2020 SLSNZ Awards of Excellence Winners Booklet

Awards of Excellence
2020 WINNERS

Introduction
The Surf Life Saving National Awards of Excellence
programme recognises the contribution of our amazing
members from the grass roots of Surf Life Saving
during the 2019/2020 season.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we were unable to host this
year's awards in Wellington.
However we are delighted to announce this year's
SLSNZ Awards Of Excellence winners.
We are incredibly proud and grateful for all that you do
and achieve. The contribution you make to Surf
Lifesaving, your clubs and communities is outstanding -
even more so because you do this as volunteers!
Congratulations to all of our winners
and award recipients.
Awards of Excellence

Contents
MEDIA AND RESCUE AWARDS
bp Media Award
bp Rescue of the Year Award
SURF SPORT AWARDS
TSB Official of the Year
TSB Coach of the Year
TSB International Sport Performance of the Year
SERVICE AWARDS
Service Awards - CLICK TO VIEW BOOKLET
50 Year Badges
Awards of Excellence

INSTRUCTOR & VOLUNTEER AWARDS
DHL Instructor of the Year
DHL Volunteer of the Year
DHL Innovation of the Year
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS
LIFE MEMBERSHIP
SURF LIFESAVING AWARDS
London Trophy
Gudsell Trophy
NZ Lottery Grants Board Lifeguard of the Year
Awards of Excellence

Message from the President
Marilyn Moffatt
SLSNZ President
Congratulations to all the winners in the 2020 SLSNZ
Awards of Excellence. I'm in awe of the passion you have and
the work you have put in over the last year. Your award is well
deserved and I know your club and fellow lifeguards are very
proud of you. Congratulations also to all the nominees, your
nomination at this level is recognition of the high standard of
work and commitment you have shown.
These awards showcase the important work that our lifeguards
do around the country both on and off the beach. I look
forward to meeting many of you over this summer and seeing
the difference that you make to keep our beaches safer.
Awards of Excellence

Message from the Chair
Brent Warner
SLSNZ Chairperson
It provides me great pleasure to pen a quick note in support of
this year’s awards. While it's a shame we can't meet in person
to celebrate the fantastic efforts of this year’s award recipients,
this shouldn't take anything away from this year’s winners, who
are fantastic individuals contributing to their communities by
developing future leaders and champions.
Without doubt, this year’s recipients are outstanding individuals
whose volunteer efforts contribute widely to their communities
and throughout New Zealand society.
To our award recipients, well done on your efforts in building
“Better Kiwis”. You are very much appreciated by New
Zealanders - and never underestimate how many Kiwis are
home with their families tonight because of your efforts.
Awards of Excellence

Media &
Rescue Awards

We are immensely grateful for bp’s ongoing support
and their talented team who work alongside us – their
involvement over 52 years has been hugely beneficial to
both organisations. Our partnership with bp continues
to be the longest unbroken commercial partnership in
New Zealand, and we are both incredibly proud of this.
bp committed to repeating the highly popular “Every Litre
Counts” campaign for a third season raising awareness and an
additional $231,219 in critical funds for SLSNZ.
The 2019 Vote the Boat recipient of a fully kitted Inflatable
Rescue Boat was Kaka Point SLSC in the South Island, who have
made a number of rescues with their new IRB. bp Leaders for
Life – our leadership development programme – continues to
go from strength to strength providing our members with a
fantastic opportunity for personal development and to make a
valued contribution to the growth of surf lifesaving in New
Zealand. Our clubs once again benefited at the start of the
season with a $500 bp gift card to help with running costs.

Debi Boffa Managing Director
for bp New Zealand Ltd
“All our bp team are incredibly proud of bp’s 52-year
association with Surf Life Saving New Zealand.
Surf Lifeguards and Surf Clubs around the country do such
great work on and off the water saving thousands of lives on
our beaches each year. It’s awesome to be able to support
these efforts through our community partnership with
Surf Life Saving New Zealand.
On behalf of all of us at bp, congratulations to each of the
2020 SLSNZ Awards of Excellence winners and nominees. Keep
up the great work!”
Awards of Excellence

Media Award
Seven Sharp & Lucas de Jong
Excellence in Public Education on How to
Survive a Rip Current
VIEW the VIDEO

Rescue of the Year Award
The SLS Kariaotahi Emergency Call Out Squad at the NZ Search
and Rescue Awards, where they won the NZ Search & Rescue
GOLD Award for Operational Activity.
SLS Kariaotahi Emergency
Call Out Squad

