Iain Jensen is hitching a ride on three of the fastest boats ever seen on Australian waters

OLYMPIC sailing gold medallist Iain Jensen kicks off his summer of speed and salt spray by joining Christian Beck’s record-breaking supermaxi InfoTrack for the dash south.

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OLYMPIC sailing champion Iain Jensen’s summer is about to pass in a blur of speed and salt spray.

The London Olympic gold medallist in the 49er skiff class is hitching a ride on three of the fastest boats ever seen on Australian waters, starting with Christian Beck’s record-breaking supermaxi InfoTrack in the Sydney to Hobart.

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Jensen, who raced to multiple world titles and Olympic medals with skipper Nathan Outteridge, is joining a crew of 20 for his first race south on the 100-footer which won last year’s line honours race as Perpetual Loyal.

Iain 'Goobs' Jensen on board the 100ft Super Maxi InfoTrack. Picture. Phil Hillyard

The yacht also set a race record of one day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds, slashing five hours off the old mark held by former champion Wild Oats X1.

“We wanted guys who are young and fearless driving and who will push the boat hard,” said boat captain Ty Oxley of Jensen’s recruitment.

Past commitments to Olympic and America’s Cup campaigns have delayed Jensen’s debut in the famous Australian race.

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“There was always something else on at this time of the year with the 49ers,” said Jensen, who sailed the fastest boat in the Olympic arena to a gold in London in 2012 and silver in Rio in 2016.

“I’m really looking forward to doing the race finally.”

After his maiden Hobart, Jensen will board the new SuperFoiler, capable of speeds of around 40 knots, with his old 49er skipper Outteridge and America’s Cup winner Glenn Ashby for a Grand Prix series starting in January.

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He will also race his single-handed Moth, which can do 30-plus knots, at the Australian titles.

But what he isn’t likely to do is race his 49er. Jensen said his first commitment is to America’s Cup racing with the Artemis team if they decide to campaign for the next Cup in New Zealand. This means it is unlikely he and Outteridge will press for a history-making third Olympic medal at Tokyo in 2020.