The Ōmanu Surf Lifesaving Club has capped off a stellar year, walking away with the title of Overall Club of the Year in this year’s Eastern Region Surf Lifesaving Awards.

It was a big night for Ōmanu, with 23 members in total nominated over 19 different categories, covering both lifeguarding and surf sports.

Overall, the club walked away with 17 individual honours, capped off with the Overall Club of the Year title.

“This was an amazing evening and reflected a breakthrough season for the club,” club chairman Reuben Hansen said in a statement.

“It’s great to see some amazing individuals recognised for their achievements tonight – but more importantly, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on and recognise all of the work that has gone in behind the scenes from everyone involved with the club.”

The 2024/25 season has been a record-breaking one for Ōmanu.

As well as taking out the top club award at both the Junior and Senior Eastern Regional Championships, the club went on to win the Alan Gardner Trophy for the top club at the National Championship in Gisborne for the first time in the club’s history.

The Ōmanu Surf Lifesaving Club is the first to have won both the Open and Master’s titles at the same event.

In doing so, Ōmanu became the first club in history to win both the Open and Master’s titles at the same event.

“I think what we are most proud of is that the club is not just competing strongly in surf sports, but we are also setting and achieving some really high standards for ourselves in lifeguarding, which remains at the centre of what we are all about,” said general manager Scott Bartlett.

“This year we refreshed 207 lifeguards, which means we are now the largest lifeguard centre in the country. If you look at the awards we received tonight, we got to recognise the fantastic efforts from some absolute legends in our local community who keep our beach safe week in, week out. It’s great to see them publicly acknowledged.”

This season, the club’s lifeguards volunteered 7124 hours, with more than 33,452 preventive actions taken at Omanu beach.

Following on from the Eastern Region Awards, five Ōmanu representatives have been nominated for national honours at the upcoming New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Awards:

Cory Hutchings with Coach of the Year

Donal Boyle with Instructor of the Year

Dennis Mundy for SARS Person of the Year

Flynn Weatherall for Event Safety Officer of the Year

Andrew Friedlieb for Junior Surf Contribution of the Year.

Awards won at the Eastern Region Awards were:

Top Rookie Award (Harrison Mundy Memorial) – Charlie Richardson

Emerging Coach of the Year – Danielle Richards

Coaches’ Commitment Award – Travis Carnegie

Coach of the Year – Cory Hutchings

Instructor of the Year – Donal Boyle

Patrol Captain of the Year – Donal Boyle

Water Safety Contribution for the Year – Flynn Weatherall

Search and Rescue Contribution of the Year – Dennis Mundy

Junior Surf Contribution of the Year – Andrew Friedlieb

Beach Education Instructor of the Year (Bay of Plenty) – Rebecca Cowley

Beach Education Instructor of the Year (Coromandel) – Ruth Kayes

Under-14 Female of the Year – Quinn Murdoch

Under-17 Male Athlete of the Year – Oli Hansen

Under-17 Female Athlete of the Year – Pipi Te Pania

Under-19 Male Athlete of the Year – Braith Swanberg

Open Male Athlete of the Year – Gus Shivnan

Open Female Athlete of the Year – Danielle Richards

Overall Club of the Year – Eastern Region