Surf Lifesaving: Shergold ready to stand and deliver

Sam Shergold right, with New Zealand team mate Andrew Newton, wants a gold medal at next month's ISA World Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Championship in Mexico.

Sam Shergold often thinks about what happened at last year's ISA World Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Championships in Nicaragua.

The Mount Maunganui surf lifesaver was New Zealand's best performed athlete but missed out on a gold medal by mere seconds to Australian Rhys Burrows in the men's 18km Paddleboard race.

Shergold, 21, was run down in a brutal beach sprint after so long prone on a board.

But he will get his chance to win gold as part of the New Zealand team at this year's world championships in Mexico from May 10-17.

"It was a good tussle between us down the beach last year, but to come that close and not get the gold was pretty hard to take. I guess that has given me extra motivation this year," Shergold said.

Next month he takes on the longer 21km prone distance race, which he says will be more difficult in the fierce Mexican summer heat.

"The temperatures will be about 34 or 35 degrees and 21km on a board is going to take me between two and two-and-a-half hours," he said. "It is going to be pretty tough. After that much time on a board all your blood is in your hammies and shoulders so getting off and running you have no blood in your feet."

Shergold admits the paddleboard challenge is one of the hardest things he has ever attempted.

"It is really tough on the body compared to surf lifesaving I have done. Some people say we are nuts to do what we do, but if you love it then it is all good."

The team of Kiwi athletes is considered to be the strongest yet to compete at the worlds and includes two other Mount surf lifeguards in Andrew Newton and Katrina Madill who will all vie for overall team points and a podium finish. Confidence is high they will surpass the final ranking of tenth overall in 2014.

When not saving lives on the beach over summer or competing at surf carnivals, Shergold's focus is on his Bachelor of Management Studies at Waikato University. The last two years he has benefited from the prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme.

"They help me compete in sport while studying and developing leadership skills. It has been amazing and I don't know where I would be without it to be honest," he said.