There's plenty to smile about for the Trust Waikato Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services, who landed two big awards at the Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Awards of Excellence 2015.

They won Overall Club of the Year while the club's lifeguard co-ordinator Christiaan Maarhui was named Lifeguard of the Year in the Coromandel section of the awards held on Saturday night.

The Trust Waikato Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services took out the Coromandel Overall Club of the Year at Saturday night's 2015 Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Awards of Excellence 2015. From left: Natalie Lloyd, Donna Pfefferle, James Lloyd and Coromandel Lifeguard of the Year Christiaan Maarhuis. Photo: SLSNZ

Taking place at Trinity Warf in Tauranga, The annual awards recognise the achievements of surf life saving members and clubs IN THE Eastern Region, which includes the Bay of Plenty.

While Christiaan is quite chuffed by winning the award he is also extremely humble in victory.

'There's a lot of people in the Coromandel who work really hard to make the all beaches safe for everyone,” says Christiaan. 'So I'm not the only one but I will admit it is nice to have your efforts recognised like this.”

During the 2014/15 season Christiaan volunteered 50 patrol hours, on top of his role as lifeguard coordinator, acting on the club's sub-committees, and being a member of the Coromandel Local Lifesaving Committee.

This has seen him taken on a great deal of work which includes instructing, mentoring, examining, event guarding and more.

When asked why he invests so much time, energy and passion into his various roles Christiaan's answers is simple: 'It's sharing my passion for life guarding and keeping people safe at the beach”.

'I enjoy mentoring and allowing other people to come through and gain skills,” he explains. 'The more young people you can mentor and get up to a good level then you're raising the standard overall.”

Christiaan says it was also hugely satisfying to see Waihi Beach win Overall Coromandel Club of the Year for the second year in a row.

Scooping the award recognised the hard work and time Waihi Beach club members were putting in, says Christiaan.

'If you can bring the trophy back to the club it reinforces that everyone's doing a great job, every member has their own section to take care of and their own jobs to do, and they do it very well.”

The other major award was Volunteer of the Year which recognised an outstanding person who made a significant volunteer contribution to enhance surf lifesaving within their local area.

This year's Coromandel Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Tairua's Rob Ford, who is the club's chairman and has 'stepped up significantly” this year according to Eastern Region Club and Membership Development manager Sarah Leppard.

'He was heavily involved in the club's junior surf programme, attends the local chair's meetings and has been the driving force in the club's building project,” explains Sarah. 'He is a mentor to many and a leader to all and he is truly deserving of this award.”

Representing the Coromandel at the awards on Saturday were the Trust Waikato surf life saving clubs: Hot Water Beach, Tairua, Pauanui, Onemana, Whangamata, Whiritoa and Waihi Beach.

During the official 2014/15 patrol season these seven clubs carried out 172 rescues, while a total of 455 rescues were performed across the entire eastern region.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL COROMANDEL AWARD WINNERS:

• Lifeguard of the Year: Christiaan Maarhuis, Waihi Beach
• Patrol Captain of the Year: Thomas Richards, Tairua
• Instructor of the Year: Eden Bray, Whangamata
• Examiner of the Year: Matt Kerr, Tairua
• Volunteer of the Year: Rob Ford, Tairua
• Rescue of the Year: Pauanui –off duty rescue of four people from a rip on April 12, 2015.
• Innovation of the Year: Waihi Beach holiday programme
• Patrol Club of the Year: Whiritoa
• Overall Club of the Year: Waihi Beach

SPORTS AWARDS

• Emerging Coach of the Year: Gary Waller, Whakatane
• Sports Team of the Year: Whangamata U 19 men's surf boat crew

Coromandel Lifeguard of the Year Christiaan Maarhuis. Photo: SLSNZ