The event will return to the beach for the first time in five years and Surfing New Zealand is confident it will be fine for the championships.
The beach has been in the spotlight for the past six months as high seas damage the sand dunes and strip the beach of sand.
Only this week an action group was formed by concerned surfers and residents wanting better access to the water.
Boards were being smashed and riders injured as surfers tried to get on to the water and access at anything other than low tide was extremely difficult.
Surfing New Zealand events and communication officer Ben Kennings said the organisation was aware of the beach access issue but surfers were still getting out on to the water.
It is the 50th anniversary of the South Coast Boardriders Association next year so it was a good time to hold the championships at St Clair again.‘‘If the surf gets good up or down the coast, we will also look at those options.
However, St Clair is the primary venue,'' Kennings said.
‘‘We have been kept informed of the situation at St Clair Beach. Beach access does sound like an issue but we are aware surfers are still getting out there and having fun in the waves on a daily basis.''
The championships, which will take place from January 11-16, were last held in Dunedin in 2011 and Kennings is hoping for about 200 entries.
Billy Stairmand, of Raglan, will be back to hunt for a third men's open title in a row and it is hoped the country's highest ranked surfer, Ricardo Christie, of Gisborne, will also line up.
Auckland's Gabriella Sansom stormed to victory in the open women's division in January this year and will be out to retain her title.
It is hoped more than a dozen Dunedin surfers will compete in the event. The host club has a proud history in the championships, having won 22 titles.
Dunedin's Josh Thickpenny won the South Island Circuit in 2015 and will aim to transfer that success on to the national stage.
Dunedin youngsters Elliot Brown and Jack McLeod will be looking to make an impact in the competition.
There are 21 divisions in the championships, from veterans to long boards.
