America's Cup: Sullivan admits to loss of senses during racing

Emirates Team New Zealand cyclors at work during the Louis Vuitton Challengers playoffs. Photo / ACEA via AP

Olympic rowing champion, turned America's Cup cyclor, Joe Sullivan has admitted to some unpleasant side effects of his power work in Bermuda.

As Team New Zealand prepare for the first-to-seven Cup match against Oracle Team USA, starting on Sunday morning, Sullivan and fellow former Olympian, sprint cyclist Simon van Velthooven have given an insight into what the cyclors go through during a race.

Both are well used to experiencing pain in the previous sporting careers. Even so it takes some managing.

Van Velthooven said Sullivan, double sculling gold medallist at the London Olympics of 2012 with Nathan Cohen, loses his sense of taste when he's driving himself hard during racing.

''You can lose your sight a bit towards the end and you definitely lose your hearing a little bit,'' Sullivan said.

''It's just putting yourself into pain. In rowing, it is pretty easy.
''As soon as you start the race you're hitting the red zone. You're in a lot of pain and it's just about managing it and keeping in that zone where you don't fail and can keep pushing.

''In sailing it's much the same. You're really pushing everything you've got.

''You have to be really single focussed, nothing else matters apart from that one goal of putting out as much power as you can.''

Van Velthooven, bronze medallist in the keirin at the London Olympics five years ago, went a step further.

''When he goes into those dark places, he doesn't know what's going on and sometimes in training he can't see after doing a big effort,'' he said of Sullivan.

''He knows how to push himself, but when you're pushing as hard as you can and you're told it's time to run across the boat you've got to keep conscious 100 percent or else you're falling off the front or the back.''

Van Velthooven said the physical exertion is distinctly different to riding a bike.

''You're pulling and pushing a dead weight so you need to train the right muscle for the right movement.

''It was a learning curve for me as well as the team to train your body to power the pump.''

Sullivan, double sculling gold medallist with Nathan Cohen in London, said the cyclors needed plenty of recovery time.

''It hurts a lot, definitely destroys muscle and it's not something you can do a lot over and over.

''Recovery is extremely important, rest and making sure we're eating the right foods and keeping well hydrated.''