A CABARITA boardrider is gearing up for the ride of his life against some of the world's best surfers at the Australian Boardriders' Battle Series national final in Newcastle on Saturday.

While most 14-year-olds could only dream about competing against the likes of Joel Parkinson, Bede Durbidge, Matt Wilkinson and Stuart Kennedy, Dane Pullinger and his Cabarita Boardriders' Club teammates will go head-to-head with WSL stars for the Australian Boardriders national title.

"It's really exciting to be surfing against guys like that,” Pullinger said.

"I've seen some of those guys out in the water before but I've never surfed against them.”

Practically born in the water, Pullinger was tandem surfing with father and big wave surfer Ralph Pullinger as a toddler and enjoyed regular visits from family friend and 2000 WSL world champion Sunny Garcia.

Pullinger began competitive surfing when he was nine, and the young star and Billabong team member already boasts an impressive surfing resume, which includes appearances at a Rip Curl Grom Search national final and Parko and Occy Grom Stomps.

He defied his age to be selected for Cabarita's side after a strong showing at the fourth round of state qualifying at Yamba in October, where Cabarita finished third overall to qualify for the national final.

The boardriders' national final, which kicks off Saturday morning at Newcastle Beach, works on a format where surfers try to claim their best wave scores in 10 minutes, before tagging their next opponent in from the beach.

The best Boardriders' clubs in the country qualified for the national final, with nine clubs from NSW, four from Queensland, two from Victoria, one each from Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, plus five wildcard clubs and one Newcastle trial winner all competing.

While Pullinger was unsure of who he could be surfing against, he said the experience would be invaluable as he plots his path to hopefully becoming a future WSL professional.

"I could be out there against Parko, so it's really good,” Pullinger said.

Cabarita will be taking clubs on for a share in $85,500 in prize money. The winning club will pocket $20,000, plus an overseas trip for six surfers worth $30,000.

Follow the competition on the WSL website.