Smooth sailing! Usain Bolt takes a leisurely boat ride on Melbourne's Yarra River with Olympian Morgan Mitchell

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Sprinting star Usain Bolt showed off his sea-legs as he took a leisurely boat ride on Melbourne's Yarra River with track runner Morgan Mitchell.

The nine-time Olympic champion, 30, was seen waving to onlookers from the speed boat and casually chatting to 22-year-old Mitchell, who displayed her toned stomach in a cropped top and grey exercise leggings. 

On Friday, Bolt was unveiled as the star of the revolutionary Nitro Athletics series. He will captain one of the sic teams, each including 12 men and 12 women for the Melbourne competition in February.

Mitchell, who bombed out in the 400 metre semi-final at the Rio Olympics, was also promoting the Nitro series. 

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Sprinting super star Usain Bolts showed off his sea-legs in Melbourne, as he was unveiled on Friday as the star of the revolutionary Nitro Athletics series

Australian Olympians Morgan Mitchell also helped unveil the Nitro Athletics series which will take place in Melbourne in February

Morgan Mitchell, who has often been compared with Australian icon Cathy Freeman, represented the country in the 400 metre at the Rio Olympics

The greatest athlete in track and field history appeared at the unveiling alongside Australian Olympians including Morgan Mitchell (right) 

After the boat ride, Mitchell and Bolt were seen posing for photos on the banks. 

'This will be track and field as it's never been seen before and that's why I'm involved, not only as a competitor, but also as a team captain,' Bolt said at the official launch on Friday. 

The Nitro Athletics series will include events including the 100m, 200m and long jump alongside other non-traditional disciplines such as a hurdles relay and a middle-distance relay.

'For me this is the right move forward for our sport,' Bolt said.

'I'm very excited about the whole concept of having a team.

'With track and field, it's an individual sport.

'But here we can work together and every event will count.

'I'm going to be the coach and I'm that sort of person who's very competitive.'

So competitive, in fact, he didn't rule out having a crack at the long jump if required.

Athletics Australia board member and 2006 Commonwealth 400m champion John Steffensen played a key role in negotiations between AA and Bolt. 

Usain Bolt performs his signature 'Bolt' stance at the launch of the Nitro Athletics Series at Southbank in Melbourne

The Nitro Athletics series, launched by Usain Bolt along with Morgan Mitchell (left) and Anneliese Rubie (right) will include events like the 100m, 200m and long jump

Nine-time Olympic champion Bolt - who won a historic third 100m, 200m and 4x100m golden treble in Rio - is set to pick up $1 million as the face of the series, which will be broadcast on the Seven Network.

He said the teams event shaped as a game-changer for a sport seeking mainstream traction.

'Every show needs a headline act and the headline act of Nitro Athletics Melbourne is the biggest name in all of sport - Usain Bolt,' Steffensen said.

'Nitro Athletics Melbourne will attract global attention in the 210-plus countries that participate in athletics and where Usain Bolt is a megastar.' 

There had also been serious interest in taking the Nitro series to Sydney.

'Nitro Athletics is a game-changer for athletics and Athletics Australia,' said AA president Mark Arbib.

'We want to start the global re-invigoration of athletics right here in Australia.' 

Usain Bolt travels by boat with Australian Olympians Anneliese Rubie (C) and Morgan Mitchell (R) as well as John Steffensen (L) to the launch of Nitro Athletics on Friday 

'This will be track and field as it's never been seen before and that's why I'm involved, not only as a competitor, but also as a team captain,' Bolt said at the official launch on Friday

'Every show needs a headline act and the headline act of Nitro Athletics Melbourne is the biggest name in all of sport - Usain Bolt,' 2006 Commonwealth 400m champion John Steffensen said

Nine-time Olympic champion Bolt - who won a historic third 100m, 200m and 4x100m golden treble in Rio - is set to pick up $1 million as the face of the series, which will be broadcast on the Seven Network.

Other big names to fill the six Australian and international teams will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bolt has committed to remaining in the sport until the world championships in London in August.

The Nitro series will mark the first time Bolt's raced on Australian soil, although he hasn't completely closed the door on extending his career until the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.  

Usain Bolt along with Anneliese Rubie (left) and Morgan Mitchell (right) speak during the launch of Nitro Athletics

Both  Morgan Mitchell and Anneliese Rubie made their Olympic debut at Rio earlier this year

And the sprinting star wasn't alone at the launch of Nitro athletics,  Australian Olympians Mitchell and Anneliese Rubie were also there the promote the series.

Morgan Mitchell, who has often been compared with Australian icon Cathy Freeman, represented the country in the 400 metre at the Rio Olympics.

The 22-year old came in dead last in the semi-final, describing her performance as 'disgusting' after the race.

'It's my first Olympics, and if people want to compare me to Cathy [Freeman], they need to remember that in her first Olympics (when Freeman was 19-years-old) she got knocked out in the semi, too,' she at the time. 

Anneliese Rubie also made her Olympic debut at Rio, taking part in the 4 x 400m Relay and the 400m. 

Morgan Mitchell, who has often been compared with Australian icon Cathy Freeman, represented the country in the 400 metre at the Rio Olympics

The 22-year old came in dead last in the semi-final, describing her performance as 'disgusting' after the race.