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Wade Downey – Instructor of the Year. Patrick Makgill, U16 Sportsman of the Year Orewa: Faron Turner was a finalist in three categories, and won Examiner of the Year. Coach of the Year, Mark McCarthny. Kailen Brackebush is U14 Sportsman of the Year.
Nineteen members of local surf lifesaving clubs took home awards from the annual Surf Life Saving Northern Region Awards of Excellence.
The awards cover the sporting and lifeguard aspects of the movement, as well as officiating and volunteer work for the 17 clubs that make up the region. They were presented last Saturday, June 14.
Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club’s awards included Instructor of the Year (Wade Downey) and Surf Official of the Year (Michelle Newton). The club’s U16 men’s pool relay team won Team of the Year after winning all three relays at the regional championships and repeating the feat at the National Championships, all in record times. One member of that team, Patrick Makgill, won the U16 Sportsman of the Year after winning nine individual titles at regional and national level, earning selection to the national youth squad.
The awards that went to Orewa Surf Lifesaving Club included Examiner of the Year for Faron Turner – who was also a finalist in two other categories and Volunteer of the Year, which went to Club president John Chapman.
Coach of the Year went to Mark McCarthny who guided four Orewa crews in different age groups to regional and national success. As the sweep of Orewa’s senior crew, he steered the team to three national titles and three other podium places. He continued to encourage new crew members and retain current crews as well as training new sweeps.
Orewa’s Kailen Brackebush won the Under-14 Sportsman of the Year title with three regional and national titles and 14 other podium places. His dedication to training and his encouragement of fellow team members was also highly praised.
Orewa and Red Beach tied for both the Junior and Masters Competition Club of the Year trophies and Red Beach tied with Mairangi Bay and Piha as the Senior Competition Club of the Year.
Distinguished Service Award winners were Mark Johnston (Orewa), Craig Dillon, Vaughan Skiffington and Mark Readman (Red Beach). Service awards went to Steve Franich (Orewa) and Debra Cairns and Dylan Turner (Red Beach).
As Hibiscus Matters went to print, the premier award for Club of the Year was still to be announced.
