News
Champions of the Beach: Surf Life Saving Canterbury Awards Finalists Announced
Friday, 5 May 2023The finalists for Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s (SLSNZ) Canterbury Awards of Excellence have been announced following a busy summer season.
These awards are not only a celebration of the amazing skills, dedication, and hard work that went in to keeping New Zealanders safe in the water, but also a recognition of those who have taught others, run administration and competed in surf sports during the 2022/23 season.
SLSNZ Southern Regional Manager Stu Bryce said, “It was a busy season for our Canterbury teams, following a couple of years of restrictions. Despite challenging surf conditions, our Surf Lifeguards remained vigilant in ensuring the safety of beachgoers who flocked to the beaches to soak up the sunshine.”
“The season ended on a high with the TSB New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships at New Brighton beach. It was a successful four day event that will be remembered for years to come. A big thanks must go out to all our members who worked tirelessly both on the front lines patrolling the beaches and behind the scenes, ensuring everything ran smoothly.”
The SLSNZ Canterbury Awards of Excellence will bring together Surf Life Saving Clubs from across the South Island, including Nelson, Rārangi, Buller, Kotuku, Waikuku Beach, Spencer Park, Waimairi, North Beach, New Brighton, South Brighton, Sumner and Taylors Mistake.
Bryce said, “It’s great to have so many of our members recognised for their hard work and dedication. The sheer amount of time and effort put in by our volunteers is truly inspiring. The Volunteer of the Year award is going to be a tough one to decide, with so many deserving candidates who have given their all to help clubs throughout the season.”
The awards will be held at the iconic Turanga Library in the heart of Christchurch’s Cathedral Square on May 13th at 6pm.
Full list of finalists:
Surf Official of the Year
Andrea Summerfield - Waikuku Beach
Daryl Poulsen - Spencer Park
Ian Rae - Taylors Mistake
Lance Cleeve - Waimairi
Stu Bryce - New Brighton
Tesimale Ah Kuoi - South Brighton
The Shanks Family Event Guard of the Year
Doug Heaton - Waimairi
Jamie Lock - Taylors Mistake
Tim Harris - North Beach
Zavian Fletcher - New Brighton
Zeke De Gouw - Spencer Park
Coach of the Year
Ben Keys - Waimairi
Dave Smith - Taylors Mistake
Dean Le Warne - North Beach
Dylan Neal-Hill - Spencer Park
Logan Penrose - New Brighton
Malcolm MacDonald - South Brighton
Mark Robberds - Sumner
Tom Denman - Sumner
Allan Lee Team of the Year
South Brighton Open Men's Beach Relay
(Morgan Foster, George Reid, Mathieu Reid, Luca Mackenzie)
South Brighton Open Women's Beach Relay
(Anna Manning, Ashleigh Archer, Annie O'Neill, Mihiroa Pauling)
Sumner Open Men's Board Rescue
(Ben Isles, Jack Simmons)
Taylors Mistake Open Men's Board Relay
(Conor Dempster, Flynn Hamilton, Taylor Chamberlain
The Leon ‘Flash’ Peters Team of the Year
New Brighton U23 Men's Surf Boat Crew
(Isaac Davies, Liam Bunting, Cameron Long, James Kitchenman, Lachland Hill, Logan Penrose)
North Beach U19 Women's Canoe Crew
(Matilda Le Warne, Izzy mccone, Olivia Gainsford, Ana Schraa)
North Beach Open Men's IRB Crew
