Welsford (17), a pupil at the school, is competing in the 66kg class in the 17-21 age group.
He has just returned from the United States where he was part of the New Zealand training and development team.
Welsford is one of the province's most promising wrestlers and has won New Zealand titles in his age group since the age of 12.
He has had wide international exposure and his best performance was finishing fourth at the Youth Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last year.
Noted for his scientific approach to the sport, Welsford won the 60kg junior class titles in both freestyle and Graeco-Roman style and stepped up in class to win the senior freestyle title at last year's national champs.
Combat Sports Otago team member Jessica Todd (17), a pupil at Columba College, won a national title last year in the 65kg and 65-70kg freestyle in the 14-16 age group.
She has has been wrestling since the age of 8 and has won several national age-group titles.
Her best performance was winning a gold medal in the girls under-16 63kg class at the Down Under Games on the Gold Coast last September.
But she is stepping up to a higher grade in the 17-21 age group and to the 65kg class, and her technique will be tested.
Todd has performed impressively internationally and was first in her age group at this year's Australia Cup in Melbourne.
Another local to watch is international Flo Rades (17) in the 17-21 84kg category.
The 45 wrestlers competing at the championships come from Northland, Rangiora, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Visitors to watch include Jacob Smith (17) from Rangiora in the 17-21 74kg class and Glen Lambert from Katikati in the 14-16 63kg class.
The championships take place in the wrestling gymnasium at Taieri College from 9am-2pm today.
