Sailing: Olympic duo Molly Meech and Alex Maloney sail 49erfx at night

Two of New Zealand's top female sailors have showcased their sport in a new light.

Molly Meech and Alex Maloney took time out of their Olympic training schedule last month to sail a 49erfx at night in a world first.

The pair embarked on the Waitematā Harbour just before sunset before sailing between Rangitoto and Auckland City in the dead of night.

Award-winning photographer Scott Sinton first pitched the radical idea in a bid to capture a "fresh perspective" that had never been seen before in the sailing world.

Maloney said it was an eye-opening experience.

"Sailing is already challenging and then adding the element of darkness to take away your normal visual cues, you're forced to rely on instinct ... we use them more than we probably realised normally sailing," Maloney told the Herald.

Alex Maloney and Molly Meech sailing at night. Photo / Supplied

"It's something completely different to what we would normally do in training so it was cool to enjoy a different aspect of sailing and do something creative and for the fun of it."

Meech said she was amazed by how quickly she adjusted as darkness set it.

"Even though you couldn't see the wind on the water or the waves, you still had a sense of what was happening," she said.

"In the beginning, it was pretty challenging when you come out of the boat knowing how much to pull down or getting a feel of your movements going across the boat in the dark and where to step but after a few times it felt like it got a bit more normal."

Photo / Supplied

Photo / Supplied

The pair are currently training towards the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after the Covid-19 pandemic saw it postponed last year.

However, a recent surge of Covid cases in Japan has put fresh doubt on the Games, with further postponement not an option.

Maloney said despite the situation overseas, they're remaining focused on their preparations.

"It will look really different to a normal Olympics but we're trying to prepare as best we can. You do see the speculation and if you read too much into it, it's not fun, so I think you've just got to try and stay focused on the training and we're really hoping that we get to race this year," she said.

"Being able to represent New Zealand at the Olympics will be amazing and a very special occasion no matter how its hosted."