Canterbury award finalists announced

The finalists for the 2017 Canterbury Awards of Excellence have been announced ahead of next week's ceremony in Christchurch.

Every year, regional Awards of Excellence ceremonies are held around the country to officially recognise members for their hard work and dedication to Surf Life Saving in New Zealand.

The Canterbury Awards of Excellence will be held at the Sixty 6 venue at Christchurch Casino on Saturday May 20 and include Taylors Mistake, Sumner, South Brighton, New Brighton, North Beach, Waimairi, Spencer Park and Waikuku Surf Life Saving Clubs.

The evening will begin with the presentation of Service Awards and top junior and senior age group awards and all the champions trophies from the Canterbury Championships held in the past season and continue with the presentation of major sporting and lifesaving awards such as Lifeguard of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. The evening will conclude with the announcement of Club of the Year.

Stu Bryce, Regional Manager for the Southern Region, says the awards are an important way to end another busy and successful season.

"We look forward to celebrating our top lifeguards, volunteers and sports people," he says.

Awards of Excellence finalists:

2017 Coach of the Year
James Feathery - South Brighton
Stuart Murray- Taylors Mistake
Jonelle Quane - Sumner
James Gaskell - New Brighton
Peter Stevenson - Waikuku

2017 Te Onepoto - Junior Surf Coaching
Liz Buckley - New Brighton
Rebecca Bailey - South Brighton
Craig Jamieson - Taylors Mistake
Duncan Cambell - Waikuku
Boetie Koekomoer - Sumner
Dean Le Warne - North Beach

2017 Rookie Lifeguard of the Year
William Jamieson - Taylors Mistake
Lauren Kruger - Waimairi
Isabella Grant - New Brighton
Aimee Phillip - Waikuku
Mya Williams - Sumner

2017 Instructor/Examiner of the Year
Bruce Lomax- South Brighton
Linda Poulsen - Spencer Park
Jade Jeffery - Sumner
Caitlin Ruddle - Waimairi
Craig Jamieson - Taylors Mistake
Scotty Roberts - New Brighton
Aaron Harris - Waikuku

2017 Lifeguard of the Year
Zavian Fletcher - New Brighton
Craig Jamieson - Taylors mistake
Doug Heaton - Waimairi
Sam Hudson - South Brighton
Tom Denman - Sumner
Aaron Mackie - North Beach
Kath Aikin - Waikuku

2017 Sports Person of the Year
Morgan Foster - South Brighton
Seb Johnson - Sumner
Hilary Harper - New Brighton
Aria Marsh - Waikuku
Georgia Stroud - Taylors Mistake

2017 Sports Team of the Year
Sumner - Open Women's Pool relay Team
Taylors Mistake - Open Men's Double Ski Team
North Beach - Open Men's Boat Team
Waimairi - Open Women's Canoe Team
Waikuku - Under 16 Women's Beach relay Team
New Brighton - Open Women's Surf Boat
South Brighton- Open Men's Beach Relay Team 

2017 Surf Official of the Year
Kirsty Cullen - New Brighton
Terrill Stanton - Piha
Derek Shanks - Sumner
Dave Price - North Beach
Tania and Brett Bailey - Waikuku
Ian Rae - Taylors Mistake

2017 Innovation of the Year
Coaching Health and Safety Application
Ben Keys, James Feathery, Rohan McNaughton - South Brighton
Spencer Park Clubhouse
Richard Newbold and Grant Edwards - Spencer Park
Sunscreen
Ben Graham and Georgia Stroud - Taylors Mistake

2017 Regional Guard of the Year
Chloe Harris - New Brighton
Kate Suter - Sumner
Harry Roberts - North Beach

2017 Volunteer of the Year
Dean Le Warne - North Beach
Adam Leatherland - South Brighton
Sam Baker - Spencer Park
Tisha Bradley - Taylors Mistake
Steve Glue - Waimairi
Kate Suter - Sumner
Tony Bruce - Waikuku
Kelly Andrew - New Brighton

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Smith, Media & Communications Manager, SLSNZ
Phone 0276 488 823
Email lisa.smith@surflifesaving.org.nz