NINJA WARRIOR A FISH OUT OF WATER
BURLEIGH Heads lifesaver Ryan Solomon isn’t your average Australian Ninja Warrior.
While most of his fellow competitors on Nine’s new physical challenge TV series were gym owners, devotees or instructors, Solomon, 28, could almost be described as a fish out of water.
The plumber and professional jet skier is more passionate about water sports and snowboarding than gym workouts.
“It was the first thing that comes up when the contestants start conversations – what’s your background, what do you do?,” he said.
“People would say I’m an Olympic gymnast or a gym owner or a callisthenics trainer and I’d be like I’m a plumber who rides jet skis.”
A patrol captain at Burleigh, where he has been a surf lifesaver since he was 10, Solomon made the Australian team for Canoe Polo – training for which he cites as his toughest challenge – and has spent stints based in the US and Canada during snowboarding seasons.
He’s also a competitive jet skier who will compete in the Cronulla Rip’N Ride 10 in October – the world’s most anticipated freeride event.
“The pressure of competing is something I coped with really well on the show,” Solomon said.
Australian Ninja Warrior premieres on Sunday at 7pm