The finalists for the 2018 Surf Life Saving Capital Coast Awards of Excellence have been announced ahead of this month's ceremony in Porirua, where lifeguards from throughout the region are celebrated for their stellar efforts throughout the year.

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

The Capital Coast Awards of Excellence will be held at the Plimmerton Boating Club on Sunday June 10 and include lifeguards from across the region including the Titahi Bay, Lyall Bay, Levin-Waitarere, Maranui, Worser Bay, Otaki, Paekakariki, Palmerston North, Foxton and Riversdale Surf Life Saving Clubs.

The winners of each category from the Capital Coast awards are then automatically selected as finalists in the national SLSNZ Awards of Excellence, held in Auckland this September, where the national award winners are announced.

Netta McKee Cagney, Lifesaving Manager for the Central Region says the awards are an important way to end a busy season and recognise the contribution lifeguards make to the community in keeping people safe in the water.

"The Awards of Excellence are a great opportunity to congratulate and celebrate everything that our members have done over the past patrol season," she says.

"There are finalists from almost every club in the Wellington, Kapiti, Wairarapa, Horowhenua and Manawatu area which just goes to show the amazing work these surf lifeguards have made right around the region. It will be a tough task choosing the winners as they're all so deserving."

To get updates about the awards and the winners, follow the Surf Life Saving Central Region Facebook page.

Capital Coast Awards of Excellence finalists:

U19 Lifeguard of Year
Chloe Crowe, Titahi Bay
Emma Kemp, Lyall Bay
Fian Blackham, Levin-Waitarere
Finn Speirs, Maranui
Jess Mellsop, Worser Bay
Joshua Braddock, Otaki
Thomas Downs, Paekakariki

Lifeguard of the Year
Adam Pennington, Palmerston North
Amy Spiekerman, Paekakariki
Cameron Turchie, Lyall Bay
Darryn Stapleton, Titahi Bay
Geoff McDonnell, Maranui
Kim O'Leary, Foxton
Nathan Berry, Levin-Waitarere
Tessa Bruin, Worser Bay

Instructor of the Year
Anna McDonnell, Maranui
Ben Flynn, Paekakariki
Josh Harvey, Worser Bay
Sam Roff, Lyall Bay
Suzanne Blatch, Levin-Waitarere

Sportsperson of Year
Kayla Imrie, Paekakariki
Lewis Clareburt, Lyall Bay
Wil McDowell, Titahi Bay

U19 Sportsperson of the Year
Adam Stella, Titahi Bay
Che Pulepule, Maranui
Luther Maxwell, Lyall Bay

Sports Team of Year
Lyall Bay Open Womens Boat Crew, Lyall Bay
Maranui U16 Mens Taplin Relay Team, Maranui
Paekakariki U23 Womens Boat Crew, Paekakariki
Titahi Bay Open Mixed Double Ski Crew, Titahi Bay

Coach of the Year
Daniel Cudby, Foxton
David Jones, Paekakariki
Lizzy Bunckenburg, Titahi Bay
Rhys Speirs, Maranui
Samantha Lee, Lyall Bay

Surf Official of the Year
Glen Jones, Titahi Bay
Ian McIntosh, Lyall Bay
Teri Anderson, Paekakariki
Natasha Perkins, Paekakariki
Tracey Reynolds, Maranui

Volunteer of Year
Andrew Bates, Lyall Bay
Georgia McLaren, Titahi Bay
Justine Crawford, Worser Bay
Marco Cecioni, Paekakariki
Mike Taylor, Riversdale
Rhys Speirs, Maranui
Liz Fitzgibbon, Levin-Waitarere

Innovation of the Year
Rhys Speirs, Maranui

For more information, please contact:

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