"You can guarantee that they'll be taking individual titles," he says.
There will be 1389 athletes competing at surf life saving's pinnacle event of the season, being held at Midway Beach in Gisborne from tomorrow until Sunday.
Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service will have 93 representatives competing while Ōmanu has 82, Ōpotiki 23, Pāpāmoa 29, Pukehina 9, Waihī Beach 7 and Whakatāne SLSC 39.
He says Mount Maunganui, with 10 national titles under their belt - seven of them consecutive, will be the overall favourites again this year, while Ōmanu - winners of the Masters title for 10 years in a row - will want their run to continue.
"It'll be Ōmanu and Mount battling it out in the Masters," he says.
However, he says you can't look past Pāpāmoa, Gisborne's Midway and Waikanae and Auckland's Red Beach and Piha for some strong competition.
He also acknowledged Ōpotiki and Whakatāne as strong contenders in the canoe events, with some strong female crews.
Bicknell says athletes could face some issues with the weather conditions also, with forecasts showing plenty to keep them working.
"We're expecting some challenging conditions on some of the days. Decent swell, some fresh winds coming through so it will create a challenging environment."
Among those competing in the Masters division is 66-year-old Ōmanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club member Ian Glover, who has been to nationals for about 19 years.
The Masters division will be held tomorrow,before the Open divisions get under way on Friday. Glover, who says the trophy for the Masters is an old resuscitator found while renovating the Ōmanu club, would love to take the title again.
He says they've got good numbers and talented athletes who have fun - but knows their run can't last forever.
"We've got to lose it one day," he says.
Also competing for Ōmanu are Devon Halligan in the open ranks, having twice won the New Zealand Ironwoman title, four-time New Zealand Ironman champion Max Beattie, fellow New Zealand representative and sprint king Murdoch Finch, rising star Molly Shivnan and 15-year-old Lucy Bartlett, who will race in the under-16 division and try her luck in the super race.
Ōmanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club director of sport Mark Weatherall says the club goes into this week's major competition with a solid season behind them and is looking forward to seeing how their athletes go over the next few days.
"This is the big one where all the hard work comes to play," Weatherall says.
"We've got a good bunch of athletes heading to Gisborne," he says.
He says he would love to win a national title but would be happy with a top five overall finish.
"Mount club, they've won a number of years. They're very, very hard to beat."
Bay of Plenty clubs at the TSB New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships:
Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service: Open - 79; Masters - 14.
Ōmanu SLSC: Open - 43; Masters - 39.
Ōpotiki SLSC: Open - 18; Masters - 5.
Pāpāmoa SLSC:Open - 22; Masters - 7.
Pukehina Surf Rescue: Open - 4; Masters - 5.
Waihī Beach LS: Open - 7.
Whakatāne SLSC: Open - 30; Masters - 9.
