Otago Southland Award recipients named

Surf lifeguards who patrol beaches across Otago and Southland have been honoured for their hard work and dedication to saving lives at the 2015 Otago/Southland Awards of Excellence. 

The celebration of surf lifesaving took place at the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club on Saturday May 23.

One of the night's top awards, Volunteer of the Year, was awarded to Tarn Neuman, 19, from Warrington Surf Life Saving Club. She was awarded the Les Jordan Memorial Trophy in honour of Mr Jordan who died on February 5, 1964 in a shark attack at St Clair Beach.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Club Development Officer Sam Clutterbuck says Tarn has acted as Warrington's lifesaving coordinator for the past couple of seasons and last year she was awarded the Instructor of the Year Award. "It takes a lot of commitment to be a lifeguard and Tarn shows a great deal of dedication and commitment to surf lifesaving in her local community," he says.

Lifeguard of the Year was awarded to Paige Newman from Brighton Surf Life Saving Club. Sam says the 18 year-old holds the role of Junior Club Captain for Brighton and she has worked hard to reach the level of nomination for Lifeguard of the Year - a title that is truly deserved.

Tarn and Paige will go on to be finalists in the national SLSNZ Awards of Excellence, being held in Wellington in September.

Rescue of the Year was awarded to St Kilda for a rescue on April 3, 2015 that involved two off-duty rescues in one day. Lifeguards Duncan New and Bryn Schievink spotted two youths caught in a rip while cleaning the club house and later that afternoon, saved another swimmer from another rip.

Club of the Year was awarded to Brighton Surf Life Saving Club.

Surf Life Saving Clubs in the Otago/Southland area include Warrington, St Kilda, St Clair, Brighton, Kaka Point and Oreti and together they undertook a total of 34 rescues in the 2014/15 season.

View some photos from the evening here.

Award recipients:

Les Jordan Memorial Trophy (Volunteer of the Year): Tarn Neuman, Warrington

Surf Lifeguard of the Year: Paige Newman, Brighton

Rescue of the Year: Duncan New, Bryn Schievink from St Kilda on 3/4/2015

Club of the Year: Brighton Surf Life Saving Club

Regional Lifeguard of the Year: Ossian Woods, St Clair

Duke Gillies Memorials Trophy (Coach of the Year): Michael Trembath, St Clair

Sports Person of the Year: Andrew Trembath, St Clair

Sport Team of the Year: Stephanie Laughton & Carla Laughton, St Clair

Instructor of the Year: Seth McPhee, Brighton

Official of the Year: Swannee Taiawa, Brighton

President's Trophy: Scott Weatherall, Brighton

Event Guard of the Year: Mat Walters, Brighton

Wilson Distillers Trophy (Top Competition Club Otago Sand Championships): St Clair

Lion Trophy (Top Open Men Club Otago Championships): St Clair

Mark Price Trophy (Top Open Women Club Otago Championships): Brighton

Otago SLAS Trophy (Top U19 Men Club Otago Championships): St Clair

U19 Women's Competition (Top U19 Women Club Otago Championships): Brighton

U16 Men Competition (Top U16 Men Club Otago Championships): St Clair

U16 Women Competition (Top U16 Women Club Otago Championships): St Clair

Dunedin Festival Cup (Open Ironman Otago Championships): R. Creasy, St Clair

JC Gore Trophy (Open Iron women Otago Championships): P. Newman, Brighton

Friendship Cup (U19 Ironman Otago Championships): B. Brandham, St Clair

Douglas Whitson Memorial Cup (Open Tube Rescue Otago Championships): B.Brandham, L.Brandham, St Clair

Top U21 IRB Crew Otago Championships: St Clair A - A. MacKenzie, A. Ibbotson

Top Senior IRB Crew Otago Championships: St Kilda A - C. Duncan, S. Todd

Top Women IRB Crew Otago Championships: St Kilda A - M. Ibbotson, R.Oakley

Formica Trophy (Top Club Otago IRB Championships): St Kilda

Vorrath Reid Trophy (Open Men Canoe Race Otago Championships): St Clair

Esplanade Restaurant Trophy Open Men Top Competitor at Otago Championships: R. Shanks - St Clair

Esplanade Restaurant Trophy Open Women Top Competitor at Otago Championships: A. Porteous, Brighton

Esplanade Restaurant Trophy U19 Men Top Competitor at Otago Championships: B. Brandham - St Clair

Esplanade Restaurant Trophy U19 Women Top Competitor at Otago Championships: P. Newman - Brighton

Esplanade Restaurant Trophy U16 Men Top Competitor at Otago Championships: L. Brandham - St Clair

Esplanade Restaurant Trophy U16 Women Top Competitor at Otago Championships: L. Matehaere - St Clair

Under 14 Interclub Trophy: St Clair

Otago Youth Surf Life Saving (Top Club Otago Championships): St Clair

South Island IRB Champs: St Clair

Junior Participation Trophy: St Kilda

Under 8 Girls: Francesca Macready (St Clair)
Under 8 Boys: Harry Walker-Leach (Brighton)
Under 10 Girls: Jade Fairweather (St Clair)
Under 10 Boys: Ollie Sinclair (St Clair)
Under 12 Boys: Felix Hill (St Clair)
Under 12 Girls: Olivia Andrews (St Clair)
Under 14 Girls: Hannah Matehaere (St Clair)
Under 14 Boys, Karamuu Taratoa-Bannister (St Clair)

Richard Murray Awards
Girls: Francesca Macready (St Clair)
Boys: Harry Walker-Leach (Brighton)

Most Promising Junior Life Guard Awards
Girls: Hannah Matehaere (St Clair)
Boys: Piere Tapsell (St Clair)

Honours & Awards:

Service Awards:
Carla Laughton, St Clair
Joel Davies, St Clair

Tarn Neuman, Otago/Southland Volunteer of the Year

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