Surf Life Saving Clubs from around the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel area are getting set to celebrate the contribution made by volunteer members over the past season with the annual Zespri Bay of Plenty-Coromandel Surf Lifesaving Awards of Excellence.

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 with Zespri supporting the awards in the Eastern region.

The ceremonies include the presentation of lifesaving, sport and regional service awards from throughout the region including clubs from Whakatane, Waihi Beach, Pukehina, Mt Maunganui, Papamoa, Omanu, Whangamata, Waihi Beach, Hot Water Beach, Opotiki, Tairua, Onemana, Whiritoa and Pauanui.

Some of the top awards will include Lifeguard of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Rescue of the Year and Club of the Year.

Chris Emmett, Surf Life Saving Eastern Region Manager, says the awards are an important way to end a busy season and recognise the contribution our lifeguards make to their communities in a myriad of ways.

"We're really looking forward to these Zespri Bay of Plenty- Coromandel awards as it's the perfect way to end a busy season. It's no secret that the beaches in this region are amongst the busiest in the country and the lifeguards make a huge contribution keeping them safe. This is our way of thanking and celebrating them."

"It's also fantastic to get everyone from around the region together to share stories because it's often difficult to do this during summer as they're all too busy patrolling the beaches. It's sure to be a great night of celebration for everyone, including our partner Zespri who are huge supporters of what we do," he added.

The Zespri Bay of Plenty-Coromandel Awards of Excellence will take place at Club Mt Maunganui on Saturday 21st July and will be led by comedian Ben Hurley, with guest speaker Dave Greenburg.

To stay up to date with Bay of Plenty-Coromandel awards, or any other lifesaving news from the area, follow the SLSNZ Eastern Region Facebook page.

Zespri Bay of Plenty-Coromandel finalists:

Emerging Coach of the Year
Campbell Reid - Whakatane SLSC
David Grant - Waihi Beach SLSC
Quentin Harris - Pukehina SR

Coach of the Year
John Bryant - Mt Maunganui LGS
Matthew Cairns - Papamoa SLSC
Simon Wills - Omanu SLSC

McLeod Emerging Official of the Year
Linda Castle - Papamoa SLSC
Kelly Baxter - Omanu SLSC
Caroline Bird - Mt Maunganui LGS

McLeod Official of the Year
Jo Miller - Papamoa SLSC
Greg Rieger - Mt Maunganui LGS
Catriona Manning - Whakatane SLSC

Sports Team of the Year
Whangamata Motor Boaters - Whangamata SLSC
Whakatane U19 F Canoe Crew - Whakatane SLSC
Papamoa Open Women Pool Relay Team - Papamoa SLSC

Sports Person of the Year - Under-14 Male
Braith Swanberg - Omanu Beach SLSC
Jamie Julian - Whakatane SLSC
Nathaniel Allen - Whangamata SLSC
Mitchell Bark Riki - Mt Maunganui LGS

Sports Person of the Year - Under-14 Female
Talitha McEwan - Papamoa SLSC
Lucy Bartlett - Omanu Beach SLSC
Mia Gardiner - Mt Maunganui LGS

Sports Person of the Year - Under-16 Male
Max Millington - Papamoa SLSC
Mitchell Irwin - Omanu Beach SLSC
Daniel Shanahan - Mt Maunganui LGS

Sports Person of the Year - Under-16 Female
Gemma Baldey - Whakatane SLSC
Molly Shivnan - Omanu Beach SLSC
Olive Pearce - Mt Maunganui LGS

Sports Person of the Year - Under-19 Male
Aidan Smith - Papamoa SLSC
Lochlainn O'Connor - Mt Maunganui LGS

Sports Person of the Year - Under-19 Female
Libby Bradley - Mt Maunganui
Sophie Sandford - Omanu Beach SLSC
Sophie Bogdanovas - Papamoa SLSC

Sports Person of the Year - Open Male
Max Beattie - Omanu Beach SLSC
Jake Hales - Papamoa SLSC
Adam Simpson - Mt Maunganui LGS

Sports Person of the Year - Open Female
Olivia Eaton - Mt Maunganui LGS
Devon Halligan - Omanu Beach SLSC
Natalie Peat - Papamoa SLSC

