Video: Australia and New Zealand go head-to-head in Belly Flop Championships

The heats show the Aussie Dugongs and the New Zealand Puku Plungers, crashing into the a pool in tense competition.

One of New Zealand’s candidates, Carl Jackson, flops in with a mammoth starfish, creating one hell of a splash.

Last time he tried this, he got two black eyes, but he’s likely to get a whole lot more bruising after this one.

The commentator calls the 21-year-old swimmer’s flop “beautiful, high trajectory, flat at the point of impact”.

Next up for the Australians is “Migaloo” Straughair, also known as the Mayor of Manboobs.

He hesitates at the start, but the 130kg guy dives in and comes out “a little bit red” after what the commentator calls a “quality slap”.

The last competitor for New Zealand, Bronson Steele, who says getting in the competition is the biggest achievement of his life, struts up and executes a well-honed backflip before splashing into the pool to be met with impressed cheers.

It hurts just watching – wince your way through the highlights of the Belly Flop Championships here: