Max heats up competition

Hot bachelors are rife in Tauranga with an Omanu surf lifesaver hoping to take the Cleo Bachelor of the Year title from last year's Tauranga winner.

Max Beattie, 21, will battle to take the title from last year's winner, Tauranga's John Templeton. He will be competing for $1000 in prize money and an eight-page spread in Cleo.

Mr Beattie, although from the Gold Coast, comes to Tauranga six times a year and has been a member of the Omanu Surf Lifesaving Club since he was a young boy.

"I spend a fair bit of time there every year, my mother is from here and I've got aunties and uncles here."

Mr Beattie spends most of his days at the beach, training three times a day, six days a week.

"I've been waking up every morning at 5am for the last 10 years to go swim training - that's what I want to do until I retire."

Although he's got friends and family around New Zealand drumming up support on his behalf, Mr Beattie said he wasn't taking the competition too seriously.

"I'm in it so I might as well give it a crack. It's a good bit of exposure, there's not an enormous amount of money in surf lifesaving so the exposure may help me out a bit."

As the only Tauranga entrant, Mr Beattie hoped the locals would get together and send some votes his way.

"Tauranga is a nice place, it's my favourite place in New Zealand. There's a good vibe at The Mount where I spend most of my time. I race for the Omanu Surf Club and I'll be back in March for the national life saving event."

In his spare time, Mr Beattie said he's just like any other 21-year-old who likes to hang out with his mates.

Last year's Bachelor of the Year was Tauranga's John Templeton, owner of Mount CrossFit. He said the experience had been a fun one.

"I have a lot more Facebook friends now. The best part was boosting my business, Mount CrossFit. It's also been cool when you go out and girls say they have pictures of you on their walls."

The advice Mr Templeton gave to Mr Beattie was to just be himself.

"There are no secrets, if you're a good guy then it will happen naturally. Also just rally up all your friends to vote for you, if your worth it they will do it."

Cleo editor Shelley Ferguson said there were some fascinating personalities behind this year's "sexy smiles". "We've included a total mix of types in this line-up - from sweet, shy and a little nerdy, to confident and competitive types who can't stop cracking jokes."

She said the other finalists include a hip-hop dancer who's dedicated to helping the country's youth, a famous boy-band member who's addicted to cereal and a celebrity stuntman.

To vote for Max and check out the other contestants, visit www.facebook.com/cleomagnz.