News
SLSNZ Announces Finalists for the Bay of Plenty & Coromandel Awards of Excellence
Friday, 21 June 2024The finalists for Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s (SLSNZ) Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Awards of Excellence have been announced.
These awards not only acknowledge the incredible skills, commitment, and effort by surf lifeguards to ensure the safety of beachgoers, but also those who have educated others, managed administration, and participated in lifesaving sport throughout the 2023/2024 season.
Avan Polo, SLSNZ Eastern Regional Manager, said, “Well done to all the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel finalists. It was a busy year with beautiful weather luring thousands of beachgoers to the stunning beaches that make up our region. Mount Maunganui also played host to three of SLSNZ’s big sporting events! They went off without a hitch and truly displayed the best of our community.
“During the 2023/2024 season, many clubs also experienced significant development. We witnessed record demand for regional courses like Wāhine on Water, and we qualified 155 new surf lifeguards, 33 new patrol supporters, and 26 new Inflatable Rescue Boat drivers. These are fantastic numbers and demonstrate how members are eager to improve and add to their skills.”
The Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Awards of Excellence will bring together Surf Life Saving clubs including Hot Water Beach, Tairua, Pauanui, Onemana, Whangamatā, Whiritoa, Waihi Beach, Mount Maunganui, Omanu, Papamoa, Maketu, Pukehina, Whakatāne, and Ōpōtiki.
Polo said, “This is definitely a highlight on the calendar for many clubs, as it’s not only a night of celebrating but a great way to catch up and reflect on the season that’s been. We hope everyone raises a glass and has a great night.”
During the 2023/2024 season, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel surf lifeguards spent over 16,000 hours on patrol, rescued over 70 people, performed over 150 first aids, and carried out over 1,600 preventative actions.
This year’s awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, 20 July 2024 at 5pm at the Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club.
Full list of finalists:
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Bay of Plenty Examiner of the Year |
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Boyd Harris |
Pukehina |
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Mereheni Meads |
Maketu |
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Radleigh Cairns |
Papamoa |
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Coromandel Examiner of the Year |
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Ella Toumadj |
Whangamatā |
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Gabriella Hughes |
Tairua |
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Jack Sewell |
Onemana |
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Bay of Plenty Instructor of the Year |
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Caroline Trapski |
Maketu |
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Donal Boyle |
Omanu |
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Ryan Hohneck |
Papamoa |
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Coromandel Instructor of the Year |
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Charlotte Toumadj |
Onemana |
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Gabriella Hughes |
Tairua |
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Jessica Meade |
Waihi Beach |
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Bay of Plenty Junior Surf Contribution of the Year |
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Jamie Mardon |
Papamoa |
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Kim O'Leary |
Pukehina |
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Mereheni Meads |
Maketu |
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Coromandel Junior Surf Contribution of the Year |
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Briarna Higgs |
Tairua |
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Sue Groenewald |
Waihi Beach |
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Bay of Plenty DHL Patrol Support of the Year |
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Bradley Hopping |
Maketu |
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Corey Pullar |
Omanu |
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Stephanie Mardon |
Papamoa |
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Coromandel DHL Patrol Support of the Year |
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Philip Marks |
Onemana |
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Nicola Young-Harbour |
Whangamatā |
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Sharlene Manukau |
Waihi Beach |
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Bay of Plenty bp Powercraft Contribution of the Year |
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Haven Bellamy |
Omanu |
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Ray Stoddart |
Ōpōtiki |
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Ryan Hohneck |
Papamoa |
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Coromandel bp Powercraft Contribution of the Year |
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Andrew Cochrane |
Waihi Beach |
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Connor McLeay |
Onemana |
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Bay of Plenty bp Rescue of the Year |
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Mt Maunganui LS - 8th April 2024 |
Mount Maunganui |
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Coromandel bp Rescue of the Month/Year |
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Whangamatā SLSC - 16th April 2024 |
Whangamatā |
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Whangamatā SLSC - 18th January 2024 |
Whangamatā |
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Whiritoa LS - 3rd June 2023 |
Whiritoa |
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Coromandel bp Search and Rescue Contribution of the Year |
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Andrew Cochrane |
Waihi Beach |
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Bay of Plenty DHL U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year |
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Kennedy Meads |
Maketu |
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Liam Shanahan |
Mount Maunganui |
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Zoe Rive |
Pukehina |
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Coromandel DHL U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year |
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Molly Abbott |
Tairua |
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Louis Batten |
Onemana |
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Daniel Lewis |
Whangamatā |
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Bay of Plenty DHL Surf Lifeguard of the Year |
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Andrew McDowell |
Pukehina |
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Jamie Mardon |
Papamoa |
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Liam Shanahan |
Mount Maunganui |
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Mark O'Leary |
Maketu |
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Coromandel DHL Surf Lifeguard of the Year |
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Gabriella Hughes |
Tairua |
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Julius Bell |
Whangamatā |
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Sam Cox |
Pauanui |
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Bay of Plenty Patrol Captain of the Year |
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Ryan Hohneck |
Papamoa |
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Mike Swan |
Omanu |
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Duncan Bentley |
Pukehina |
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Coromandel Patrol Captain of the Year |
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Briarna Higgs |
Tairua |
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Louis Batten |
Onemana |
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Macayla Lock |
Pauanui |
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Top Rookie Award (Harrison Mundy Mem) |
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Clay Simpson |
Maketu |
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Benjamin Emeny |
Papamoa |
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Jayden Harris |
Pukehina |
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Bay of Plenty Paid Lifeguard of the Year |
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Mitch Cowdrey |
Papamoa |
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Liam Davoren |
