Eastern Regional surf lifesaving champs at Mount this weekend

TOP FORM: Mount Maunganui's Libby Bradley is one of 12 Junior Black Fins competing at this weekend's Eastern Regional Championships. PHOTO: FILE

Every year the Eastern Regional Championships draw in some of the country's top surf lifesavers.

This weekend's event is no exception with more than 800 athletes from 31 clubs around New Zealand in action at Mount Main Beach tomorrow and Sunday.

Among them are a number of Olympians, Black Fins and New Zealand representative athletes.

Mount Maunganui club member Lisa Carrington will join fellow Olympian Marty McDowell representing Titahi Bay and former Olympian turned coach Steve Ferguson representing Piha.

Four of the 2016 World Lifesaving Champion Black Fins in Laura Quilter (Wainui), Olivia Eaton (Mount Maunganui), Devon Halligan (Omanu) and Max Beattie (Omanu) will also join the line-up alongside eight of the 12 Junior Black Fins in Hannah Williams (Piha), Zac Reid (Fitzroy), Hamish Miller (Mount Maunganui), Javon McCallum (Fitzroy), Jamie Gedye (Waikanae), Libby Bradley (Mount Maunganui), Alaynah Bettany (Lyall Bay) and Daniel Barron (Mount Maunganui).

The Eastern Regional Championships are second only in size to the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships which take place in early March.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Eastern Region sport manager Mark Inglis said the event had a proud history and this year twilight racing had been introduced on the Saturday night for beach events.

"It's an exciting new initiative. The intention is to speed up the large programme throughout the weekend and ultimately result in less conflict of events," he said.

Three clubs will travel from the South Island for the event - Dunedin's St Clair and Christchurch outfits South Brighton and North Beach.

Travelling furthest from the north are Red Beach and Orewa who have the largest contingents with 88 and 79 respectively. Hosts Mount Maunganui have the third largest group with 75 athletes followed by Auckland's Piha (72) and Mairangi Bay (54).

Events include beach sprint, beach flags, run swim run, surf race, board race, ski race, diamond race, ironman, 2km beach run, beach, board and ski relays, board rescue and taplin with the action beginning at 8am on Saturday.

Surf boats and canoes will also form part of the racing with more than 70 crews taking part in short and long-course races.