News
Zespri Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Awards of Excellence Winners Announced
Saturday, 18 July 2020
Bay of Plenty and Coromandel’s top Surf Lifeguards, and the support crews keeping the local surf lifesaving clubs running, have been recognised in this year’s Zespri Awards of Excellence.
A function announcing the winners and celebrating the achievements of the 2019/2020 year was held on Saturday 18th July at Club Mount Maunganui.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region Manager Chase Cahalane says the Awards of Excellence is an annual opportunity to formally recognise the outstanding contribution to the community carried out by members.
“It’s also an opportunity to thank not only the exceptional achievements of the nominees and winners form the 2019/2020 summer season, but the wider Surf Life Saving community of ordinary people, doing extra ordinary things.
“We want to thank the dedicated volunteer Surf Lifeguards on the front line of the New Zealand coast, as well as those behind the scenes in the training rooms, gear sheds and offices, and all of the people that contribute to the service the New Zealand public trust and enjoy on our beaches every summer.
Overall Zespri Bay of Plenty Club of the Year - Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
“This is also an opportunity to thank our community supporters and partners, such as our primary regional partner Zespri, without whom our amazing people would not have the opportunities to train, prepare and be so well equipped for each summer.”
Chase says the 2019/2020 summer season has been an “interesting, challenging, yet very successful one” for the Surf Life Saving community in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel areas.
“This is evident through the exceptionally high calibre of nominations and winners of this year’s awards.
“A particular thank you for this year’s recipients of service awards, your dedicated and continued service is an inspiration to us all.
“We extend a huge congratulations to this year’s very deserving winners, and a massive thank you to all those that have contributed and supported the movement over the past year,” Chase says.
Michael Fox, Zespri Head of Communications and External Relations, says Zespri is proud to recognise the hard work and success of so many incredible people at Surf Life Saving New Zealand through the awards this year.
Pacific Medicare Bay of Plenty Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year - Julia Conway, Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
“Surf lifeguards play an incredibly important role in our communities, helping to keep us and our families safe when we’re in the water.
“They work and train hard to ensure they’re ready to help and to compete at the highest level so Zespri is really pleased to be able to support them as part of our efforts to help our communities to thrive.
“We’re also pleased to support Surf Lifesaving New Zealand which helps ensure our young people are healthy and developing new skills and the Zespri Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence are a great way to inspire surf life guards and club members and to promote beach safety,” says Mr Fox.
Coromandel Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year - Max Jones, Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Life Saving New Zealand Awards of Excellence are held every year in each SLSNZ Region to recognise and celebrate the many club members putting in considerable time, effort and skills at a grass-root level to make sure Kiwis who head to the beach get home safe.
The Regional awards culminate in the National Awards of Excellence which will be held on September 19.
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Overall Zespri Coromandel Club of the Year - Tairua SLSC
Zespri Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Awards of Excellence 2020 winners
Regional Service Awards
Christine Nairn – Pukehina Surf Rescue
David Grant – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
James Lloyd – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
David Litton – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Natalie Lloyd – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Regional Distinguished Service Awards
Christiaan Maarhuis – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Kevin Thorburn – Onemana Surf Lifesaving Club
Rookie Lifeguard of the Year
Rosie Swain – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Bay of Plenty Winners
Patrol Support Person of the Year
Ashleigh Riekart – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club
Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Julia Conway – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Emerging U19 Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Emma Russell – Pukehina Surf Rescue
Patrol Captain of the Year
Josh Russell – Pukehina Surf Rescue
Ryan Hohneck – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club
Instructor of the Year
Jaime Troughton – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Examiner of the Year
Gabriel Puckey-Brockelsby – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club
Regional Lifeguard of the Year
Julia Conway – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Beach Ed Instructor of the Year
Robynne Cabusao – Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club
Volunteer of the Year
Boyd Harris – Pukehina Surf Rescue
Rescue of the Year
Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service– 8th March Rescue
Patrol Club of the Year
Whakatane Surf Life Saving Club
Club of the Year
Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Coromandel Winners
Patrol Support Person of the Year
Sharlene Manukau – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Max Jones – Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club
Emerging U19 Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Sam Cox– Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club
Patrol Captain of the Year
Tyler Ranger – Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club
Instructor of the Year
Alexandra Beggs – Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club
Examiner of the Year
Lucy Scown – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Regional Lifeguard of the Year
Jamie Lock – Pauanui Surf Lifesaving Club
Beach Ed Instructor of the Year
Georgia Eldridge – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Volunteer of the Year
Garry Christoffersen – Whiritoa Lifeguard Service
Rescue of the Year
Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service – 21st February Search
Patrol Club of the Year
Tairua Surf Life Saving Club
Club of the Year
Tairua Surf Life Saving Club
Lifesaving Sport – Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Winners
Emerging Surf Official of the Year
Mick Buckley – Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service
Surf Official of the Year
Greg Rieger – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Emerging Coach of the Year
Danny Hart – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Coach of the Year
John Bryant (Spindles) – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
Volunteer Coach of the Year
Boyd Harris – Pukehina Surf Rescue
Sportsteam of the Year
Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service - U16 Mens Pool Relay Team (Zach Reeder, Liam Shanahan, Benjamin Cosford, Tarquin Magner)
Sportsperson of the Year
U14 Male
Thomas Richardson – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
U14 Female
Talitha McEwan – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
U16 Male
Tarquin Magner – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
U16 Female
Lucinda Bartlett – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club
U19 Male
Lochlainn O'Connor – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
U19 Female
Molly Shivnan – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club
Open Male
Max Beattie – Omanu Surf Life Saving Club
Open Female
Natalie Peat – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club
Masters Male
Barry Cutfield – Whakatane Surf Life Saving Club
Master Female
Naomi Davoren – Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club
International Individual Sports Performance of the Year
Lochlainn O'Connor – Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service
International Team Sports Performance of the Year
Whangamata U23 Mens Surfboat Crew (Steve Pipe, Zane Sweetman, Taine Wilson, Joshua Nicholas, Sergio Schuler)
For more information please contact:
Chase Cahalane
Regional Manager - Eastern Region
021 975 565
07 574 2061 (ext 702)
chase.cahalane@surflifesaving.org.nz