Surf Life Saving Members Honoured at 2024 SLSNZ National Awards of Excellence

The Surf Life Saving National Awards of Excellence recognise the outstanding dedication and commitment of surf lifeguards and club members across Aotearoa. This year’s winners and award recipients were announced at an ceremony at Te Pae in Christchurch on Saturday, 21 September.

SLSNZ CE, Steve Fisher, praises the unwavering resolve of lifeguards and club members across the country, who yet again rose to the challenges of tides, weather events and other serious incidents.

Fisher says, “I’d like to give a heartfelt thanks to the thousands of members who devote their time to keeping beachgoers safe, training and educating our lifeguards, and organising and participating in Sports events that help hone our lifeguards’ skills. The spirit, dedication and generosity of these volunteers is something Surf Life Saving New Zealand is hugely grateful for.”

“The National Awards of Excellence is a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge, honour and celebrate the exceptional achievements of lifeguards, officials, coaches, organisers, athletes and more,” Fisher adds.

“Andrew McDowell of Pukehina SR is the worthy winner of the NZ Lottery Grants Board Volunteer of the Year. McDowell goes above and beyond to help others in the movement and to help keep our beaches safe,” says Fisher.

The bp Rescue of the Year Award went to Bethells Beach SLSP. Their rescue of six men who went swimming on New Year’s Eve was quick, competent and efficient, most definitely saving lives.

“This after-hours mass rescue was executed in a text-book fashion in challenging surf by SAR squad members, assisted by PLS guards.  Two young men who were in very serious trouble were saved, and both the rescue and the resuscitation efforts on the third patient received unanimous accolades.”

 

Our two surf lifeguarding winners - DHL U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year Liam Shanahan, Mt Maunganui SLSC and DHL Volunteer Surf Lifeguard of the Year Kyran Gillespie, Baylys Beach, have both showed incredible lifeguarding skills and were popular winners of their awards.

 

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand National Awards Of Excellence - 2024 Winners

Bp Rescue of the Year

Bethells Beach SLSP: Kael Mead, Aurion Mead, Dean Maddaford, Andrew Carr, Leif Neilson, Natalie Neilson, Luci Marra, Jackson Hamilton

Bp Powercraft Contribution of the Year

Natalie Wilson, United North Piha LS

bp Search and Rescue Contribution of the Year

Jess Bennett, Ocean Beach Kiwi SLSC

TSB Surf Official of the Year

Jo Miller, Papamoa SLSC

Surf Sports Team of the Year

Sunset Beach Open Female IRB Team: Taylor Edwards and Abigail Chapman

Surf Sports Coach of the Year

Jack Gavin, Midway SLSC

Surf Sports Person of the Year

Fergus Eadie, Mairangi Bay SLSC

NZ Lottery Grants Board Volunteer of the Year Award

Andrew McDowell, Pukehina

Instructor of the Year

Per Tonascia, Sumner

Examiner of the Year

Faron Turner, Ōrewa

Event Safety Contribution of the Year

Sam Walters, Mairangi Bay

Junior Surf Contribution of the Year

Edan Wilson, Waikanae

DHL Patrol Support of the Year

Bradley Hopping, Maketu

DHL U19 Surf Lifeguard of the Year

Liam Shanahan, Mt Maunganui SLSC

DHL Volunteer Surf Lifeguard of the Year

Kyran Gillespie, Baylys Beach

London Trophy

Buller Community Surf Rescue

Gudsell Trophy

Joint winners: Omaha SLSC and Red Beach SLSC

Life Membership

Adam Fraser, Fitzroy SLSC

James Newell, Wanganui SLS

Brad O'Leary, Maranui SLSC

David Pontin, South Brighton SLSC

Shaun Smith, Papamoa SLSC

Craig Todd, Sumner SLSC

Faron Turner, Ōrewa SLSC

Jonathon Webber, Piha SLSC

50 Year Badges

John Campbell-Gibson, Maketu SLSC

Rob Ferguson, United North Piha LS

Mark Godwin, Waihi Beach SLSC

Malcolm Heke, Fitzroy SLSC

Kenneth Jones, Taylors Mistake SLSC

Murray Munro, Waihi Beach SLSC

Stephen Rodger, St Kilda SLSC

Kevin Steele, Waihi Beach SLSC

 

Distinguished Service Awards

Steve Vaughan, Mairangi Bay SLSC

Chase Cahalane, Bethells Beach SLSC

David Clarke, Brighton SLSC

Tom Denman, Sumner SLSC

Phil Harman, Waimarama SLSC

Joann Miller, Papamoa SLSC

Danny Morrison, Mairangi Bay SLSC

James Newell, Wanganui SLS

Jason Pocock, Mairangi Bay SLSC

David Pontin, South Brighton SLSC

Blair Quane, Sumner SLSC

Mark Robberds, Sumner SLSC

Kate Suter, Sumner SLSC

Matt Warren, Paekākāriki LS

 

Service Awards

Dennis Amoore, Raglan SLSC

Sarah Bailey, Raglan SLSC

Scott Bartlett, Omanu SLSC

David Brookes, Waikuku Beach SLSC

Duncan Campbell, Waikuku Beach SLSC

Marco Cecioni, Paekākāriki SL

Toni Charles, Nelson SLSC

David Clarke, Brighton SLSC

Felix Cook, St Kilda SLSC

David Corrin, Midway SLSC

Michelle Cossey, Whakatāne SLSC

Jeremy Crowe, Ōtaki SLSC

Jutta Crowe, Ōtaki SLSC

Michael DeBique, Ōpunake SLSC

Peter Drake,Waikuku Beach SLSC

Beca Evans, Waikuku Beach SLSC

Zac Franich, Ōrewa SLSC

David Galuszka, Raglan SLSC

Aaron Harris, Waikuku Beach SLSC

Nicholas Harwood, St Kilda SLSC

Phoebe Havill, Onemana SLSC

Antony Jackson, St Kilda SLSC

Jessica Larson, Spencer Park SLSC

Aimee Leigh, Ōpunake SLSC

Bruce Lomax  , South Brighton SLSC

Peter Macefield, Waikuku Beach SLSC

Katrina Madill, Mt Maunganui LS

Catriona Manning, Whakatane SLSC

Andrea May, Ōrewa SLSC

Emma Michel, Raglan SLSC

Jody Mowat, St Kilda SLSC

Victoria Mulrennan, United North Piha LS

Hayden Munro, Waihi Beach LS

Donna Pfefferle, Waihi Beach LS

Jared Phelps, Midway SLSC

Miah Phelps, Midway SLSC

Shana Pohe, Brighton SLSC

David Pontin, South Brighton SLSC

Rod Salt, Mairangi Bay SLSC

Rick Schreuder, SLS Kariaotahi

Lucy Scown, Waihi Beach LS

Maddie Scown, Waihi Beach LS

Mary Seelen, Nelson SLSC

Jack Sewell, Onemana SLSC

Hogan Shrimpton, Sunset Beach LS

Karen Simpson-Warren, Paekākāriki LS

Luke Smith, Taylors Mistake SLSC

Anne Snowden, Raglan SLSC

Matthew Sutton, Midway SLSC

Alex Taylor, Kariaotahi SLSC

Fred Teaukura, Mairangi Bay SLSC

Nick Tremewan, Sumner SLSC

Gabrielle Trotter, Brighton SLSC

Errol Verstegen, Whakatāne SLSC

Nicholas Wagstaff, Waihi Beach SLSC

Roderick (Jim) West, Mairangi Bay SLSC

Dave Wells, Worser Bay LSC