KEY POINTS:
Injury and illness have forced two changes to the New Zealand team for the International Surf Challenge at the end of the month.
Australian-based board paddler Nathan Henderson has a virus, and Muriwai's Lucy Pengelly has an injured back and will also miss the three-test international transtasman series.
Their places have been taken by Mairangi Bay ski star Travis Mitchell and Wellington schoolgirl Natasha Hind.
Mitchell will get a sneak preview of his Australian rivals this weekend when he competes in the first round of the Ocean Assault - a six-round Queensland series worth $200,000 - at Marcoola Beach.
"I was just going over to get some good quality competition but the plan has definitely changed now - it's a great chance to do a bit of reconnaissance and check out what the competition is going to be like," the 25-year-old said. "I was fairly disappointed in March to miss out on the squad but it makes up for it now. It was a surprise, but a pretty good feeling as well."
Mitchell, who will travel with his New Zealand teammate and Mairangi Bay clubmate Kevin Morrison, won the ski race at every major competition he entered last summer, including defending his national crown. He also added the national ski relay and short-course canoe titles with Mairangi Bay, the club he's been with since he was seven.
Another colleague and Mitchell's Mairangi Bay club and Auckland provincial coach, Jason Pocock, also felt very happy at his inclusion in the New Zealand.
"This is just reward for the hard training he has put in to this point," said Pocock.
"We were disappointed at his exclusion from the original squad as he is the fastest ski paddler in the country at present."
Wellington schoolgirl Hind's incredible year has spilled over out of the pool and on to the beach, with her late selection.
Hind leaves in just over a week for Germany, where she'll compete for the New Zealand pool team at the German Cup. After racing, she and teammates Michael Buck and captain Glenn Anderson will arrive in Sydney with just days to spare before the first test of at Bondi on November 29.
NZ team
Men: Daniel Moodie (Westshore), Kevin Morrison, Michael Buck, Travis Mitchell (Mairangi Bay), Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy), Glenn Anderson (Papamoa).
Women: Nikki Cox (Westshore), Erin Taylor (Red Beach), Natasha Hind (Lyall Bay), Chelsea Maples, Johanna O'Connor (Mount Maunganui), Rebecca Wright (Midway).
Boat crew: Titahi Bay (Paul McVicar, Deane Ellis, Ben Ashby, Tim Marsden, Chris Martin).