Sports Person of the Year - Masters Male
Ian Glover - Omanu Beach SLSC
Matt Clements - Mt Maunganui LGS
Rex Humpherson - Whakatane SLSC

Sports Person of the Year - Masters Female
Catriona Manning - Whakatane SLSC
Jol McGarvey - Omanu Beach SLSC
Naomi Davoren - Papamoa SLSC

International Performance (Indv)
Olivia Eaton - Mt Maunganui LGS
Natalie Peat - Papamoa SLSC
Sophie Sandford - Omanu Beach SLSC

Rookie Lifeguard of the Year
Zoe Christie - Whakatane SLSC
Bree McCowatt - Waihi Beach SLSC

Bay of Plenty Under-19 Lifeguard of the Year
Ra Neilsford-Jones - Omanu Beach SLSC
Bryn Gault- Opotiki SLSC
Luca Dehmer - Pukehina SR

Coromandel Under-19 Lifeguard of the Year
Matthew Lloyd - Waihi Beach LGS
Max Hale - Tairua SLSC
Ella Toumadj - Whangamata SLSC

Bay of Plenty Pacific Medicare Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Haven Bellamy - Omanu Beach SLSC
Boyd Harris - Pukehina SR
Sam Roy - Mt Maunganui LGS

Coromandel Pacific Medicare Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Phoebe Havill - Onemana SLSC
Ben Goffin - Whangamata SLSC
James Lloyd - Waihi Beach LGS

Bay of Plenty Regional Lifeguard of the Year
Gabriel Puckey-Brockelsby - Omanu Beach SLSC
Carla Reid - Whakatane SLSC
Joanne Parry - Pukehina SR

Coromandel Regional Lifeguard of the Year
Stewart Gibson - Whangamata SLSC
Isaac Nicholson - Tairua SLSC
Alexandra Beggs - Pauanui SLSC

Bay of Plenty Patrol Captain of the Year
Martin Wouters - Mt Maunganui LGS
Jason Rive - Pukehina SR
Gabriel Puckey-Brocklesby - Omanu Beach SLSC

Coromandel Patrol Captain of the Year
Finn Smith - Onemana SLSC
Chaz Gibbons-Campbell - Whiritoa LGS
Shanae Richardson - Waihi Beach LGS

Bay of Plenty Instructor of the Year
Vivien Conway - Mt Maunganui LGS
Briar Macken - Omanu Beach SLSC
Laura-Lee Boxer-Paki - Pukehina SR

Coromandel Instructor of the Year
Max Jones Whangamata SLSC
Tyler Ranger - Waihi Beach LGS
Phoebe Havill - Onemana SLSC

Bay of Plenty Beach Ed Instructor of the Year
Daniel Edwards - Papamoa SLSC
Adriana Bird - Mt Maunganui LGS
John Clark - Whakatane SLSC

Coromandel Beach Ed Instructor of the Year
Lucy Scown - Waihi Beach LGS
Georgia Eldridge - Waihi Beach LGS
Rikayla Richardson - Waihi Beach LGS

Bay of Plenty Examiner of the Year
Boyd Harris - Pukehina SR
Haven Bellamy - Omanu Beach SLSC
Sandra Boubee - Papamoa SLSC
Garry King - Mt Maunganui LGS

Coromandel Examiner of the Year
Rachelle Bright - Whangamata SLSC
James Lloyd - Waihi Beach SLSC

Bay of Plenty Volunteer of the Year
Delwyn Buckton - Pukehina SR
Garry King - Mt Maunganui LGS

Coromandel Volunteer of the Year
Ella Higgins - Waihi Beach LGS
Megan Upjohn - Pauanui SLSC

Bay of Plenty - BP Rescue of the Year
Pukehina - 11th March 2018 Rescue
Mt Maunganui - 4th February 2018 Rescue
Papamoa - 18th February 2018 Rescue

Coromandel - BP Rescue of the Year
Whangamata - 31st March 2018 Rescue
Whangamata - 2nd February 2018 Rescue
Pauanui - 20th January 2018 Rescue

For more information, please contact:

Alana McIsaac, Media & Communications Manager
Phone 027 515 7157
Email media@surflifesaving.org.nz