World champions Steph and Carla Laughton will headline the North Island IRB championships in Whakatane this weekend, with the surf lifesaving event doubling as the second round in the national BP Surf Rescue series.
The St Clair sisters will make the long trip up from Dunedin for the inflatable rescue boat event, along with three other St Clair crews and three more from Christchurch, to compete against 45 North Island crews in the two-day carnival.
It comes just three weeks after the Laughtons returned from winning gold in the tube rescue at Rescue 2012 in Adelaide with patient Rachel Craythorn, which completed a unique haul for the siblings.
Over the past 12 months, they've now won New Zealand titles in the pool, on the beach and in IRB events, with the world championship crown the final jewel in the crown.
"We've had great support from our club and it's been an extremely satisfying year for us but we're definitely not going to relax anytime soon," Steph Laughton said. "Winning in Adelaide was amazing but we've come back, established some more goals for the upcoming season and we're keen to get back out and start racing again."