Gisborne lifeguards to be honoured at awards ceremony

The Gisborne/Tairāwhiti region is getting set to celebrate the Surf Life Saving season and its members' achievements at this year's awards ceremony.

The 2015 Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Awards of Excellence will be held at the Gisborne-Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club on Friday July 3 from 6pm.

Renee Wikaire, SLSNZ Club Support Manager for Gisborne, says it's been a good season for local members. "The awards evening is an exciting time for our members to get together and celebrate all that they have achieved out there in their community," she says.

The three big awards for the night will be Lifeguard of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Rescue of the Year.

Nominees for Lifeguard of the Year include Jack Virtue (Wainui), Kerehama Blackman and Connor Mitchell (Tolaga Bay) and Samuel Teteina (Midway).

Nominees for Volunteer of the Year include Tracy Low (Wainui) and Brent Mitchell (Waikanae).

Ms Wikaire says there have been some fantastic rescues this season and the Rescue of the Year award will be very close between Tolaga Bay and Ngāti Porou Surf Life Saving Clubs.

There will also be a host of other lifesaving and sport awards presented on the night including Club of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Surf Life Saving Clubs in the Gisborne/Tairāwhiti area include Uawa Tiaki Tai-Tolaga Bay, Wainui, Waikanae, Midway and Ngāti Porou. Together, they undertook 18 rescues in the 2014/15 season.

Click here for more information.

Lifesaving Awards:
• Lifeguard of the Year
• Patrol Captain of the Year
• Instructor of the Year
• Examiner of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Rescue of the Year
• Innovation of the Year
• Patrol Club of the Year
•  Overall Club of the Year

Finalists:
• Jack Virtue
• Samuel Teteina
• Kerehama Blackman
• Connor Mitchell
• Malik Priestley
• Aidan Lawrence
• John Minogue
• Diego Pedrioli
• Tracy Low
• Brent Mitchell
• Uawa- Tolaga Bay Community & Te Aitanga a Hauiti
• Ngāti Porou SLSC
•  Uawa Tiaki Ti Tolaga Bay
• Wainui SLSC
• Midway SLSC
• Waikanae SLSC

Sports Awards:
• Emerging Coach of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Official of the Year
• Sports Team of the Year
• Sportsperson of the Year: U14 female
• Sportsperson of the Year: U14 male
• Sportsperson of the Year: U16 female
• Sportsperson of the Year: U16 male
• Sportsperson of the Year: U19 female
• Sportsperson of the Year: U19 male
• Sportsperson of the Year: open female
• Sportsperson of the Year: open male
• Sportsperson of the Year: masters female
• Sportsperson of the Year: masters male
• International Sports Performance

Finalists:
• Matthew Scott
• Calum Wilson
• Gary Smith
• Cory Hutchings
• Matt Sutton
• Dion Williams
• Sue Quilter
• Debbie Hutchings
• Beach Relay Team: Hayley Rogers, Sophie Twigley, Alex Bermingham, Tyler Burgess
• Wainui Womens U19 Board Relay team
• Waikanae OM Double Ski- Darryl Fitzgerald & Jarrod Fitzgerald
• Holly Williams
• Saffe Vette
• Sam Green
• Michael John Douglas Pickett
• Olivia Corrin
• Blake Brown
• Jasmine Smith
• Casie Fyall
• Matt Scott
• Devon Halligan
• Laura Quilter
• Cory Taylor
• Michelle Mitchell
• Adam Tate

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