Three lives saved. It doesn’t get much better for Kariaotahi’s Surf Life Saving
Club’s Emergency Call Out Squad of Shannon Benterman, Bradley Walters, Nick
Hornblow, Shannon Swann, Maddison Hare, Leanni Browne, Josh Watkins,
James Burton, Chris Parker, Mike Lawrence, Guy Hornblow and Tara Coe.
At 5.50pm on May 25, 2019, the squad was sent to the Waikato River Mouth
with an IRB and Night Operations Kit to combine with the Sunset Beach
Lifeguard Service, Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Police Eagle Helicopter to
search for a missing boat with three on board.
An hour later Eagle spotted the boat, it’s crew all wearing life jackets but about
half a mile out to sea. Westpac tried to winch them on board but the conditions
were too rough so Kariaotahi headed out, Westpac’s spotlight guiding them.
It was 7.16pm when Hornblow and crewman Walters left shore and within a few
minutes they had reached the stricken boat, pulled the crew into the IRB and
returned to shore. Two of them, a woman and seven year old boy, had little sign
of life and needed urgent care with CPR administered to the woman before she
and the boy were flown by the Westpac chopper to hospital while lifeguards
transported the man to the Surf Club where he was met by an ambulance.
Walters, the head of Surf Life Saving at Kariaotahi, said the rescue was the result
of years of training, sound processes and risk assessments in place by the
agencies involved. Without that and the fast, efficient patient pick up by the IRB
crew under difficult conditions it was almost certain that those three lives would
have been lost that night. “It was a fantastic, well coordinated, multi-agency
response which had a positive outcome for all involved,” Walters said.
READ THE FULL STORY

Surf Sports
Awards

The dedicated TSB team committed to providing Surf Life
Saving Clubs with rescue gear this year through the provision
of their annual TSB Grants, worth $100,000. From rescue tubes
and rescue boards to hand-held radios and all-terrain vehicles,
their support was felt directly at the grassroots level. In
addition, they invested in the replacement of the battered flag
stand covers for all our clubs across Aotearoa. Patrol flags
are not only iconic but also essential lifesaving equipment
that designates the safest place to swim
on a lifeguarded beach.
TSB also support SLSNZ’s Beach Education programme that
teaches thousands of primary and intermediate kiwi kids
practical beach and water skills in a real beach setting.
Prevention is better than cure and the best way to save lives at
the beach and reduce our alarming fatal drowning toll is to
teach people how to stay out of danger. We know this
programme saves lives and TSB’s support is critical.

Donna Cooper
TSB Chief Executive Officer
Surf Life Saving New Zealand lifeguards saved over 577 lives
last summer, that’s more than 577 families who have a loved
one with them because of the work you do.
It’s a remarkable statistic.
At TSB we pride ourselves on putting people first - that means
our customers, but also our communities and, ultimately,
all New Zealanders.
That’s why we’re pleased to do what we can to support an
organisation that does so much for our country.
Awards of Excellence

Surf Official of the Year
Greg Rieger
Mt Maunganui LS

Greg Rieger, from the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, is
the TSB Official of the Year after yet another busy season on
the sand. It would be easier to list the events Rieger hasn’t
officiated at because his contribution is so immense. He was an
official at the Bay of Plenty junior and senior champs, Mount
Monster, Champion of the Bays and Owen Chapman, then add
to that the Eastern Regional pool, junior and senior champs.
At a national level Rieger was chief judge at Oceans, an arena
referee at Nationals and event referee at the National Pool
Champs - and found the time to mentor 10 other officials.
Not only is Greg one of the most heavily utilised officials, he’s
also one of the most popular. It is fair to say if we could clone
Greg we would because his passion and philosophy around
making events enjoyable are attributes that surf deeply values.
Awards of Excellence

Coach of the Year
Dion Williams
Wainui SLSC

Dion Williams, from Wainui SLSC, is Surf Life Saving NZ’s TSB
Coach of the Year after assisting the Black Fins at the Sanyo
World Cup in Japan last year and enjoying good success at a
local, regional and national level.
William’s athletes won 26 senior and 67 junior medals at a local
level and 55 senior medals, four junior ones at a regional level
and 32 medals at a senior national level. These are outstanding
results for the small Wainui club who finished seventh at the
ERC’s and 11th at the Nationals in Gisborne.
Williams is highly regarded in surf, helping to produce high
performance athletes, open to working with others, as he did in
assisting the Kawana Water Surf Team at Oceans 2020, and
sitting on the Gisborne/Tairāwhiti Sport Committee and the
National Sport Committee. He is a committed club man,
helping with the nippers at Wainui, running refresher courses,
volunteering as a patrol captain and, like so many in surf,
continuing to help with fundraisers and working bees.
Awards of Excellence

