The three-time world surf lifesaving champion says the chance to get back in the water was one of the big draw cards for getting involved in the games.
"Masters sports is a great motivator to get people training and competing – whether they're former professionals or novices," he says.
The games are open for anyone to enter.
"You don't have to be a world champion, you don't have to have gone to the Olympics. You can just enter and go along. You could be doing a 400m freestyle against Danyon Loader."
He told Paul Henry one of the most difficult sports he has tried is archery.
"I've always been involved in physical sports, running and biking and all that stuff. I found it really quite challenging. The full mental concentration."
The games are expected to draw 25,000 people to Auckland when they are held in April 2017.
Watch the video for the full interview with Cory Hutchings.
