Gold Coast powerhouse Northcliffe will once more be the club to beat when the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships begin at Perth's Scarborough beach next week.
Boasting national ironman series champions Shannon Eckstein and Courtney Hancock, Northcliffe will be pursuing a record 10th national club championship at the titles.
Northcliffe haven't been beaten at an "Aussies" since ending Surfers Paradise's four-year reign in 2003.
Eckstein says he's proud to be part of the nation's premier lifesaving club.
"We pride ourselves at Northcliffe at being the best," he said.
"To know that my late dad, Billy, won Aussies board relays gold medals in 1980 and 1981 with Bruce and Noel Kolkka and to have Bruce around the current team is pretty special.
"Clubs like Mooloolaba and now Newport from the Sydney northern beaches are really pushing hard. They will keep us on our toes, as they did last year."
Sunshine Coast club Mooloolaba loom as Northcliffe's main rival, boasting several top athletes including Matt Poole, Cam Cole, Matt Bevilacqua and Josh Minogue.
Dual Coolangatta Gold champion Ali Day could also make a return after an injury lay-off in what would be a huge boost for Mooloolaba.
Newport are the unknown quantity at the championships, with the NSW champions rising from nowhere thanks to the success of the Newport Surf Racing Academy in the past two seasons.
There's plenty of individual action in the seven-day event as well. London Olympian Naomi Flood is chasing a fifth national women's ski title, and fellow Olympians Tate Smith, Jacob Clear, Murray Stewart and David Smith will compete in the men's ski events.
Kurrawa pair Ky Hurst and Melissa Howard will also be gunning for personal milestones. Olympian Hurst is chasing a 10th open surf race title, and Howard aims to continue her amazing run in the beach flags event.
Howard will be chasing a 10th title and has been beaten only once on the beach since winning her first crown in 2004.
The event begins on Monday, and the elite competitions get under way on Wednesday.