Papamoa |
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Zoe Rive |
Pukehina |
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Coromandel Paid Lifeguard of the Year |
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Macayla Lock |
Pauanui |
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Jessica Meade |
Waihi Beach |
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Nathan Walters |
Pauanui |
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Bay of Plenty Beach Education Instructor of the Year |
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Flynn Weatherall |
Omanu |
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Alex Manning |
Whakatāne |
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Nikita Bublitz |
Lyall Bay |
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Coromandel Beach Education Instructor of the Year |
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Connor McLeay |
Onemana |
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Gabriella Hughes |
Tairua |
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Lily Taylor |
Whangamatā |
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Sports Person of the Year |
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U14 Male |
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Simiosi Tukia |
Waihi Beach |
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Sam Cameron |
Omanu |
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Ty Kelly |
Papamoa |
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U14 Female |
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India-Rose Scholes |
Mount Maunganui |
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Maia Symes |
Omanu |
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Georgia Walter |
Waihi Beach |
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U15 Male |
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Oliver Pepers |
Papamoa |
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Max Morley |
Waihi Beach |
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Luke Gillbanks |
Papamoa |
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U15 Female |
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Olivia Verryt |
Omanu |
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India-Rose Scholes |
Mount Maunganui |
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Tessa Scott |
Waihi Beach |
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U17 Male |
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Braith Swanberg |
Omanu |
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Charlie Shivnan |
Omanu |
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Henry Scholes |
Mount Maunganui |
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U17 Female |
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Alyssa Tapper |
Whangamatā |
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Indy Gibson |
Pukehina |
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Monique Bartlett |
Mount Maunganui |
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U19 Male |
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Azrael Cabusao |
Whakatāne |
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Logan West |
Mount Maunganui |
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Hunter Robinson |
Whangamatā |
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U19 Female |
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Pippa Nicol |
Mount Maunganui |
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Talitha McEwan |
Mount Maunganui |
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Milana Tapper |
Whangamatā |
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Open Male |
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Jayden Murphy |
Mount Maunganui |
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Jack Keepa |
Omanu |
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Julen Marticorena |
Mount Maunganui |
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Open Female |
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Molly Shivnan |
Omanu |
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Madison Kidd |
Whangamatā |
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Natalie Peat |
Papamoa |
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Masters Male |
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Ian Glover |
Omanu |
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Richard Williams |
Papamoa |
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Tony Jackson |
Papamoa |
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Masters Female |
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Naomi Davoren |
Papamoa |
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Deborah Reardon |
Mount Maunganui |
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Michelle Kalma |
Mount Maunganui |
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Coach of the Year |
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Cory Hutchings |
Omanu |
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Jack Bullock |
Papamoa |
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Simon Wills |
Whakatāne |
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Coaches Commitment Award |
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Daniel Shanahan |
Mount Maunganui |
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Greg Swanberg |
Omanu |
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Daniel Lewis |
Whangamatā |
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Peter Hodgson |
Waihi Beach |
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Jonn Ripo |
Pukehina |
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Trelise Chote |
Papamoa |
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Emerging Coach of the Year |
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Harry Dufaur |
Whangamatā |
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George Reid |
Pauanui |
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Keaton White |
Waihi Beach |
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Emerging Surf Official of the Year |
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Greg Akroyd |
Mount Maunganui |
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Amanda Richardson |
Omanu |
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David Cox |
Papamoa |
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Volunteer Coach of the Year |
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Christine (Chrissie) Nairn |
Pukehina |
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Christian Richardson |
Omanu |
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Volunteer Event Safety Contribution of the Year |
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Flynn Weatherall |
Omanu |
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Kent Jarman |
Mount Maunganui |
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Shaun Smith |
Papamoa |
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Sportsperson of the Year |
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Jayden Murphy |
Mount Maunganui |
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Molly Shivnan |
Omanu |
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Madison Kidd |
Whangamatā |
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Sports Team of Year |
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Papamoa U17 Female Ski Relay |
Papamoa |
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Omanu U17 Male Taplin Team |
Omanu |
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Whakatane U19 Female Canoe Crew |
Whakatane |
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Surf Official of the Year |
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Bruce Matheson |
Omanu |
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Catriona Manning |
Whakatāne |
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Joanne Miller |
Papamoa |
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Bay of Plenty NZ Lottery Grants Board Volunteer of Year |
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Ailsa Cowdrey |
Papamoa |
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Andrew McDowell |
Pukehina |
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Caroline Trapski |
Maketu |
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Coromandel NZ Lottery Grants Board Volunteer of Year |
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Betsie Warner |
Tairua |
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Donna Pfefferle |
Waihi Beach |
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Kevin Thorburn |
Onemana |
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Coromandel Innovation Award |
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Tairua Surf Life Saving Club |
Tairua |