Cheerleading: 1500 athletes, representing more than 50 teams at Battle in the Bay Cheer and Dance champs

For the past four years, cheerleading has continued to grow in Tauranga - and the popularity of the sport will be on show this weekend when more than 1500 athletes compete in the Battle of the Bay champs.

The Battle in the Bay Cheer and Dance Championships 2019 is a two-day event held at Mount Maunganui's Truspower Arena, showcasing dance and cheerleading talent from around New Zealand.

The dance segment of the event takes place tomorrow between 12.30-4pm; before a full day of cheerleading on Sunday, from 8am-4.30pm.

Battle in the Bay organiser Rebecca Grigson, who is also the founder of Tauranga's Bay Twisters, believes cheerleading as a sport has really taken off over the past two years.

"It's more recognised and known for a sport as opposed to, you know, dancers at a rugby game kind of thing," Grigson says.

"This is our fourth year and it's just grown and grown each year. This year's one of the biggest that we've ever done. It's looking absolutely massive, especially in the cheerleading, it's huge so to have a full on day that we're running on the Sunday, it's going to be pretty exciting.

"It's great to host our own competition or championship in Tauranga."

This year there are more than 1500 athletes competing with 53 teams and seven judges who will mark the talent on display. These athletes train for hours each week and will showcase their hard work through tumbling, dance, jumps and stunts.

"It doesn't matter whether you're a beginner and you're aged 5, or you're an expert at doing cheerleading or dance and you're up to a really high standard level. It's all levels, all shapes and sizes and all different categories - it's all pretty exciting because nobody's kind of pushed out, everybody's welcome to compete."

Two of those competing are cheerleaders Lilly Shere, 10, and Keira Mewis, 12, who are both excited by the champs.

Mewis started cheerleading about 18 months ago and this weekend's champs will be her second event.

Battle in the Bay is a non profit event run by a small handful of volunteers and Grigson encourages people to come along to find out what it's all about.

"Anyone can come along and watch. We welcome it because I think people don't realise what kind of sport cheerleading is."

Where: Trustpower Arena, Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui
When: Dance - tomorrow between 12.30-4pm; Cheer - Sunday from 8am-4.30pm.