Ōmanu surf lifesavers will not only celebrate a new season on the beach this weekend, they’ll also be capping off a magical year and honouring a rich legacy.

The Bay of Plenty club is hosting a black-tie dinner on Saturday, coinciding with the official opening of the surf lifesaving patrolling season.

And, in a special ceremony, 40 of the club’s 92 national title holders will each receive a special commemorative cap.

“It’s incredibly important, after the success we’ve had as a club this year, that we honour those who’ve got us here,” Ōmanu club general manager Scott Bartlett said.

“We’ve been working on this capping project for the best part of three years, but it’s been 35 years since our first-ever national title and 78 years since the club was formed and so many amazing volunteers and athletes have paved the way for our recent performances.”

Those performances include winning the Alan Gardner Trophy as the top overall club at the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships in Gisborne in March, and collecting the overall club of the year title at this year’s Eastern Region Awards.

The club also won both the junior and senior Eastern Regional Championships titles.

The Alan Gardner Trophy with Mauao in the background.

Saturday’s capping ceremony – with guest presenters Olympic rower Michael Brake and All Blacks Sevens and New Zealand Warriors NRLW star wife Michaela Brake – will recognise any New Zealand champions across Under-15 to Open age groups, in pool rescue, beach titles, surf boards and IRBs (inflatable rescue boats).

Among those attending will be Mount Maunganui big-wave surfing identity Clint Reid, who will reunite with his Under-19 board rescue partner Khalki Mason, after the pair won the third and fourth national titles at the 1996 championships in Ōākura, Taranaki.

Ōmanu’s first national title belongs to Richard Allan, who grabbed the Under-16 surf race crown at Midway Beach in Gisborne in 1991.

Midway was also the venue for this year’s titles, where Max Beattie – No 24 on the capping list with his 2011 Under-19 board race win – collected his fifth open men’s national ironman title but his first since 2016.

Beattie also helped Ōmanu grab another slice of history this year, anchoring the club’s first-ever men’s six-man Taplin relay win.

– Ōmanu Surf Lifesaving Club