Lake Macquarie's professional lifeguards will take to the waves next month for the Surfest Evolution Charity Cup, a tag-team surfing event to raise funds for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
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The lifeguards are the defending champions, and their five-man squad will compete against more than a dozen corporate teams from across the Hunter.
The event will be staged at Dixon Park Beach on Friday, March 6.
Lifeguards Jake Sylvester, James McMorland, Kaine Watts, Lucas Samways and Byron Howarth are confirmed for Lake Mac's 2020 line-up, all of whom have competed previously in high-level surfing competitions.
Sylvester is a former pro surfer who took out Surfest's Pro Junior event in 2013.
Lake Macquarie City Council acting operations coordinator Paul Stone said the team's victory in the 2019 Evolution Charity Cup demonstrated each member's abilities in the surf beyond their everyday lifeguard roles.
"These guys live and breathe the beach," Mr Stone said.
"They work there, and when they clock off they're out in the waves matching it with some of the best in the business."
Mr Stone said the team was passionate about raising funds for the Mark Hughes Foundation, and the work it does supporting brain cancer research, people with the disease, and their families.
"We want everyone in Lake Mac to give generously and show their support for our boys and the Mark Hughes Foundation," he said.
Mark Hughes, a former Newcastle Knights rugby league star whose battle with brain cancer gave rise to the foundation, applauded the "incredibly generous" businesses, organisations and surfers involved in this year's competition.
"Everyone who works and volunteers with the Mark Hughes Foundation is extremely happy and excited to be a part of this event at Surfest 2020," Hughes said.
