Northern Region names top lifeguards at awards ceremony

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

The 2015 Toyota Financial Services Surf Life Saving Northern Region Awards of Excellence were held tonight at Eden Park in Auckland with around 400 people in attendance.

The celebration of surf lifesaving included the presentation of regional, lifesaving, sports and honours awards along with an appearance from special guest speaker, former Olympian Ian Ferguson.

One of the night's top awards, Lifeguard of the Year, was awarded to Zane Rademaker from United North Piha.

The purpose of this award is to recognise a member who has made an outstanding contribution to the delivery and development of drowning prevention services. It is aimed at active surf lifeguards undertaking lifeguarding duties.

Surf Life Saving Northern Region CEO Kenny Halliday says Zane has a heavy involvement in his club. He completed 86 volunteer patrol hours as well as an additional five hours during a recovery at Paikea Bay. He also completed over 336 regional lifeguard hours during which time he was involved in three resuscitations. He acts as Patrol Captain and Power Craft Officer and has also assisted with training Junior Surf members."Zane has demonstrated great dedication and commitment to his club and fellow members," he says.

Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Malcolm Beattie from Sunset Beach Surf Lifeguard Service.

The purpose of this award is to recognise an outstanding member who has made a significant volunteer contribution to enhancing surf lifesaving within their local area during the 2014/2015 season.

Mr Halliday says in his 26th year as club President and Committee Chairman, Malcolm has steered the club through an eventful season patrolling, mentoring and seeking funding. "As Patrol Captain and IRB driver on the masters' patrol, Malcolm patrolled over 100 hours during the season which included a body recovery in very trying conditions on New Year's Eve as well as a search for two missing fishermen.

"Being a volunteer is a huge commitment and Malcolm manages to foster relationships and attend to the needs of all members, young and old, within his much loved club," he says.

BP Rescue of the Year was awarded to Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Service for the daring rescue of a surfer, caught against the rocks at Muriwai on September 29. Their extraordinary efforts were also awarded the national BP Rescue of the Month award for November in Surf Life Saving New Zealand's BP Rescue of the Month awards as well as winning the top award at the 2014 NZ Search and Rescue Council Awards.

Best Patrolled Beach and Club of the Year were awarded to Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club.

Mr Halliday says all of the region's members have made a huge contribution to surf lifesaving in the Northern Region throughout the 2014/15 season. "They should all be extremely proud of themselves and their fellow club members," he says.

There are 17 Surf Life Saving Clubs in the Northern Region stretching from the Far North to Raglan. Together, they undertook 453 rescues over the summer season; an increase of 37 percent on the 2013/14 season.

2015 WINNERS

Lifesaving Awards:

Outstanding Contribution to Power Craft: Shane Edwards - Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service
Instructor of the Year: Jessica Reilly - Raglan Surf Life Saving Club
Rookie Lifeguard of the Year: Ted Kennedy - Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year: Daniel Short - Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Lifeguard of the Year: Zane Rademaker - United North Piha Lifeguard Service
Examiner of the Year: Ollie Irwin - Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Patrol
Regional Lifeguard of the Year: Aubrey Panis - Raglan Surf Life Saving Club

Sport Awards:

Outstanding Contribution to Junior Surf: Tony Sands - Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
U14 Sportswoman of the Year: Lucy Makaea - Orewa Surf Life Saving Club
U14 Sportsman of the Year: Jonathan Selman - Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Coach of the Year: Steven Ferguson - Piha Surf Life Saving Club
Developing Surf Official of the Year: Dylan Turner - Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Official of the Year: Wayne Franich - Orewa Surf Life Saving Club
U16 Sportswoman of the Year: Grace Kaihau - Orewa Surf Life Saving Club
U16 Sportsman of the Year: Ryan Gilmour - Piha Surf Life Saving Club
U19 Sportswoman of the Year: Hannah Williams - Piha Surf Life Saving Club
U19 Sportsman of the Year: Jake Hurley - Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Open Sportswoman of the Year: Danielle McKenzie - Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Open Sportsman of the Year: Jake Hurley - Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Competition Team of the Year: Red Beach Sirens Open Women's Surfboat Crew

Regional Awards:

Volunteer of the Year: Malcolm Beattie - Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service
Surf Education Instructor of the Year: Kate Boersen - Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club
Club Administrator of the Year: Carolyn Edwards - Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service
Innovation of the Year: Raglan SLSC
Best Patrolled Beach: Mairangi Bay
Junior Competition Club of the Year: Orewa
Senior Competition Club of the Year: Piha
Masters Competition Club of the Year: Red Beach
Rescue of the Year: Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Service/SLSNR
Patrol Championships: Mairangi Bay
Pool Championships: Piha
IRB Championships: Sunset Beach
Club of the Year: Mairangi Bay
Junior Surf Championships: Orewa
Northern Region Championships: Piha

Service Awards:

Brent Phillips - Sunset Beach
Cheryl Evans - United North Piha
Chris McCullough - Red Beach
Dean Pouwhare - Red Beach
Glennys Smith - Sunset Beach
Donal Dray-Hogg - Bethells Beach
Jacquelyn (Jackie) Grant - Mairangi Bay
Janine Ibbs - Sunset Beach
John Moffat - Waipu Cove
Benny Larsen - Orewa
Nelson Palmer - Waipu Cove
Adrian Jenkins - Bethells Beach
Danny Morrison - Mairangi Bay
Ray Baillie - Karekare
Tai Kahn - Whangarei Heads
Terry Burbidge - Mairangi Bay
Paula Kearney - Ruakaka
Nikolai Gordon - Bethells Beach
John Kearney - Ruakaka
Leif Neilson - United North Piha

Distinguished Service Awards:

Jan Battaerd - Mairangi Bay

Life Memberships:

Alan Franich - Orewa
Stephen Butler - United North Piha
Mark McCarthny - Orewa

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