Club president Peter Gibbons said St Kilda was sending six crews to the event, including three gold medal-winning crews.
Cousins Michael (22) and Sam Kinraid (21), who won the under-21 single rescue title last year, have moved up to the senior grade and shape as one of the club's brightest medal prospects.
The pair linked up four seasons ago and have formed a formidable combination. They were the top crew at the North Island championships in Wellington late last year and have been the top-ranked under-21 South Island crew.
"They stand a good chance of doing well," Gibbons said.
They have a simple goal this weekend - to win at least one gold medal in the four senior events they are entered in so they can move into the premier grade.
Michael, who started out as a patient when he was 14, took up driving four years ago when he teamed up with Sam. The pair train up to eight hours a week and when they are not on the water they work as builders' labourers for separate companies.
The sport has its thrill and spills. Sam broke his leg a year ago when a wave swamped the boat he was training in. But it also has it rewards, though most of their life-saving work revolves around making sure people swim between flags and do not get out of their depth.
St Kilda's Ben Pickles and Ant Jackson won gold in the under-21 mass rescue and will defend their title, and Will Anderson and Joe Dobson won the senior tube rescue and have moved up to premier grade.
"We are sending six crews and I expect five of them to make finals."
Gibbons believes some of the toughest competition will come from Dunedin clubs St Clair and Brighton.
"All the Otago clubs have got potential medallists in them, not just St Kilda. But last year St Kilda had the most finalists of any club in New Zealand."
