The team of Pambula surfboat rowers had a standout year in 2018, finishing as top of the pops in each leg of the race to paddle to an undefeated win at the Eden finish line.

With six members coming back for more, the team are keen to welcome their two newcomers and have also been light-heartedly questioning their own sanity.

"Conditions in the last three or four have been mostly been pretty horrendous for the seven days," 12-year team veteran Kristi Papalia says. "I don't know why we keep doing this," she adds with a laugh.

She said increasing blustery southerlies had forced leg changes since 2014, while in 2016 the team were among those sheltered in the Moruya High School gym as the town faced enormous downpours and flooding.

But to counter those lows come the astronomic highs, the fraternity of the team, the team-building through 10 months of training and the camaraderie with club members and lifesavers from all over when the Bass culminates in a race start on December 29.

Newcomer to the team Jade Dryden said she wasn't focusing much of the trials and tribulations to come, but was already experiencing the bond developed in the boat.

"It's a real sense of belonging and place," Jade said. "It's the toughest surfboat race in the world, but you're celebrating what you are capable of and the atmosphere in camp is almost indescribable, it's a bonding thing."

After three years involvement with the Pambula Surf Club with Jade and her husbands' two children active in Nippers, the duo took up the call to contest the Bass, but for Jade it has meant getting to grips with a sport she had never tried.

"I had never rowed before, so particularly in the beginning [of training] it was like learning a new language for me," she said.

And Kristi confirms "The George Bass is a totally different beast to regular rowing."

For Jade it proved daunting, but she credits the team for pulling her to readiness. "I just wasn't ready for it, but in the last few months I've really put my head into it - and the girls and Chris [Briggs] have been exceptionally supportive," Jade said.

"They're awesome to have got me across the line so to speak."

Kristi said the team have stuck to the same training plan that has worked in the past two events and the club is hopeful of finishing with the hat trick.

"I think we're all fit and strong, and with our combined experience I would like to think we're a good chance for the third," she said.

"The George Bass is iconic," Jade says "It will be incredible to say you're one of the few women in the world to have done it."

Kristi said the Pambula ladies really hit their strides in about March to prepare for this year's George Bass Marathon.

"We really made a start in March with the weight training and on the rowing machines," she said.

And it has ramped up since then with the crew in the boat almost daily, while stints on the rowers have peaked.

"We've been doing two sets of 5000m on the rowing machines."

Both Kristi and Jade agree the club has not shied away from training in the recent wind either.

"It's really about the conditions on the day, so we've been training in the wind and chop as well just to push ourselves through," Jade said.

Kristi said the choppy conditions were particularly key to training as that is what they had experienced over the last six years.

Jade said preparation for the George Bass have been transformative.

"For someone like me I need a coffee in the morning to get going, we're up at 4.45 or 5am, but you feel amazing by 6am because you've just done 30 minutes of rowing, it's a nice change.

"But I really miss sleeping in and am looking forward to that when we finish," she adds with a laugh.

She said the team had been "be mindful of what they say around me to not freak me out", but she also knows there is a reason the crew keep coming back for more.

It will be exciting for the mum of two - and her husband - to greet their kids, 14 and 10, on the beach after most legs to showcase their involvement in the club after supporting the kids through Nippers over the last three years.

"They'll be coming down to the beach at least for the last few legs, they're very proud.

Lastly, Jade said there had been plenty of focus as a women's crew on the ladies in the boat, but she also had plenty of praise for sweep Chris Briggs.

"He works tirelessly," she said.

"I would strongly encourage young women to get involved in Surf Life Saving Australia,": Kristi says. "It's a wonderful community and this is a great team-building sport."

The teamwork is embodied by almost a year of training, but also the time in camp during the event and the particulars of the boat as well.

"Each seat has its own role to play in the boat, so each one of us provides a key element in ensuring the boat moves correctly and swiftly," Kristi said.

"The surf club in general is a lovely community of people," Jade adds.

"You're together so much at the moment, it's a real sense of belonging and place."

Editor's note: Unfortunately Kristi will be unable to compete after needing an unforeseen surgery.

Kristi Papalia

Simone Shaw

Kirsty Byrne

Belinda Libbis

Jade Dryden

Kelli Rieck

Margie Briggs

Vesna Andric

Christie Reid

Sweep Chris Briggs.

Team Strength: Combined experience.

Team Weakness: Crazy enough to keep coming back for more