Mount Maunganui lifeguards Libby Bradley, Hamish Miller and Kane Sefton will represent New Zealand at the 2016 Lifesaving World Championships in the Netherlands.

The Surf Life Saving New Zealand youth team, known as the Junior Black Fins and made up of six male and six female athletes, will compete at the four days competition which takes place in September.

Hamish Miller during the 2014 Mount Monster. Photo: Tracy Hardy

Held every two years and attracting competitors from more than 40 nations, The Lifesaving World Championships features two days of pool events and two days of beach and ocean events.

Junior Black Fins coach Jonelle Quane says there is a great mix of athletes in the team which she feels is one of the strongest yet.

'These athletes have performed really well, particularly in recent months at regional and national champs, and I look forward to seeing them come together and fight hard to win the Youth title this year,” she says.

The youth team component was added to the Life Saving World Championships by the International Life Saving Federation in 2012. The format is the same as the Open national teams' event.

This year the competition will be held in Eindhoven and Noordwijk in The Netherlands from September 1-18.

The Junior Black Fins will travel alongside the New Zealand Open team – The Black Fins – which will be announced next month.

THE SURF LIFE SAVING NZ JUNIOR BLACK FINS SQUAD:

• Alaynah Bettany - Lyall Bay
• Grace Kaihau - Orewa
• Hannah Williams - Piha
• Jamie Gedye - Waikanae
• Libby Bradley - Mt Maunganui
• Olivia Corrin - Midway
• Hamish Miller - Mt Maunganui
• Lewis Clareburt - Lyall Bay
• Javon McCallum - Fitzroy
• Kane Sefton - Mt Maunganui
• Seb Johnson - Sumner
• Zac Reid – Fitzroy

• Coach: Jonelle Quane
• Assistant Coach: Matt Sutton
• Manager: Ange Johnston
• Physiotherapist: Mike Ellis

For more information about the 2016 Lifesaving World Championships visit: www.lifesaving2016.com