America's Cup: Emirates Team NZ's cyclors become grinders

Emirates Team New Zealand sailors last had a grinding pedestal on their prototype/development AC45 © Emirates Team New Zealand

Two years out from the 36th America's Cup and the grind is on for Emirates Team New Zealand's sailing team.

Although the team's first AC75 is not expected to be launched until July, the candidates for the sailing team are hard at work, turning their bodies from cyclors to grinders.

Here the team go through a series of grinding erg tests to check on their progress. Top of the class appears to be former rower and Olympic Gold medalist, Joe Sullivan. But in the end it is not just the strength and endurance that is being tested but also the size of each sailor's ticker - and what happens when they "hit the wall" in the latter stages of the test.