Northern Region celebrates its season at Awards of Excellence

Surf Life Saving Northern Region celebrated the achievements of its members over the past season at its annual awards ceremony last night.

The 2014 Toyota Financial Services Surf Life Saving Northern Region Awards of Excellence were held at Eden Park in Auckland with around 330 people in attendance.

Singer-songwriter and Surf Life Saving ambassador Jamie McDell was one of the night's guest performers.

Two of the night's top awards, Surf Lifeguard of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were won by members of Orewa Surf Life Saving Club.

Surf Lifeguard of the Year was awarded to Faron Turner who continues his heavy involvement and outstanding dedication to surf lifesaving at both club and regional level.

Surf Life Saving Northern Region CEO Pam Elgar says in amongst his time spent in the roles of Chief Duty Officer and both a Surf Lifeguard and IRB Award Examiner, he also stepped in to fulfill club roles as needed from Powercraft Officer and Patrol Captain to Club Instructor. "A mark that shows Faron's exemplary standing is that he still managed to clock up over 100 patrolling hours keeping the public safe at his beach," she says.

Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Orewa SLSC chairman John Chapman who also chairs the club's executive team, oversees the sub committees, the building committee, drives major fundraising events, is a Northern Region Allocations committee member as well as handling council and Civil Defence interactions- to name a few.

Ms Elgar says the amount of time John puts towards his club and surf lifesaving sometimes seems more than the number of hours in the day.

"On top of John's multiple roles within the club, he is a active Surf Official, officiating at many of Northern Region's senior and junior carnivals, as well as the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Championships. To wrap it up, John can still be found between the flags running a crew of lifeguards as Patrol Captain," she says.

BP Rescue of the Year was awarded to Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Club for a series of three rescues at the end of a busy patrol day that involved nine of its lifeguards including Adi Jenkins, Talia Comp, Jimmy Kendrick, Phil Jenkins, Cam Styles, Lisa McCullum, Dean Maddaford, Shane Dwyer and Megan West.

Their extraordinary efforts were also awarded the BP Rescue of the Month award for December in Surf Life Saving New Zealand's BP Rescue of the Month awards.

Ms Elgar says all of the region's members have made a huge contribution to surf lifesaving in the Northern Region across the 2013/14 season and they should all be extremely proud of themselves and their fellow club members.

2014 Awards of Excellence Winners:

Lifesaving Awards:

Outstanding Contribution to Powercraft: Leif Neilson - United North Piha

Instructor of the Year: Lauren Gibbs - Bethells Beach

Rookie Lifeguard of the Year: Dylan Thorpe - Bethells Beach

U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year: James Kendrick - Bethells Beach

Surf Lifeguard of the Year: Faron Turner - Orewa

Examiner of the Year: John Kearney - Ruakaka

Regional Lifeguard of the Year: Chase Cahalane - Bethells Beach
 
Sport Awards:

Outstanding Contribution to Junior Surf: Cameron Lockie - Orewa

U14 Sportswoman of the Year: Lucy Makaea - Orewa

U14 Sportsman of the Year: Hamish Gledhill - Red Beach

Surf Coach of the Year: Shane O'Halloran - Red Beach

Developing Surf Official of the Year: Glenn Phipps - Mairangi Bay

Surf Official of the Year: Dave Shanks - Orewa

U16 Sportswoman of the Year: Hannah Williams - Red Beach

U16 Sportsman of the Year: James Scott - Orewa

U19 Sportswoman of the Year: Briar McLeely - Red Beach

U19 Sportsman of the Year: Jake Hurley - Mairangi Bay

Open Sportswoman of the Year: Teneale Hatton - Piha

Open Sportsman of the Year: Nick Malcolm - Mairangi Bay

Competition Team of the Year: Red Beach Sirens Open Women's Surfboat Crew

Regional Awards:

Volunteer of the Year: John Chapman - Orewa

Surf Education Instructor of the Year: Aubrey Panis - Raglan

Administrator of the Year: Mary Brooks - Bethells Beach

Best Patrolled Beach: Whangarei Heads

Junior Competition Club of the Year: Red Beach & Mairangi Bay

Senior Competition Club of the Year: Red Beach

Masters Competition Club of the Year: Bethells Beach

Rescue of the Year: Bethells Beach

Patrol Championships: Red Beach

Pool Championships (cosgrove trophy): Mairangi Bay

IRB Championships: Sunset Beach

Cath & Eddie Millar Cup: Red Beach

Club of the Year: Whangarei Heads

Junior Surf Championships: Red Beach

Northern Region Championships: Red Beach

For more information please contact: 

Lisa Honeybone, Media & Communications Specialist, SLSNZ
Phone 09 303 9335 or 0276 488 823
Email lisa.honeybone@surflifesaving.org.nz