Andrew Fergusson may not be gunning to win this Saturday's Mount Monster but in one aspect at least, he'll be impossible to catch.

The Dexion-sponsored 23km surf lifesaving endurance race up and down the Mount Maunganui coastline will celebrate its 10th anniversary this week and Andrew, a 55-year-old franchise development manager, is the only person to have raced as an individual every year.

The race holds a special place in his heart. Andrew lined up in the inaugural 2013 event just over a month after qualifying as a lifeguard. He's raced it alongside son Seb, has met plenty of mates through the event and it also helped entice him to Tauranga three years ago, where he joined the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service and began training alongside lifeguards 40 years younger.

'There's always the hope you'll have a perfect race and I just really like getting out there. After I'd raced it for a few years, I thought I could maybe get to 10 Monsters and then look at ‘retiring' and entering in a team but maybe I've got a few more in me. I've certainly got to work harder to get there these days but little things about the race just keep me coming back.”

Little things like last year, where Andrew was suffering on the final 6km board leg, only for young Mount Maunganui clubmate Lily Pearce to paddle up alongside him and encouraged him to hop on her wash.

'It was an awesome offer and I wish I could've but I was absolutely stuffed so just told her to keep going!”

Andrew has a background in multisport events, having completed the Coast to Coast several times, but was roped into surf lifesaving when Seb was in nippers at Napier's Westshore club.

He's also completed the iconic Coolangatta Gold race in Queensland, but training under Mount coach John ‘Spindles' Bryant alongside the senior squad has given him a new lease of life.

'Because of my kayaking, paddling on a ski wasn't too bad when I first started but the board was a huge challenge – I could barely go on my knees. I also can't seem to master a tumble-turn so swimming is a bit of a weak leg for me but Spindles is gracious enough to let me be there training with his squad so I owe it to him to at least try and keep up. That's been really awesome, to train alongside some great kids and amazing athletes.”

Among favourites tomorrow are his clubmates, defending champion Jayden Murphy and two-time winner Hamish Miller, while Gisborne pair Jack Keepa (second last year) and Nathan Proctor will also be gunning for the title.

Last year's open women's top-three – Olive Pearce (Mount Maunganui), Ruby McSweeney (Omanu) and Bella Bassett-Foss (Waimarama) – will also return for another campaign, although two-time champion Rachel Mayhew (nee Clarke) will be looking to upset the young guns.

Organisers have also reintroduced the Mini Monster for under-14 athletes, which starts 8am tomorrow, followed by the main race at 10am.

Individuals and teams will paddle 12km to Omanu and back, run 5km along the soft sand to Tay St and back, then back out to the end of Moturiki Island for a jump off the blowhole and subsequent 1500m swim, before bringing things home with a 6km board paddle.

Previous Mount Monster winners:

2021: Jayden Murphy (NZ), Olive Pearce (NZ)

2020: Hamish Miller (NZ), Rachel Clarke (NZ)

2019: Joe Collins (NZ), Claudia Kelly (NZ)

2018: Declan Dempster (NZ), Ella Kingi (NZ)

2017: Hamish Miller (NZ), Rachel Clarke (NZ)

2016: Luke Cuff (Australia), Danielle McKenzie (NZ)

2015: Ben Cochrane (NZ), Kirsty Wannan (NZ)

2014: Max Beattie (NZ), Kirsty Wannan (NZ)

2013: Cory Taylor (NZ), Danielle McKenzie (NZ)