Sailing: Blair Tuke on course to win the 'true' Triple Crown

Blair Tuke could win the Triple Crown. Photo / Getty

Kiwi sailor Blair Tuke is on course to be the first man to win the "true" Triple Crown if MAPFRE protects its lead through the rest of the Volvo Ocean Race.

If Tuke and his crew members on board the Spanish vessel reach the finish line in the quickest time, he will become the first person in history to win the Volvo Ocean Race, America's Cup and an Olympic title.

Tuke teamed up with Peter Burling to get two-thirds of the way there by winning Olympic gold in Rio and the 35th America's Cup with Emirates Team New Zealand, but the pair then split after Tuke joined the Spanish team for the round-the-world race.

Sailing Illustrated outlined that if Tuke went on to win the Volvo Ocean Race, the "true" Triple Crown, it would be as crew member, not skipper.

American sailor John Kostecki narrowly missed claiming the Triple Crown title after he successfully skippered his crew to a silver medal at Seoul and a Volvo Ocean Race victory, however, he was Oracle Team USA's tactician in the America's Cup, not skipper.

But if Tuke is successful, he will have been crew in all three of his major victories, and respectfully a champion of all three events.

Blair Tuke teamed up with Peter Burling to win gold at Rio. Photo / Getty

Burling also has his chance to win the unprecedented sailing title, but with Team Brunel currently sitting at a distant fifth in the Volvo Ocean Race, it would seem unlikely.

"It's a real endurance battle and to have the opportunity to do it is really cool," Tuke told CNN.

"It would have been nice to have had a little bit more time off after the last 12 months, but I couldn't let this opportunity go."

The fleet will set off from Hong Kong for Auckland on February 7 and are expected to arrive in Auckland in late February.