News
Celebrating Zespri Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Awards of Excellence Winners
Saturday, 25 July 2020
The collaborative effort of volunteer Surf Lifeguards are being recognised at the Zespri Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Surf Lifesaving Awards of Excellence.
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.
Winners in surf lifesaving and lifesaving sport categories were announced on 25th July 2020 at The Vines, Bushmere Estate.
Wainui SLSC, overall Zespri Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Club of the Year
“The Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Surf Life Saving community has continued to grow closer and grow stronger together year on year.
“The strength of the Surf Life Saving community in Tairāwhiti is down to the huge collaborative effort of the hard working volunteers that have put thousands of hours into training, competing and serving their community.”
Chase says this year’s Awards of Excellence was an opportunity to formally thank the volunteers for their tireless efforts, and recognise those that have achieved at the highest levels.
“A huge congratulations to this year’s nominees and winners and a particular thank you for this year’s recipients of service awards and life membership. Your dedicated and continued service is an inspiration to us all.”
Chase says a “massive thank you” must also go to the primary regional sponsor Zespri.
“Zespri is a key community partner for Surf Life Saving New Zealand and enables us to deliver invaluable lifesaving training to our members. They also support the facilitation of our awards events so we can recognise these outstanding efforts.”
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.
“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.
Wainui claimed the prestigious Club of the Year trophy at the Gisborne-Tairawhiti lifesaving awards of excellence. “Everyone in the club is super-stoked to win this,” said Wainui club captain Dion Williams.
“We have sat there and watched the other two Gisborne city clubs (Midway and Waikanae) awarded the trophy for a lot of years and it feels great that now it's ours.
“It has taken a special effort to get there over the past season."
Dion Willams, Wainui SLSC Regional Life Membership Award and Coach of the Year
A Regional Service Award was presented to Wainui's Sonia Keepa, who was also named Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year for the second year in a row.
“I'm proud and humbled to have received those awards,” the 48-year-old said. “I hope what I'm doing inspires other people, particularly younger people, to give surf lifeguarding a go.”
Sonia Keepa, Wainui SLSC Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
In the lifeguard sport category, Dawson Building Midway’s Cory Taylor and Olivia Corrin picked up awards for the most outstanding international performances by Gisborne athletes. “I am really honoured to win these awards,” Taylor said in a video link.
Gold Coast-based Corrin also sent the awards function a message, thanking her parents Dave and Suzanne for their support and the region for recognising her efforts.
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-roots 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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Zespri Bay of Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Awards of Excellence 2020 winners
Regional Service Award
Sonia Keepa – Wainui Surf Lifesaving Club
Regional Distinguished Service Award
Jeremy Lockwood – Wainui Surf Lifesaving Club
Regional Life Membership Award
Dion Williams – Wainui Surf Lifesaving Club
Community Service Award
Kelly Ryan
Andrew Shelton
Young Frother of the Year
Theo Whetherley – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Matahari Richards – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Angus Blair – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
Volunteer of the Year
Rama Robertson – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
Lifesaving Awards
Patrol Support Person of the Year
Rama Robertson – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Sonia Keepa – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Emerging U19 Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Luke Whibley – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Patrol Captain of the Year
Luke Whibley – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Instructor of the Year
Sonia Keepa – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Examiner of the Year
Michelle Mitchell – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Regional Lifeguard of the Year|
Louis Birkhead – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Beach Education Instructor of the Year
Rubi Perano – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
Patrol Club of the Year
Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Club of the Year
Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Lifesaving Sport Awards
Emerging Surf Official of the Year
David Whitfield – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Official of the Year
Alistair Thorpe – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Emerging Coach of the Year
Edan Wilson – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Coach of the Year
Dion Williams – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
Volunteer Coach of the Year
Arna Majstrovic – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Sportsteam of the Year
Wainui Surf Life Saving Club – U16 Male Board Rescue (Jonty Evans, Jack Keepa)
Sportsperson of the Year
U14 Male
Tyron Evans – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
U14 Female
Jodiesha Kirkpatrick – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
U16 Male
Jack Keepa – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
U16 Female
Summer Rolston – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
U19 Male
Seven Mapu – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
U19 Female
Briana Irving – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Open Male
Cory Taylor – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
Open Female
Casie Fyall – Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club
Masters Male
Sam Gavin – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
Master Female
Sonia Keepa – Wainui Surf Life Saving Club
International Individual Sports Performance of the Year
Olivia Corrin – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
International Team Sports Performance of the Year
Cory Taylor /Olivia Corrin – Midway Surf Life Saving Club
For more information please contact:
Chase Cahalane
Regional Manager - Eastern Region
Surf Life Saving New Zealand
021 975 565
07 574 2061 (ext 702)
chase.cahalane@surflifesaving.org.nz