Two months of life in Kiama might not qualify him as a local yet but Lachlan Cramsie is counting on hometown advantage in this weekend's final round of the Australian Pro Bodyboard Series at Mystics Beach.
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Cramsie, who moved to Kiama with his family from the Sunshine Coast, holds a narrow lead in the four-round series.
He said adapting to life on the South Coast hadn't been a problem.
"I love it down here. The waves are a lot better down here.
"I've done a fair bit of travelling since we moved, a lot of driving from Sydney to Victoria and surfing at different places. It's been really good for my bodyboarding."
Cramsie snatched the series lead in round two in Western Australia and kept his nose in front after round three in South Australia.
Despite being in familiar territory this weekend, he knows he can't afford to drop his guard for a moment.
"It all comes down to this last comp," he said.
Snapping at Cramsie's heels are Gold Coast-based Joe Clarke and his long-time Sunshine Coast mate, Cade Sharp.
"We've all been fairly good friends ever since I've been competing," Cramsie said.
"It could pretty easily be won or lost by any of us. It's all going to depend on who's surfing well on the day.
"Any one of us three can win it so I wouldn't put money on any of us really. It's going to be pretty close."
Turning 20 on Friday, Cramsie is hoping for a triumphant birthday weekend.
"It'd be a pretty good birthday present if I could do well in the comp," he said.
"There should be about a three to four foot of swell for the weekend. It's always more exciting for spectators when it's a bit bigger."
The Pride Mystics Pro round starts on Saturday with the finals scheduled for noon on Sunday.