Three Mount Maunganui surf lifesavers are eagerly awaiting their chance to enter Nicaragua waters in search of gold, world titles, and paddleboard prestige.

Andrew Newton, Sam Shergold and Ashley Cochran are part of a seven-strong team selected by Surfing New Zealand to compete in the ISA World StandUp Paddle and Paddleboard Championships starting today.

Mount Maunganui surf lifesavers Andrew Newton and Sam Shergold have been selected for the New Zealand surfing team to compete in Nicaragua next month. Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services.

They will be the first Kiwi prone paddlers to compete in the event, now in its third year, with New Zealand only entering representatives in the stand-up paddleboard races in the last two years.

The opportunity has 27-year-old Andrew this week counting down the hours until racing begins.

'I just can't wait to race. I can't wait to give it a good nudge, so I'm pumped.”

Both Sam and Andrew have represented New Zealand at surf lifesaving but this is the first time they've been selected in a New Zealand surfing team.

Andrew will compete in the five-six kilometre technical race, as will Ashley in the women's event, while Sam will tackle the 18-20km distance race.

'I guess I'm better suited to the shorter race, as I'm more of a speed and power paddler, whereas Sam's more of an endurance athlete.”

Andrew and Sam have started a Facebook page to allow friends and fans to follow their progress.

Updates include the delivery of new 12 foot-long boards that will be used in the competition.

The boards are 1.5ft shorter than normal paddle boards and take a completely different style and shape, says Andrew.

'I don't think adapting to the boards will be too hard. The race is in a lake, so it will only be wind chops to deal with.”

Andrew is a three-time New Zealand board race champion for surf lifesaving, and is in a wider squad selected for this year's world championships in France.

Sam represented the NZ U20 team at the world championships in 2012, finishing with one gold medal, two silvers and a bronze.