Surf lifesaving: Natalie Peat in NZ surf team competing at Mount Main Beach

Te Puke's Natalie Peat is back on the Mount Main Beach to represent New Zealand in the DHL International Surf Rescue Challenge. Photo / George Novak

Team-mates will become enemies this weekend for surf athlete Natalie Peat.

Originally from Te Puke, but now based on the Gold Coast 23-year-old Peat is back home for the DHL International Surf Rescue Challenge that starts at the Mount Main Beach on Thursday.

The challenge features seven international open teams, with Australia having won the last two series in 2013 and 2015.

"I train with a lot of the Australian team, so they go from being my training partners to becoming the enemy," Peat laughed.

After starting competing for Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club when she was 9, Peat was part of the New Zealand development squad when the test series was last at the Mount in 2011 then a member of the 2013 and 2015 open teams.

She was 20 when she moved to Australia, saying it was a "no-brainer" to shift across the Tasman and join the Currumbin Surf Lifesaving Club.

"Their pool rescue winter programme I rate as the best in the world and the swim programme over there is really good. We have Olympians and world record holders, so every single day you're pushing it with the best," she said.

"I'd trained in New Zealand my whole life 'til I was 20 and that was awesome. I had really good squads here as well, but at the age I am now, to get that extra edge, I have to be over there."

Being part of the New Zealand team that has come "painfully close" to winning the international series, Peat says there is no shortage of motivation to do well this time, with being at home just adding to the hunger to win.

"That definitely does give us an advantage, just knowing how this beach operates between low tide and high tide. At low tide you get a bit of a wave, but at high tide you are diving straight in. Plus, you know where the natural rips are. It will change day by day, but definitely it will give us an advantage.

"Racing in front of friends and family as well — that's what you do it for. There's no point in winning a race unless you can share it with your favourite people. I think that definitely gives us an edge to make sure we put on our best performances when they are here cheering us on."

After a winter of pool competition which included being vice captain of the New Zealand pool team at the World Games in Poland in July, Peat has made the transition back to beach and ocean competition with the first big comp, round one of Australia's Oceans 6 series, on October 28 and 29.

"That was the first beach hit-out and that was good, learning to race on the beach again and contesting the swell, all that sort of thing. It's so much more technical, the different areas you have to think about, but it was really cool getting out on the beach again."

DHL International Surf Rescue Challenge
Mount Maunganui, Thursday November 30 — Sunday December 3
Opening Ceremony — Wednesday, 4.30pm, ASB Stadium Lounge
Test 1 Thursday 8.20am — 3pm
Test 2 Saturday 9am — 3pm
Test 3 Sunday 9am — 3pm
Closing Ceremony — Sunday 4.30pm, ASB Stadium Lounge (teams including family and close friends, officials, volunteers, VIP's only)

Competing nations
Open Age Teams
New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa, USA
Youth Teams
New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, South Africa, USA

Western Bay athletes competing
Black Fins: Devon Halligan, Max Beattie (Omanu), Natalie Peat, Kodi Harman (Papamoa), Olivia Eaton (Mt Maunganui)
Junior Black Fins: Libby Bradley, Tessa Bradley, Lincoln Waide (Mt Maunganui), Sophie Sanford (Omanu), Aidan Smith, Mitch Cowdrey (Papamoa)