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Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Awards of Excellence winners announced
Wednesday, 3 August 2022Dedicated volunteer Surf Lifeguards, coaches, instructors, and athletes have been celebrated at Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Awards of Excellence, which took place at Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club on Saturday 30th July.
The awards honour the volunteers who have devoted numerous hours to keeping our beaches and people safe and Lifesaving Sport athletes who have shone in competition.
Avan Polo, Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region Manager says “I’d like to thank all our dedicated volunteers who have given their time and energy to keep people safe at Bay of Plenty and Coromandel beaches this year. Clubs in the region did a fantastic job keeping patrols going under the challenging conditions and changing restrictions that Covid-19 presented.”
Over the 2021-22 season Lifeguards put in over 50,000 patrol hours across Bay of Plenty and Coromandel beaches. There were 162 rescues undertaken, 412 people were assisted back to shore and eight searches were carried out. 588 people were given first aid treatment by Lifeguards and 26,498 preventative actions were implemented to keep beachgoers out of trouble.
The Bay of Plenty Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year winner is Boyd Harris from Pukehina Surf Rescue. Boyd was an exemplary Volunteer Lifeguard this season, engaging with his team regularly and effectively. He led by example and took part in all aspects of patrol. Boyd has a fantastic ability to interact very well with the public, he is always friendly and approachable and provides clear and correct information on where to swim and what areas to avoid. Boyd is involved in many aspects of the club from running club refreshers to sitting on the board as the Chairperson. In addition to his club roles, Boyd is very active in the regional space, involved in IRB activity and local lifesaving committees as well as volunteering as the Chief Surf Lifeguard Award Examiner.
Boyd Harris, Bay of Plenty Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year winner
Chaz Gibbons-Campbell. Eastern Region Lifesaving Manager says, “Boyd has contributed extensively to Surf Lifesaving, upskilling himself as well as travelling around the country representing Pukehina and helping smaller clubs along the way. He is extremely passionate about Surf Lifesaving and it is great to see him recognised.”
Dominic Sutton from Whangamata Surf Lifesaving Club receives the accolade of Coromandel Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year. Dominic contributed over 100 hours patrolling to Whangamata as well as further patrols at Raglan and Northern Coromandel beaches. As a senior patrol member Dominic was able to, and willingly, provided extensive support to patrol operations - this included IRB training opportunities, First Aid Scenarios and Lifeguard mentoring. Off the beach, Dominic is actively involved on local and regional committees, taking part in and facilitating regional events and is passionate about Lifeguard development.
Dominic Sutton, Coromandel Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year
Chaz says “Dominic leads by example and is always looking for ways to increase member engagement and retention. He is a great lifeguard, carrying out his duties to a high standard.”
Part of this year’s major awards also covers all aspects of Surf Lifesaving Sport to celebrate the Officials, Coaches and High-Performance athletes.
Sonia Keepa, Eastern Region Sport Manager says, “Unfortunately for our Surf Sport Athletes the pinnacle events of the season, Eastern Region Championships for Senior and Juniors and the SLSNZ Nationals were cancelled. However, the Eastern Region was able to adapt and deliver a few modified events under the developing Covid Protection Framework. The perseverance and adaptability of our Lifeguarding athletes, Coaches and Officials were testament to the calibre of athletes we have here with a large number being recognised in NZ Squads.”
Caroline Bird of Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service is the recipient of two awards this year, taking out the Bay of Plenty Patrol Support Person of the Year and the Bay of Plenty Official of the Year for her hard work on Surf Lifesaving Sport events throughout the season. Sonia says “Caroline has been a real asset this summer, always willing to help and adapt to changes on the day. She’s positive and friendly to members of the public, athletes, coaches, fellow officials and patrol members”
Sonia adds, “We are very proud that the following athletes have been named in the NZ Junior Black Fins Team who will travel to Italy in September for the World Champs; Jayden Murphy and Talitha McEwan of Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service along with Gus Shivnan and Lucy Bartlett from Omanu Beach Surf Lifesaving Club. These athletes will join their Gisborne counterparts, Jack Keepa, Lachie Falloon, Oska Smith and Summer Rolston, all of Waikanae SLSC.”
Surf Life Saving NZ 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 17th.
Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Awards of Excellence Major winners
Bay of Plenty Lifesaving Awards:
Eastern Region Rookie Lifeguard of the Year |
Finn Crawford |
Omanu Beach SLSC |
Patrol Support Person of the Year |
Caroline Bird |
Mt Maunganui LS |
Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year |
Boyd Harris |
Pukehina SR |
U19 Emerging Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year |
Nicole Baker |
Pukehina SR |
Patrol Captain of the Year |
John Sevendsen |
Mt Maunganui LS |
Instructor of the Year |
Ryan Hohneck |
Papamoa SLSC |
Examiner of the Year |
Gabriel Brockelsby |
Omanu SLSC |
Rescue of the Year |
Rescue 12th January 2022 |
Mt Maunganui LS |
Regional Lifeguard of the Year |
Gabriel Brocklesby |
Omanu SLSC |
Beach Education Instructor of the Year |
Michelle Cossey |
Whakatane SLSC |
Patrol Club of the Year |
|
Maketu SLSC |
Coromandel Lifesaving Awards:
Patrol Support Person of the Year |
Sharlene Manukau |
Waihi Beach LGS |
Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year |
Dominic Sutton |
Whangamata SLSC |
U19 Emerging Volunteer Lifeguard of the Year |
Rian Butler |
Waihi Beach LGS |
Patrol Captain of the Year |
Dominic Sutton |
Whangamata SLSC |
Instructor of the Year |
Brianna Norris |
Whangamata SLSC |
Examiner of the Year |
Georgia Eldridge |
Waihi Beach LGS |
Rescue of the Year |
Rescue 5th January 2022 |
Pauanui/Tairua SLSC |
Regional Lifeguard of the Year |
Stella Reid |
Pauanui SLSC |
Beach Education Instructor of the Year |
Josh Coombridge & Laura Clark |
Raglan SLSC |
Patrol Club of the Year |
|
Whangamata SLSC |
Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Lifesaving Sport Awards:
Emerging Official of the Year |
Fiona Swain |
Waihi Beach LS |
Official of the Year |
Caroline Bird |
Mount Maunganui LS |
Emerging Coach of the Year |
Jake Cowdrey |
Papamoa SLSC |
Volunteer Coach of the Year |
Katrina Madill |
Mount Maunganui LS |
Sports Team of the Year |
Two and a Half Men IRB Race Team ( Thomas Swain, Rian Butler and Finn Miller) |
Waihi Beach LS |
International Individual Sport Performance of the Year |
Harrison Bond |
Omanu SLSC |
Coaches Commitment Award |
Alex Thompson |
Papamoa SLSC |
Damian Munro |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Matthew Waide |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Gus Shivnan |
Omanu SLSC |
|
Scott Cliff |
Omanu SLSC |
|
High Performance Recognition NZ Junior Black Fins Team
|
Jayden Murphy |
Mount Maunganui LS |
Talitha McEwan |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Gus Shivnan |
Omanu SLSC |
|
Lucy Bartlett |
Omanu SLSC |
Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Service Awards:
Regional Service Award |
Izaak Bates |
Pauanui SLSC |
Sandra Boubee |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Greg Bowen |
Tairua SLSC |
|
Robynne Cabusao |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Dave Cowdrey |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Poppy Crouch |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Grant Davis-Calvert |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Matthew Davoren |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Deborah Hocart |
Opotiki SLSC |
|
Ryan Hohneck |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Matt Hunt |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Kelly Pinner |
Pauanui SLSC |
|
Spencer Raymond |
Pauanui SLSC |
|
Russell Reardon |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Jock Rosie |
Pauanui SLSC |
|
Shane Smith |
Papamoa SLSC |
|
Jamie Troughton |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Stuart Upjohn |
Pauanui SLSC |
|
Thomas Yule |
Mount Maunganui LS |
|
Laura Beanland-Stephens |
Tairua SLSC |
|
Mathew Kerr |
Tairua SLSC |
|
Rachelle Bright |
Whangamata SLSC |
|
Nathan Hight |
Whangamata SLSC |
|
Scott Bartlett |
Omanu SLSC |
Regional Distinguished Service Award |
Sean Ridler |
Tairua SLSC |
Nathan Hight |
Whangamata SLSC |
Regional Life Membership Award |
Bruce Matheson |
Omanu SLSC |
Bay of Plenty Sustainable Action of the Year |
Wai Kokopu |
Pukehina SR |
Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Supreme Awards:
Bay of Plenty Volunteer of the Year |
Merehini Meads |
Maketu SLSC |
Coromandel Volunteer of the Year |
Kevin Thorburn |
Onemana SLSC |
Bay of Plenty Innovation of the Year |
Mt Maunganui Marker Project |
Mount Maunganui LS |
Bay of Plenty Overall Club of the Year |
|
Maketu SLSC |
Coromandel Overall Club of the Year |
|
Whangamata SLSC |