Zespri Gisborne-Tairāwhiti Surf Lifesaving Awards of Excellence finalists announced

Surf Life Saving Clubs (SLSC) from the Gisborne-Tairāwhiti area are getting set to celebrate the contribution made by volunteer members over the past season, at the annual Zespri Gisborne- Tairāwhiti Surf Lifesaving Awards of Excellence, to be held on 4 July.

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

The ceremonies include the presentation of lifesaving, sport and regional service awards from our five Gisborne-Tairāwhiti area clubs; Ūawa Tiaki Tai-Tolaga Bay SLSC, Wainui SLSC, Waikanae SLSC, Midway SLSC and Ngāti Porou SLSC.

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

Surf Life Saving Eastern Region Manager Chris Emmett says the awards mark the end to a busy season and recognise the contribution our lifeguards make to their communities.

"These Awards of Excellence are the perfect way to say thanks to all our members who have poured in so much time and energy over the 2018-19 patrol season.

“We are very pleased to have our partner Zespri supporting these awards, as we’ve received a large number of nominations this year which goes to show our members doing lots of great work in the community and shows how much we need supporters like Zespri.”

"Surf lifeguards make such a valuable contribution to the Gisborne- Tairāwhiti area by keeping our coastline safe, and this is our way of thanking them for that hard work. We wouldn't be able to enjoy our stunning beaches as much without them looking after us,” he added.

“This year our surf lifeguards have had a busy season saving 25 lives in 17 rescues over the summer. The lifeguards also did 2,680 preventative actions, which enhanced the beach-going experience for 10,300 people”.

“There were some heroic rescues this season that would have no doubt ended very differently had it not been for our surf lifeguards stepping up to the play and doing what they do best – saving lives.”

One notable rescue was the Mazurka yacht rescue on Christmas Eve, by our Character Roofing SLS Search and Rescue Squad members - Justin Martin, Matt Kemp, Alan Thorpe, Andrew Shelton and Belinda Slement.

The volunteers at the five clubs did 7059 hours of surf lifeguarding at Gisborne-Tairāwhiti area beaches. The volunteer army of surf lifeguards had their work cut out for them this summer with the busiest season we have seen in years.

“Additionally, after hours this season we have seen many rescues where our off-duty members identified people in distress and responded appropriately”.

The SLSNZ Zespri Gisborne-Tairāwhiti Awards of Excellence will take place at The Whitehouse restaurant on Thursday 4th July.

Tickets cost $30 per person, and are available through club administrators before June 22. (For more information about tickets, please contact Renee Wikaire on 027 963 9189).

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

Zespri Gisborne- Tairāwhiti Awards of Excellence finalists 2019:

Emerging Coach of the Year:
Andrew Ingoe – Midway SLSC
Connor Mitchell – Waikanae SLSC
Sonia Keepa – Wainui SLSC

Coach of the Year:
Arna Majstrovic – Waikanae SLSC
Dion Williams – Wainui SLSC
Matthew Sutton – Midway SLSC

McLeods Emerging Official of the Year:
Alison Bendall – Wainui SLSC
Andrew Gaddum – Midway SLSC
Pip Williams – Waikanae SLSC

McLeods Official of the Year:
Debbie Hutchings – Waikanae SLSC
Miah Phelps – Midway SLSC

Sports Team of the Year:
Midway U19 Women’s Ski Relay Team - Annabel Higgins, Alex Bermingham & Olivia Corrin
Waikanae U22 Men’s IRB Team – Connor Mitchell, Oliver Shivnan & Harry Allan
Wainui U16 Men’s Board Rescue Team – Jack Keepa & Jonty Evans

Sports Person of the Year- U14 Male:
Harry Hayward – Midway SLSC
Oska Smith – Waikanae SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- U14 Female:
Amelia Arthur – Wainui SLSC
Chloe Kapene – Waikanae SLSC
Jodiesha Kirkpatrick – Midway SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- U16 Male:
Jack Keepa – Wainui SLSC
Ruben Bronlund – Midway SLSC
Seven Mapu – Waikanae SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- U16 Female:
Ava Smith – Wainui SLSC
Briana Irving – Waikanae SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- U19 Male:
Jordan Mclarin – Waikanae SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- U19 Female:
Olivia Corrin – Midway SLSC
Christy Tate – Waikanae SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- Open Male:
Cory Taylor – Midway SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- Open Female:
Casie Fyall – Waikanae SLSC
Olivia Corrin – Midway SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- Masters Male:
Rob Fergus – Midway SLSC

Sports Person of the Year- Masters Female:
Sonia Keepa – Wainui SLSC
Debbie Hutchings – Waikanae SLSC

International Performance of the Year:
Cory Taylor – Midway SLSC
Briana Irving – Waikanae SLSC

Emerging U19 Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year:
Cairo Reihana – Tolaga Bay SLSC
Daniel Beattie – Waikanae SLSC
Louis Birkhead – Wainui SLSC
Rubi Perano – Midway SLSC

Pacific Medicare Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year:
Larenz Goldsmith – Tolaga Bay SLSC
Matt Parker – Midway SLSC
Nigel Hope – Waikanae SLSC
Sonia Keepa – Wainui SLSC

Regional Lifeguard of the Year:
Chris Niven – Midway SLSC
Louis Birkhead – Wainui SLSC
Steffan John – Wainui SLSC

Patrol Captain of the Year:
Kerehama Blackman – Tolaga Bay SLSC
Kristina Williams – Waikanae SLSC
Peter Boyd – Ngāti Porou SLSC
Rama Robertson – Midway SLSC
Steffan John – Wainui SLSC

Instructor of the Year:
Michelle Mitchell – Waikanae SLSC
John Minogue – Wainui SLSC
Peter Boyd – Ngāti Porou SLSC
Kerehama Blackman – Tolaga Bay SLSC

Beach Ed Instructor of the Year:
Fern Stuart – Waikanae SLSC
Chris Niven – Midway SLSC

Examiner of the Year:
Michelle Mitchell – Waikanae SLSC
Jeremy Lockwood – Wainui SLSC

Volunteer of the Year:
Shayne McNaught – Waikanae SLSC
Rachel Matthews – Midway SLSC
Anna Thorpe – Wainui SLSC

Innovation of the Year:
Patrol Relief Group – Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Area Clubs

BP Rescue of the Year:
21st September 2018 - Wainui SLSC
17th November 2018 – Waikanae SLSC
24th December 2018 – Character Roofing Gisborne/Tairāwhiti SLS Search & Rescue Squad
29th January 2019 – Midway SLSC & Character Roofing Gisborne/Tairāwhiti SLS Search & Rescue Squad

Patrol Club of the Year:
Waikanae SLSC
Midway SLSC
Tolaga Bay SLSC
Ngāti Porou SLS
Wainui SLSC

Zespri Club of the Year:
Waikanae SLSC
Midway SLSC
Tolaga Bay SLSC
Ngāti Porou SLS
Wainui SLSC

Ends

** File photos for Surf Life Saving NZ can be found here.

For more information, please contact:
Renee Wikaire, Surf Life Saving Eastern Region Club Support Manager
Phone: 027 963 9189; Email renee.wikaire@surflifesaving.org.nz

Surf Life Saving NZ media and communications
Phone: 021 636 647; Email: media@surflifesaving.org.nz