a very seedy Lauren Jackson and the rest of the basketball team."In Beijing I got to sit down and have lunch with Alicia Molik and rub shoulders with some of the great tennis players in the world."I had the chance to sit down and have a beer with Steve Waugh and John Eeles - Australian sporting legends with a sailor from Bendigo. It was just a fantastic experience."After putting all their focus on the Olympics, Ashby and his wife, Mel, will now take a well-earned holiday."We're going to have about six weeks off and head over to Western Australia to do a bit of windsurfing and kayaking with some of our close friends," he said. "It will be nice to get away from the sailing and racing for a little while."When he returns, Ashby will be back in training for the A class catamaran world championships in New South Wales in January.The 30-year-old has dominated that class in recent years, winning the title five times. He's also won the Tornado world championship with Bundock twice.But the Olympic duo are undecided if they'll defend their title in Italy next year.With the Olympic future of the Tornado class up in the air, Ashby is already getting offers to change classes for London 2012."I've been spoken to a bit about sailing in the 49er class, but I haven't made any plans," Ashby said."The latest news is the Tornado class might be bought back in when the International Olympic Committee meet in November," he said."There's a lot of politics to be played out, but at this stage the word is that there's a fair chance Tornado class will stay in."