Aimee Berridge is starting to believe her bountiful Bay of Plenty luck holds no bounds.
The 21-year-old Mount Maunganui surf lifesaver was due to pull on the blue and gold Bay uniform at the Lion Foundation Surf League this weekend - instead, she'll be lining up at Coolum in Queensland for the lucrative Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman series.
Sunshine Coast-based Berridge has been called in to the final two rounds after an injury to her Mooloolaba clubmate Danielle Allen, becoming the first Kiwi woman since Lucy Pengelly in 2006 to race the series.
"Every time I come back to the Mount, something cool happens to me," Berridge said, before flying out of Tauranga yesterday.
"I came back for nationals last year and won the ironwoman, then came back this year and had this happen.
"I was really pumped to go out and have some good races at the Surf League and the team is pretty tight-knit so I'm a bit sad that I can't pull on a Bay cap this weekend.
"But it's everyone's dream to make the Kellogg's series and to get that news when I was at the Mount, where I grew up, made it even more special." Berridge spent the first eight years of her life in Tauranga before moving with her mum to Caloundra.
She rejoined the Mount club three years ago and has competed for the Bay under-19 surf league team in the past, though this was to be her debut in the open arena.
Instead, she'll go head-to-head with Australian ironwoman stars Courtney Handcock, Kristyl Smith and Liz Pluimers in the KNG fifth round on Sunday, as well as the final Eliminator round at Noosa a week later.
She narrowly missed out on making the series at the qualifying round in August but when Allen dropped out, Berridge's name was next in line.
"I'm not really that nervous - I'm pretty pumped because I've had a few races this year against the Kellogg's girls and done pretty well against them.
"I'm amazed at how much people back here follow the Kellogg's series on TV and that's really cool that they'll all be able to watch a fellow Kiwi competing over the next two weekends."
Mount coach John Bryant was delighted for Berridge, who has been staying with him since coming back for the Eastern Regional championships at the end of January.
And he's got a sneaky feeling she may surprise her vaunted rivals.
"She's actually in really good shape - the Kellogg's athletes have all been concentrating on endurance racing, especially with the last round in Perth, but Aimee has been training for the shorter, sharper racing," Bryant said.
"And that's what the last two rounds of the season involve, so that stand her in good stead."
Bay of Plenty coach Kurt Wilson will decide how to replace Berridge in his open team later this week, with Papamoa teenager Natalie Peat likely to take on a greater ironwoman role.
The Surf League has been expanded this season into a four-day carnival, with eight provinces competing in under-14 and under-16 competition on Thursday and Friday, and the under-19 and open arenas this weekend on Mount Maunganui's main beach. A New South Wales under-21 team will also compete.