International Sport
Performance of the Year
Danielle McKenzie
Mairangi Bay SLSC

Mairangi Bay’s Danielle McKenzie achieved the TSB
International Sport Performance of the Year after winning all of
her ski races at the International Surf Rescue Challenge in
South Africa. McKenzie competed in five ski races over three
days of competition - three ski team races and two individual
races.
She won them all.
At the SLSNZ Nationals McKenzie again dominated the field
across the beach in what was a truly exceptional, and record
breaking, performance. She now holds the record for the
greatest number of NZ National Title wins in Surf Lifesaving
Sport with 42 open wins (comprising individual, team, ocean
and pool rescue wins), 81 open medals and 96 medals in total
including age group medals.
Awards of Excellence

Service
Awards

Toyota Financial Services are our exclusive vehicle sponsor for
Surf Life Saving New Zealand. They provide much needed
sponsored vehicles to support regional lifesaving delivery and
community education programmes. Our team need access
to high quality, reliable transport in order to support our
network of clubs, so we are delighted to have a fleet
that is exclusively Toyota.
As a network of volunteer-based charities, this kind of support
from our commercial partners is invaluable and makes a real
difference at the front-line. Our partnership gives the Surf Life
Saving movement a lot of confidence that we will be able to
support clubs in meeting the safety needs of the public
at our beaches into the future.

Service Award Recipients
Aaron Lyttle - Nelson SLSC
Noah Hosie - Nelson SLSC
Stuart Edens - Nelson SLSC
Alex Sutherland - Brighton SLSC
Belinda Slement - Wainui SLSC
Jeremy Lockwood - Wainui SLSC
Brendon Ferguson - Rarangi SLSC
Neil Watts - Rarangi SLSC
Amy Spiekerman - Paekakariki SL
David Jones - Paekakariki SL
Dwight Garton - Paekakariki SL
Natasha Perkins - Paekakariki SL
David Grant - Waihi Beach LS
David Litton - Waihi Beach LS
James Lloyd - Waihi Beach LS

Service Award Recipients
Bradley Walters - Kariaotahi SLSC
Dean Lawrence - Kariaotahi SLSC
Tara Coe - Kariaotahi SLSC
Debra Cairns - Red Beach SLSC
Dylan Turner - Red Beach SLSC
Robyn Presland - Red Beach SLSC
Cam Third - St Kilda SLSC
Max Corboy - St Kilda SLSC
Danny Morrison - Mairangi Bay SLSC
Tony Sands - Mairangi Bay SLSC
Craig Jamieson - Taylors Mistake SLSC
Patrice de Beer - Taylors Mistake SLSC
Kevin Russell - Westshore SLSC
Taylor Dick - Westshore SLSC
Trina Wills - Westshore SLSC

Service Award Recipients
Chris Haig - St Clair SLSC
Steph Laughton - St Clair SLSC
Justine Fleming - Otaki SLSC
Kirsty Doyle - Otaki SLSC
Donal Boyle - Omanu Beach SLSC
James Newell - Wanganui SLS
Kevin Thorburn - Onemana SLSC
Matt Flannery - Lyall Bay SLSC
Mike Litten - Waimairi SLSC
Steve Franich - Orewa SLSC

50 Year Badges
David Anderson
Piha SLSC
David Bradley
Taylors Mistake SLSC
Denys Carpenter
Pacific SLSC &
Paekakariki SL
Gary Bray
Piha SLSC
George Thomson
Piha SLSC
Graeme Danks
Red Beach SLSC
Graeme Ward
Waimarama SLSC
Graham Mauger
Piha SLSC
John Dallimore
Piha SLSC

50 Year Badges
Malcolm McClurg
Taylors Mistake SLSC
Mike Wood
Piha SLSC
Nick Kinghorn
Piha SLSC
Owen Sharpe
Piha SLSC
Robert Collis
Piha SLSC
Ross Harvey
Paekakariki SLSC
Tony Johnston
Piha SLSC
Warren Smith
Piha SLSC

Instructor &
Volunteer
Awards

The fantastic DHL team continued their focus to help Surf Life
Saving “drive safer beaches,” with the launch of the Flip
n Stay Safe game – a memory game that promoted our key
beach safety messages through digital gaming. We know
prevention is better than cure and the best way to save lives at
the beach is by teaching people how to stay out of danger.
The game was effective in not only engaging the public
but also helping in memory retention of our beach safety
messages, which ultimately will help change behaviours
towards keeping safer on New Zealand beaches. The winner
received $1000 cash and another $2000 was awarded to their
club of choice – in this case, it was Mairangi Bay SLSC. A hard
copy version was also produced and the game was thoroughly
enjoyed at Surf Lifesaving sports events across New Zealand.
We are truly indebted to DHL for helping reinforce
essential lifesaving messages to kiwis.

