Ironman legend Ky Hurst fitter than ever grinding out new career in SailGP

He’s the “engine’’ of one of the most extreme foiling boats in the world. So what’s got SailGP sailor Ky Hurst feeling stronger than ever before.

Ky Hurst is one of Australia’s top cross code athletes. Pic: AAP/Troy Snook.

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He’s grinding out a new career in the world of extreme sailing but Ky Hurst has turned back to an old passion to be in the best condition of his life.

One of Australia’s most successful cross coders, Hurst is now in his third incantation as an elite athlete having starting his career in surf ironman, moving into open water swimming for two Olympics and then transforming into an America’s Cup winning sailor and the “engine” of the Team Australia Sail GP crew.

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Ky Hurst is one of Australia’s best known surf lifesavers and also competed at two Olympics in open water swimming. Pic: AAP/Troy Snook.

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“I’m pretty strong, I’m stronger than I have ever been,” said Hurst, whose job on the Team Australia foiling F50 is to produce enough power for Australian trimmer Kyle Langford to operate and make adjustments to the wing sheet.

“I’m 38 and I’m in the best condition.

“It feels bloody good. I am fitter this year than I was at any time last year. I am in a great place.”

Helping Hurst is a return to his first love - surf lifesaving - a sport which delivered him four successive Australian ironman titles between 1999-2002, professional series wins and made him a household name.

“I’ve been paddling with the Newport crew again,” said Hurst, who handled for Manloy’s Kendrick Louis when he won the Nutri-Grain ironman series earlier this year.

“It’s mainly cross training for me because the rest of the time I am on the road or in the gym.

The Australian SailGP team celebrates after winning the series title last year.

Ky Hurst is one of Australia’s top cross code athletes. Pic: AAP/Troy Snook.

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“I do a mix of sessions, everything is cardio based because all I need to do on the boat is produce power.

“I hate the gym. I love having the break for it. I’m an outdoor athlete.

“The gym is to manage my body and injury prevention, to keep everything finally tuned.

“The men and women running round the ironman are some of the fittest athletes in the world. For me to tap into that is very important.”

The Australian SailGP team has pride on the line in the opening event of the SailGP sailing series raced by seven crews on foiling catamaran s by some of the biggest names in the sport, including Australian skipper Tom Slingsby, Japanese skipper Nathan Outteridge, also an Australian Olympic champion, and Sir Ben Ainslie, who won medals at five successive Olympic Games, four of which were gold.

Hurst has been using surf lifesaving as cross training for his role with Team Australia.

Teams from Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, Spain and the US will be bidding to take down the defending champions.

Racing will be held on February 28 and 29 on Sydney Harbour.

Racing on February 28 will be from 3pm to 5pm.

Racing on February 29 is from 4pm to 6:00pm

An event exclusion zone will be in place on Sydney Harbour one hour before racing.

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