(Zachary Fenwick-Bull, Brendan Hall)
Spencer Park U23 Men's IRB Crew
(Zeke De Gouw, Liam Walker, Caleb Stewart, Emma Blackwell, Greer Poulsen)
Sumner Open Women's IRB Crew
(Kate Suter, Harakeke Mote, Sophie Berill)
Waimairi Open Men's Canoe Crew
(Carl Righton, Mark Cresswell, Greg Shea, Josh Edmonds
Te Onepoto Award for Junior Surf Coaching
Cameron Penrose - New Brighton
Elliot Duke - Taylors Mistake
Jack Watts - Rārangi
Josh Edmonds - Waimairi
Katie Hughes - Nelson
Luca Mackenzie - South Brighton
Myffy Roberts - Spencer Park
Sjaan Bowie - Sumner
Tim Harris - North Beach
Te Onepoto Award for Junior Surf Service
Amy Willcox - Spencer Park
Dean Le Warne - North Beach
Julie Jorgensen - Waikuku Beach
Kathryn Newbery - Taylors Mistake
Katie Hughes - Nelson
Kirsty Cullen - New Brighton
Maia Smith – Waimairi
Ben Quane - Sumner
Sports Man of the Year
Ben Cutler - Waimairi
Carl Tresfield - Sumner
Harrison Bentley - New Brighton
Morgan Foster - South Brighton
Taylor Chamberlain - Taylors Mistake
Thomas McIntyre - Spencer Park
Louis Clark – Taylors Mistake
Sports Woman of the Year
Izzy McCone - North Beach
Lucy Stroud - Taylors Mistake
Kiera Hall - Sumner
Rosie Falcous - South Brighton
Stella Crossan - Spencer Park
Regional Lifeguard of the Year
Jem Lilburne - Waimairi
Sophie Berrill - Sumner
William Simmons - Sumner
Beach Education Instructor of the Year
Alanah Fern - South Brighton
Gabby de Latour - South Brighton
Grace Rowland - Taylors Mistake
Jem Lilburne - Waimairi
Keke Mote - Sumner
Instructor/Examiner of the Year
Andrew MacFarlane - Waikuku Beach
Brendon Fergusson - Rārangi
Dean Le Warne - North Beach
Gabriella de Latour - South Brighton
Ian Rae - Taylors Mistake
Linda Poulsen - Spencer Park
Per Tonascia - Sumner
Rachael Cleeve - Waimairi
Rescue of the Year
New Brighton SLSC - 14th December 2022
Rārangi SLSC - 2nd March 2023
Spencer Park SLSC - 13th November 2022
Sumner SLSC - 12th November 2022
Taylors Mistake SLSC - 3rd February 2023
Taylors Mistake SLSC - 11th March 2023
Rookie Lifeguard of the Year
Alexander Williams - Waimairi
Fenix Raasch - Spencer Park
Hannah Gard - Taylors Mistake
Isaac Richardson - Waikuku Beach
Jessica Borcherds - New Brighton
Ruby Marshall - Rārangi
Tyler Lodge - South Brighton
Zara Harrington - Sumner
Emerging Lifeguard of the Year
Aggie Weston - Taylors Mistake
Grace Costello - Waimairi
Harrison Bentley - New Brighton
Jack Watts - Rārangi
Jessica Macdonald - Spencer Park
Lochie Ellison - Sumner
Markus Jorgensen - South Brighton
Olivia Gainsford - North Beach
Tiah Stanton - Nelson
Tomos Brooks - Waikuku Beach
Patrol Support of the Year
Mike Smith - Taylors Mistake
Peter Drake - Waikuku Beach
Riki Fahey - North Beach
Lifeguard of the Year
Courtney Moir - Nelson
Dean Le Warne - North Beach
Gary Rowse - Rārangi
Isaac Davies - New Brighton
Jesse Webb - Waimairi
Lucy Stroud - Taylors Mistake
Per Tonascia - Sumner
Riley Stewart - Spencer Park
Stella Reid - South Brighton
Volunteer of the Year
Brendon Fergusson - Rārangi
Craig Goldsmith - Taylors Mistake
Lachlan Hill - New Brighton
Matt Sheppard - South Brighton
Noah Hosie - Nelson
Phil Straver - North Beach
Todd Robertson - Waimairi
Troy Reed - Spencer Park
For more information please contact:
Alex O’Hara – Media & Communications Manager
021 779 292