Surf lifesaving's best compete at Ohope

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Titles up for grabs as Bay of Plenty beach hosts 1600 athletes from nearly 50 clubs for national champs.

Defending ironman champion Max Beattie faces tough opposition as he looks to claim his third consecutive New Zealand surf lifesaving title in the signature race this weekend in Whakatane.

Beattie, the Gold Coast-based New Zealand team representative who competes for the Omanu club, has been battling an ankle injury that meant he missed last week's exhibition series in Mt Maunganui.

Former champion Chris Moors and Cory Taylor, the young Gisborne tyro who trains with Beattie at the Northcliffe club in Queensland, are expected to be his main challengers.

Taylor is an outstanding ski paddler, notably winning the open ski title at last year's nationals but then disqualifying himself in a great act of sportsmanship after realising he'd gone over the top of a turning can. Taylor also won the inaugural Mount Monster endurance race in Mt Maunganui in December.

Other contenders include Mt Maunganui's Andrew Newton, a board specialist who has successfully turned himself into an ironman in recent years, and his clubmate, British star George Haynes who will also be looking to defend his surf race crown.

Four-time Olympian Steven Ferguson (Piha) also joins the field. He has found a new lease on life in the surf after retiring from long and illustrious swimming and kayaking careers.

Meanwhile, Devon Halligan headlines a strong women's field after missing last year's nationals.

She's been racing in the lucrative Kellogg's Nutri-Grain series in Australia this summer and will again compete for Gisborne's Midway club.

Papamoa's Natalie Peat has emerged in recent years as a consistent force in the female ranks and will continue her duel with Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay), Red Beach's Rachel Clarke and Jess Miller and Katie Wilson of Mt Maunganui.

In the beach sprint arena, 38-year-old Morgan Foster (South Brighton) will still be a powerful force, having claimed a momentous 10th national flags title last year. However, Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy) is back to full fitness this season after knee surgery last year. Midway's Connor O'Loughlin was second to Foster last year but beat the veteran for the first time at January's Eastern Region championships in Whangamata.

A number of New Zealand's best kayakers do battle in the men's ski race. Marty McDowell (Titahi Bay), Scott Bicknell (Ocean Beach Kiwi), Zac Franich (Orewa), London Olympian Darryl Fitzgerald (Waikanae), Taylor, Ferguson and defending champion Travis Mitchell (Mairangi Bay) are all contenders.

The women's ski ranks will be boosted by world and Olympic champion Lisa Carrington returning to her home beach. Although not racing the individual ski race, she'll compete in team events for her Mt Maunganui club, including a mixed double-ski appearance with recently selected New Zealand kayaking representative Andrew Roy.

Another top kayaker, Red Beach's Caitlin Ryan, will be chasing a third open title in the individual ski race.

Titahi Bay will look to break Piha's incredible surf boat dominance in the open men's division, the crew from West Auckland claiming the short-course/long-course double at the past three championships.

However Titahi Bay was too strong at their last meeting in Whangamata, winning the New Zealand representative spot in the process.

Christchurch club Waimairi will be chasing more glory in the canoe arena, after winning both long-course and short-course finals last year. Fellow Cantabrians South Brighton should also feature, with one-legged Paralympian Scott Martlew a mainstay of their crew.