Bay of Plenty and Coromandel’s top Surf Lifeguards, and the support crews keeping the local surf lifesaving clubs running, have been recognised in this year’s Zespri Awards of Excellence.

A function announcing the winners and celebrating the achievements of the 2019/2020 year was held on Saturday 18th July at Club Mount Maunganui.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region Manager Chase Cahalane says the Awards of Excellence is an annual opportunity to formally recognise the outstanding contribution to the community carried out by members.

“It’s also an opportunity to thank not only the exceptional achievements of the nominees and winners from the 2019/2020 summer season, but the wider Surf Life Saving community of ordinary people, doing extraordinary things.

“We want to thank the dedicated volunteer Surf Lifeguards on the front line of the New Zealand coast, as well as those behind the scenes in the training rooms, gear sheds and offices, and all of the people that contribute to the service the New Zealand public trust and enjoy on our beaches every summer.

“This is also an opportunity to thank our community supporters and partners, such as our primary regional partner Zespri, without whom our amazing people would not have the opportunities to train, prepare and be so well equipped for each summer.”

Chase says the 2019/2020 summer season has been an “interesting, challenging, yet very successful one” for the Surf Life Saving community in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel areas.

“This is evident through the exceptionally high calibre of nominations and winners of this year’s awards.

“A particular thank you for this year’s recipients of service awards, your dedicated and continued service is an inspiration to us all.

“We extend a huge congratulations to this year’s very deserving winners, and a massive thank you to all those that have contributed and supported the movement over the past year,” Chase says.

Michael Fox, Zespri Head of Communications and External Relations, says Zespri is proud to recognise the hard work and success of so many incredible people at Surf Life Saving New Zealand through the awards this year.

“Surf lifeguards play an incredibly important role in our communities, helping to keep us and our families safe when we’re in the water.

“They work and train hard to ensure they’re ready to help and to compete at the highest level so Zespri is really pleased to be able to support them as part of our efforts to help our communities to thrive.

“We’re also pleased to support Surf Lifesaving New Zealand which helps ensure our young people are healthy and developing new skills and the Zespri Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence are a great way to inspire surf life guards and club members and to promote beach safety,” says Fox.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Awards of Excellence are held every year in each SLSNZ Region to recognise and celebrate the many club members putting in considerable time, effort and skills at a grass-root level to make sure Kiwis who head to the beach get home safe.

The Regional awards culminate in the National Awards of Excellence which will be held on September 19.

Zespri Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Awards of Excellence 2020 winners

Regional Service Awards

Christine Nairn – Pukehina Surf Rescue

David Grant – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

James Lloyd – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

David Litton – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Natalie Lloyd – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Regional Distinguished Service Awards

Christiaan Maarhuis – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Kevin Thorburn – Onemana Surf Lifesaving Club

Rookie Lifeguard of the Year

Rosie Swain – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Bay of Plenty Winners

Patrol Support Person of the Year

Ashleigh Riekart – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club

Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year

Julia Conway – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Emerging U19 Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year

Emma Russell – Pukehina Surf Rescue

Patrol Captain of the Year

Josh Russell – Pukehina Surf Rescue

Ryan Hohneck – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club

Instructor of the Year

Jaime Troughton – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Examiner of the Year

Gabriel Puckey-Brockelsby – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club

Regional Lifeguard of the Year

Julia Conway – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Beach Ed Instructor of the Year

Robynne Cabusao – Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club

Volunteer of the Year

Boyd Harris – Pukehina Surf Rescue

Rescue of the Year

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service– 8th March Rescue

Patrol Club of the Year

Whakatane Surf Life Saving Club

Club of the Year

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Coromandel Winners

Patrol Support Person of the Year

Sharlene Manukau – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year

Max Jones – Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club

Emerging U19 Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year

Sam Cox– Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club

Patrol Captain of the Year

Tyler Ranger – Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club

Instructor of the Year

Alexandra Beggs – Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club

Examiner of the Year

Lucy Scown – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Regional Lifeguard of the Year

Jamie Lock – Pauanui Surf Lifesaving Club

Beach Ed Instructor of the Year

Georgia Eldridge – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Volunteer of the Year

Garry Christoffersen – Whiritoa Lifeguard Service

Rescue of the Year

Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service – 21st February Search

Patrol Club of the Year

Tairua Surf Life Saving Club

Club of the Year

Tairua Surf Life Saving Club

Lifesaving Sport – Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Winners

Emerging Surf Official of the Year

Mick Buckley – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service

Surf Official of the Year

Greg Rieger – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Emerging Coach of the Year

Danny Hart – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Coach of the Year

John Bryant (Spindles) – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Volunteer Coach of the Year

Boyd Harris – Pukehina Surf Rescue

Sports Team of the Year

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service - U16 Men's Pool Relay Team (Zach Reeder, Liam Shanahan, Benjamin Cosford, Tarquin Magner)

Sportsperson of the Year

U14 Male

Thomas Richardson – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

U14 Female

Talitha McEwan – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

U16 Male

Tarquin Magner – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

U16 Female

Lucinda Bartlett – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club

U19 Male

Lochlainn O'Connor – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

U19 Female

Molly Shivnan – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club

Open Male

Max Beattie – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club

Open Female

Natalie Peat – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club

Masters Male

Barry Cutfield – Whakatane Surf Life Saving Club

Master Female

Naomi Davoren – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club

International Individual Sports Performance of the Year

Lochlainn O'Connor – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service

International Team Sports Performance of the Year

Whangamata U23 Men's Surfboat Crew (Steve Pipe, Zane Sweetman, Taine Wilson, Joshua Nicholas, Sergio Schuler)

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