Photo Credit: Steen Bech

Selina Deadman,
DHL Express NZ Senior Director
Commercial
DHL Express has been a proud sponsor of Surf Life Saving New
Zealand since 2003. Ensuring the beach is a fun, happy and
safe place is a large task, and one that Surf Life Saving New
Zealand members undertake with Passion, Speed and a Can-
Do Attitude. These are all values that we also hold at DHL
Express and reaffirms why DHL are so committed to helping
this organisation in its mission to create a safe environment on
New Zealand beaches.
We would like to recognise the hard work that Surf Life Saving
and its membership base undertake every day. DHL is proud to
be associated with such an iconic New Zealand organisation
and would like to congratulate all the award winners and
acknowledge everyone involved with making sure our beaches
are a safe and enjoyable place for all.

Instructor of the Year
Sonia Keepa
Wainui SLSC

Sonia Keepa, from Wainui SLSC, is the DHL Instructor of the
Year after a year that saw her teach 51 life guard and patrol
support candidates, six prospective IRB crew and three IRB
drivers. It will surprise no one that all 60 of those students
qualified.
Keepa has always instructed at the highest level and prides
herself in ensuring her students have all the knowledge and
skills they need before they are put forward for exams. Sonia
was also involved in the planning and delivery of SLSNZ’s SLA
programme and helped with Gisborne’s SLA academy that
pulled together the region’s clubs. She was also active in
regional IRB camps and patrol workshops, and as the Chief
Instructor at Wainui she is a role model to all.
Keepa is widely liked and respected, and her students speak
fondly of her and of how she teaches. Her advocacy of water
safety and enthusiasm for life guarding is what Surf Life Saving
NZ is all about.
Awards of Excellence

Volunteer of the Year
Mike Smith
Taylors Mistake SLSC

It is almost impossible to briefly sum up Mike’s contribution to
surf lifesaving as he is active at a club, regional and national
level across a range of topics - but in particular health and
safety. He’s been on the Taylors Mistake committee for 15
years and is the club’s vice president, and for the past two
seasons he's been the club’s Health & Safety Officer - a huge
asset to the club and how we approach training, beach set
ups and event management.
Mike also continues to patrol in a support role. At a regional
and national level he runs, among many other things,
instructor and patrol captains courses and he is heavily
involved in surf events as a referee, guard, official and
selector - to name just a few of his hats. If there is a job to be
done Mike is one of those people who is always first to
volunteer. It’s fair to say Mike’s influence within surf can be
seen from the junior to senior levels, and from club through
to national. He’s an impressive bloke.
Awards of Excellence

Innovation of the Year
SLS Kariaotahi

SLS Kariaotahi is one of only a few clubs nationally that can
operate at night - and they can do it thanks to 3D printing.
Night operations are extremely dangerous and can only be
conducted by highly trained crews, operating under strict
safety controls and where the risk is justified by the realistic
potential to save life.
SLS Kariaotahi win the DHL Innovation of the Year for their use
of 3D printing to create a mount for navigation lights in an IRB
- an issue that had caused headaches for years. The light is
mounted above the engine cowling via a simple clip with the
base attached to a standard GoPro surface mount, making it
easy to attach and remove. Feedback from the Police Eagle
helicopter crew after a rescue in May 2019 of three people was
that the IRB was difficult to spot from the air at night. 3D
printing again helped with the solution. A lightweight mount
was designed to attach flashing lights to the crews’ helmets,
again via a commercially available GoPro attachment. These
lights and mounts are now part of the standard PPE for night
operations and are a part of clubs’ Night Operations Kit.
Awards of Excellence

Distinguished
Service
Awards

Distinguished
Service Award
Ben Flynn
Paekakariki SLSC

Ben has made significant contributions to Surf Life Saving at all
levels. He's passionate about lifeguarding and the need to pass
skills on to other members of the movement. At club level, he's
been Patrol Captain for many years, undertaking lifeguarding
instruction and mentoring others under the position of
Chief Instructor.
Ben continues to contribute to club administration. At District
and Regional levels he's been a member of the Local
Lifeguarding Committee, Patrol Auditor, Examiner, Capital
Coast Call Out Squad leader, member of the Wellington
District Event Safety Team and a Wellington District IRB
Instructor.
Ben was on the Wellington Board from 2006 to 2010, and
served as Chair during the last year. His commitment to
lifeguarding is evidenced by his contributions at national level
where he was a member of the National Lifesaving Advisory
Committee from 2013 to 2019. He was a Head Instructor at the
Advanced Lifeguard School and was invited to take part in the
Rescue Water Craft Pilot Programme in 2008. Ben's
commitment to lifeguarding is well established and respected
by his peers and this was recognised with a Regional Life
Membership at the 2019 Capital Coast awards. Ben easily
meets the SLNZ points threshold after taking into account the
additional points for other SLNZ roles and is well deserving of a
SLNZ Distinguished Service Award.
Awards of Excellence

