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SLSNZ Announces Finalists for the Canterbury Awards of Excellence
Friday, 10 May 2024The finalists for Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s (SLSNZ) Canterbury 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.
Stu Bryce, SLSNZ Southern Regional Manager, said, “Congratulations to all the Canterbury finalists. It’s been a busy season and I couldn’t be prouder of the clubs who have kept watch over beachgoers and their communities.
“Looking back on the 2023/2024 season, our Canterbury Surf Life Saving clubs noticed some interesting trends, likely brought on by the fine weather we enjoyed. It seemed people were venturing out to beach spots farther away and soaking up the sun for longer stretches. This did put a bit of extra pressure on our surf lifeguards, with demand shooting up. But, despite this, it was a fantastic season as thousands of people enjoyed our beautiful southern coastline.”
The Canterbury Awards of Excellence will bring together Surf Life Saving clubs from across the South Island, including Nelson, Rārangi, Buller, Kōtuku, Waikuku Beach, Spencer Park, Waimairi, North Beach, New Brighton, South Brighton, Sumner, and Taylors Mistake.
Bryce said, “It should be a great night of celebration, bringing together all areas of the Surf Life Saving movement. Whether it’s our fearless surf lifeguards, hardworking administrators and educators, or our talented athletes. We want to acknowledge and thank them all for the mahi they’ve done.”
During the 2023/2024 season, Canterbury surf lifeguards spent over 25,000 hours on patrol, rescued over 70 people, performed over 140 first aids, and carried out over 4,300 preventative actions.
This year’s awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, 18 May 2024 at 6pm at the Turanga Library in Christchurch.
Full list of finalists:
DHL Surf Lifeguard of the Year
|
Matt Goodwin |
North Beach |
|
Eddie Foskett |
Waimairi |
|
Thomas McIntyre |
Spencer Park |
|
Andy Cullen |
New Brighton |
|
Ian Rae |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Ben Isles |
Sumner |
|
Amy Phillip |
Waikuku Beach |
DHL U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year
|
Jeremy John |
Waimairi |
|
Corby Allison |
New Brighton |
|
Markus Jorgensen |
South Brighton |
|
Lucy Ryan |
Spencer Park |
|
Callum Gard |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Ariana McGee |
Nelson |
|
Jett Coutts |
Sumner |
|
Geraint Campbell |
Waikuku Beach |
DHL Patrol Support of the Year
|
Andrea Hale |
North Beach |
|
Hamish Smith |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Fiona Proudfoot |
Sumner |
|
Peter Drake |
Waikuku Beach |
bp Search and Rescue Contribution of the Year
|
Gina Eccersall |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Tom Denman |
Sumner |
|
Aaron Harris |
Waikuku Beach |
bp Powercraft Contribution of the Year
|
Gary Van Leeuwan |
Waimairi |
|
Dean Le Warne |
North Beach |
|
Daryl Poulsen |
Spencer Park |
|
Mathieu Reid |
South Brighton |
|
Rachel Horsburgh |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Nick Hornblow |
Sumner |
|
Calum Mackay |
Waikuku Beach |
bp Rescue of the Year
|
Nelson |
|
Sumner |
|
New Brighton |
|
Waikuku Beach |
Coach of the Year
|
Boetie Koekemoer |
Waikuku Beach |
|
Callum Jeffery |
North Beach |
|
Steven Drabble |
South Brighton |
|
Ben Keys |
Waimairi |
|
Dean Isherwood |
New Brighton |
|
Blaise Chamberlain |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Dylan Neal-Hill |
Spencer Park |
|
Lucy Johnson |
Sumner |
Surf Sports Official of the Year
|
David Price |
North Beach |
|
Andrea Summerfield |
Waikuku Beach |
|
Lance Cleeve |
Waimairi |
|
Tesimale Ah Kuoi |
South Brighton |
|
Aimee Palmer |
Spencer Park |
|
Scott Bowie |
Sumner |
Surf Sportsperson of the Year
|
Hugo Wrathall |
Waimairi |
|
Izzy McCone |
North Beach |
|
Morgan Foster |
South Brighton |
|
Chloe Ah Kuoi |
South Brighton |
|
Taylor Chamberlain |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Lucy Stroud |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Stella Crossan |
Spencer Park |
|
Tommy McIntyre |
Spencer Park |
|
Alex Gibson |
Sumner |
|
Emily Seipp |
Sumner |
Surf Sports Team of the Year
|
South Brighton U17 Male Ski Relay Team |
South Brighton |
|
New Brighton Female Boat Crew |
New Brighton |
|
Taylors U19 Girls |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Spencer Park Female |
Spencer Park |
|
Sumner Male Team |
Sumner |
Event Safety Contribution of the Year
|
Tim Harris |
North Beach |
|
Tommy McIntyre |
Spencer Park |
|
Ana Schraa |
North Beach |
|
Dean Le Warne |
North Beach |
|
Oscar Cox |
Spencer Park |
|
Riley Stewart |
Spencer Park |
|
Zeke De Gouw |
Spencer Park |
Junior Surf Contribution of the Year
|
Maia Smith |
Waimairi |
|
Riki Fahey |
North Beach |
|
Kirsty Cullen |
New Brighton |
|
Ewan Baron |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Amy Willcox |
Spencer Park |
|
Ben Quane |
Sumner |
|
Julie Jorgensen |
South Brighton |
Instructor of the Year
|
Carl Bangma |
North Beach |
|
Aogan McGuinness |
Waimairi |
|
Daniel Tucker |
South Brighton |
|
Ian Rae |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Zeke De Gouw |
Spencer Park |
|
Per Tonascia |
Sumner |
|
Andrew McFarlane |
Waikuku Beach |
Examiner of the Year
|
Aogan McGuinness |
Waimairi |
|
Linda Poulsen |
Spencer Park |
|
Mike Smith |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Harry Taylor |
Sumner |
NZ Lottery Grants Board Volunteer of the Year
|
Gary Van Leeuwan |
Waimairi |
|
Olivia Gainsford |
North Beach |
|
Linda Poulsen |
Spencer Park |
|
Luke Johnston |
South Brighton |
|
Lachlan Hill |
New Brighton |
|
Craig Goldsmith |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Per Tonascia |
Sumner |
|
Duncan Campbell |
Waikuku Beach |
Innovation Award
|
Sumner SLSC |
Sumner |
Sports Team of the Year – Large Craft
|
North Beach Female IRB Team |
North Beach |
|
Waimairi Open Male Canoe Team |
Waimairi |
|
Spencer Park Female IRB Team |
Spencer Park |
|
Sumner Female IRB Team |
Sumner |
|
New Brighton Female Boat Crew |
New Brighton |
Junior Surf Coach of the Year
|
Joshua Power |
Waikuku Beach |
|
Josh Edmonds |
Waimairi |
|
Dylan Neil-Hill |
South Brighton |
|
Jeannie Milne |
Taylors Mistake |
|
Huntley Quinn |
Sumner |
|
Monty Hodge |
South Brighton |
Top Rookie Award
|
Toby Ryder-Foskett |
Waimairi |
|
Ryan Goodwin |
North Beach |
|
Gus McPherson |
Spencer Park |
|
Holly Bryce |
Sumner |
|
Phoebe Trevella |
New Brighton |
|
Chloe Ireland |
Waikuku Beach |