Bay of Plenty's people, programmes, and competitiveness are behind the region's success in supplying members of the Black Fins team for Adelaide's Lifesaving World Championships, says noted Mt Maunganui surf lifesaving identity John ‘Spindles' Bryant.

Four of the 12 person team named for November's event are based at Bay clubs, more than any other region.

Omanu's Max Beattie, Madison Kidd and Natalie Peat of Papamoa, and Mt Maunganui's Olivia Eaton have made the Black Fins team which will be chasing its fourth straight world title at Adelaide's Glenelg Beach.

'I think it's got a lot to do with our programmes within the area,” says Spindles. 'We're surrounded by water here, so it becomes a lifestyle for us.”

The rivalries between the three top Tauranga clubs, along with nearby Gisborne's Midway which has supplied three team members, produce intensive competition which brings out the best in young athletes, he says.

'Our competition within the clubs is very strong. We've all at some point, Omanu and Papamoa along with the Mount, held the under 14 Oceans championship.

'The Mount have won the open title nine out of the last 15 years.

'Off the top of my head I think Omanu have won the masters title 11 years in a row. So that's huge. It takes the people around here but also the programmes that are being run to keep that depth going.

'And it's exciting leading on to the future. There's a lot of young kids coming through now. If we keep our programmes working the way they should Bay of Plenty will have more and more people coming through into these teams.”

A fourth straight world title will be a big ask, Spindles believes. The team has a number of new faces, and a less experienced look overall than Black Fins teams of recent years.

'So they've got big boots to fill, but they're capable of doing it,” says Spindles. 'When you lose Laura Quilter, Sam Lee, Andy McMillan, and Bevan Halligan, they're big boots to fill. But we've got the depth coming through and I think they're capable of getting up.”

Papamoa's Madison Kidd is one of the newcomers, going to her first event as a member of the senior team. But current world champion beach sprinter Olivia Eaton along with Max Beattie and Natalie Peat are seasoned international competitors, and bring huge experience to the team.

'This will be Natalie's third time round and Max's fourth worlds,” says Spindles, 'so they certainly add a lot of depth and support to the younger ones coming through.”