Distinguished
Service Award
Graeme Ward
Waimarama SLSC

Graeme has been a member of Surf Life Saving for more than
five decades. He’s been a member of Palmerston North,
Mairangi Bay and Waimarama Clubs and over this time has
served as a Qualified Lifeguard, Patrol Captain, and Lifesaving
Instructor, as well as competing.
Graeme has held various roles on Club Boards including
Treasurer, Registrar, Secretary and as a Board Member. In June
2020, Graeme was made a Life Member following his 51 years
of involvement in Surf Life Saving.
Awards of Excellence

Distinguished
Service Award
Mike Smith
Taylors Mistake SLSC

Mike has been a member of the Taylors Mistake Committee
since 2005 and has been Vice President since 2014. He’s also
the Health & Safety Officer and has been a huge asset to the
club and its approach to training, beach set-ups and event
management.
Mike’s oversight and direction in this area is invaluable. He
continues to serve as a Patrol Support and is often seen
mentoring younger lifeguards. This passion and enthusiasm for
training new lifeguards is reflected within his regional role of
Examiner.
Awards of Excellence

Life Membership
Ian Robinson QSM
Waihi Beach LS

Ian Robinson has been an active member of Waihi Beach
Lifeguard Services since 1953. During that time, he's been
involved as an active lifeguard, competitor swimmer, board
member, volunteer search & rescue, coach, instructor,
examiner and many other contributing positions.
Ian’s passion for many decades has been the IRB. Ian was
selected to be a member of a team instrumental in the
development of the IRB strategies for SLSNZ. Ian’s passion
hasn't wavered over the years and he still shares his knowledge
about IRB driving, racing and maintenance. You will often find
him in the IRB shed engaging young Surf Lifeguards on the
story behind this valuable piece of rescue equipment, what
makes a good driver and how much progress lifeguarding has
made over the decades.
Ian is still an active member of the Club and is down at the
Clubhouse most days. You will regularly see him attending
sports events and actively involved in Club fundraising or social
events. He's continued to show extraordinary commitment to
making these events a success on the Waihi Beach calendar.
In 2020, 85 year old Ian was presented with a Queen’s Service
Medal for services to surf lifesaving and his local community.
He is a proud life member of Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services
and the Club is so proud to have him as a member.
Awards of Excellence

Surf
Lifesaving
Awards

London Trophy
The London Trophy is awarded to the club that qualifies the
most Surf Lifeguard and instructor awards per capita
of refreshed members.
Nelson SLSC

Photo Credit: Steen Bech

Gudsell Trophy
The Gudsell Trophy is awarded to the club that qualifies
the most Surf Lifeguards in one season.
Red Beach SLSC

Lifeguard of the Year
Max Jones
Whangamata SLSC

Max Jones is Whangamata SLSC's club captain, a board
member and the Head Regional Guard. He's also contributed
80 hours of patrolling as a volunteer and was involved in more
than 30 rescues, including three search and rescue operations.
Max is an active patroller who is regularly “on the flags” and at
the water’s edge issuing preventative advice and guidance. He
is an instructor at the club and was involved in regional IRB
development camps, instructor/examiner briefings, IRB engine
maintenance workshops and the Eastern Region IRB
Development Review. Max was a top candidate at the National
Lifeguard School and is a highly respected leader and mentor
at his Whangamata club. He helps with everything from the
Labour Weekend muster, to fundraising and after hours
rescues.
Max has a strong and positive presence on social media
around lifeguarding and is active in his club’s social and
sporting scene. But he is also never far from the water’s
edge, having spent eight hours of his final day on patrol on the
flags.
Awards of Excellence

OUR
PARTNERS
TOGETHER
On behalf of everyone in the Surf Lifesaving community, we would like to pass on our sincere gratitude for
all of our commercial partners. Their investment into our organisation makes a positive difference. Our
partners' commitment and continued support to our cause, enables us to support our wonderful volunteer
Surf Lifeguards and clubs, which means actual lives are saved on New Zealand beaches. This year we saved
577 lives across the country - our partners' support helps make this possible. Thank you.
MAJOR PARTNERS
GOLD PARTNERS
SILVER PARTNERS
BRONZE PARTNERS