Omanu and Papamoa lifeguards were among the most elite lifeguards recognised last night for their outstanding commitment and heroic actions in surf lifesaving.

Scott Bartlett and his own surf life saving team Monique Bartlett, Piper Rudkin, Baby Dylan, Lucy Bartlett and Chase Rudkin welcome the trophy. Photo by: Daniel Hines.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand announced the winners of this year's Awards of Excellence at Wellington's Amora Hotel on Saturday night with Omanu Beach Surf Club's Scott Bartlett and Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club's Ross Merrett picking up top awards.

DHL Coach of the Year was awarded to Scott - who was the National Coach for the entire successful 2012 campaign, culminating in the New Zealand team winning the Lifesaving World Championships (Rescue 2012) for only the second time ever.

DHL Surf Official of the Year was awarded to Ross - who is a strong advocate of safety and the running of events for the benefit of athletes.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand CEO Paul Dalton says it takes a lot of commitment to be a lifeguard and the awards presented on Saturday are proof of that.

The three big awards are NZ Lottery Grants Board Lifeguard of the Year, DHL Volunteer of the Year and the BP Surf Rescue of the Year.

Lifeguard of the Year was awarded to Adam Fraser from Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club. The Lifeguard of the Year award is the pinnacle of surf lifesaving in New Zealand and highlights the skill, experience and dedication a lifeguard gives to making their local beach safer.

Adam, who is currently away with the NZ Kayak Marathon team in Copenhagen paddling in the world marathon championship, was not available to accept the prestigious award. His father Ross, Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club member and life member of the Taranaki district, proudly accepted the award on Adam's behalf.

Paul says as Lifeguard of the Year, Adam embodies everything it takes to be an exemplary volunteer surf lifeguard.

'He has commitment, passion and an unswerving dedication to Surf Life Saving. Adam has been a great role model for the young lifeguards of Fitzroy and Taranaki and has led by example. He is passionate about surf lifesaving and it's this passion that he has passed on to the next generation of lifeguards.”

DHL Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Aucklander Mike Tames who is a member of Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club. Mike's contribution to surf lifesaving is difficult to capture in one place.

'He is one of a kind and is making a positive contribution to every aspect of surf lifesaving as a volunteer,” says Paul.

DHL Express New Zealand Country Manager Tim Baxter says this year DHL celebrates its tenth year of supporting Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

'Our organisations share the common values of commitment, competitive spirit and passion and we're pleased to work with SLSNZ to deliver safer beaches around the nation. It is the people who make SLSNZ so unique.

'Great Kiwi men and women who volunteer their time to ensure the safety of our beaches. DHL is very proud to recognise those exceptional individuals who have gone over and above as an official, a coach or volunteer,” he says.

Clubs across the country enter their most prominent rescues and they are judged against each other for BP Surf Rescue of the Year. A mass rescue of 10 rock fisherman at Easter weekend by lifeguards at Sunset Beach was named this year's winner.

The rescue took four hours from the first observation of the fisherman to completion of the mission. The lifeguards involved demonstrated great skill in a rescue which involved extremely dangerous conditions. Had it not been a patrol day, the outcome could have been very different with potentially 10 people drowning.

Also awarded on Saturday night was the BP Media Award for best surf lifesaving story.

Adrien Taylor's winning story, ‘What to do when you're caught in a rip,' educates viewers on how to escape one. It aired on TV3's Firstline on January 29.

BP Managing Director Matt Elliott says BP's partnership with Surf Life Saving New Zealand is heading towards 50 years and their constant delivery of excellence has been a factor in all of those years and is truly inspirational.

'As Kiwi's, the ocean has always been part of our DNA and having an organisation like Surf Life Saving New Zealand keeping our beaches safe is reassuring for all New Zealanders. It's fantastic that their excellent achievements are being acknowledged and BP is really proud to be part of that,” he says.

As a wonderful advocate for all aspects of surf lifesaving and beach safety, Palmerston North Surf Life Saving Club's David Pontin was awarded Instructor of the Year and International Sport Performance of the Year went to the New Zealand Black Fins team who took the title of Rescue 2012 World Champs for the first time in 14 years.

The Gudsell Trophy, awarded to the club with the highest number of Surf Lifeguard Awards gained, went to Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club who qualified 59 Surf Lifeguard Awards in the 2012/13 season.

The London Trophy, awarded to the club with the highest number of Surf Lifeguard Awards gained as a ratio of membership, went to Kotuku Surf Life Saving Club.

Award category winners:

• International Sport Performance of the Year: The New Zealand Black Fins Team
• DHL Coach of the Year: Scott Bartlett, Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club
• DHL Surf Official of the Year: Ross Merrett, Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club
• BP Media Award: Adrien Taylor for his story ‘What to do when you're caught in a rip.”
• London Trophy Kotuku Surf Life Saving Club
• Gudsell Trophy: Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club
• Instructor/Examiner of the Year: David Pontin, Palmerston North Surf Life Saving Club
• BP Surf Rescue of the Year: Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service
• DHL Volunteer of the Year: Mike Tames, Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club
• NZLGB Lifeguard of the Year: Adam Fraser, Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club

Service Awards:

• Serena Ball, Red Beach
• Jan Battaerd, Mairangi Bay
• Fraser Bickley, Taylors Mistake
• Vivienne Bickley, Taylors Mistake
• Peter Brown, Piha
• Andrew Budge, Kaka Point
• David Butt, Muriwai
• Tony Butt, Muriwai
• Allistair Carey, Kaka Point
• Pru Casey, Warrington
• Nick Child, New Brighton
• Ron Cole, Fitzroy
• Quentin Cribb, Mt Maunganui
• Scott Crosbie, Oreti
• Duane Dalton, Mairangi Bay
• Jacob Davies, Taylors Mistake
• Philip Davies, Waimairi
• Craig Dent, East End
• Jamie East, North Beach
• Mark Fergus, Orewa
• Martin Ford, Kaka Point
• James Gaskell, New Brighton
• Paul Goosey, North Beach
• Daniel Haar, Kaka Point
• Peter Haslemore, St Clair
• David Hill, Taylors Mistake
• Guy Honnor, East End
• John Hughes, Waimairi
• Tony Johnston, Piha
• Ken Jones, Taylors Mistake
• Michael Kearney, United North Piha
• Michael Kindred New Brighton
• Andrew Lancaster Muriwai
• Hayden Lockie, North Beach
• Stu Lockie North Beach
• Danney Mason, Kaka Point
• Elizabeth McDermott
• Colin MacKenzie North Beach
• Seth McPhee, Brighton
• Ross Merrett, Papamoa
• Janice Murdoch, Waimairi
• Stephen Murray, Mt Maunganui
• Luke Parsons, New Brighton
• Logan Penrose, New Brighton
• Matthew Pickering, Papamoa
• David Pipe, North Beach
• Mark Readman, Red Beach
• David Regal, United North Piha
• Paul Richardson, Kaka Point
• Gregory Reiger, Mt Maunganui
• Greg Samson, North Beach
• Christopher Smith, Waimairi
• Dave Smith, Spencer Park
• Mike Smith Taylors Mistake
• Roger Smith, North Beach
• Shaun Smith, Papamoa
• Danny Tenheuvel, Muriwai
• Steve Vaughan, Mairangi Bay
• Kurt Wilson, Papamoa

Distinguished Service Awards:

• Warwick Bell, Mairangi Bay
• Allan Bonnici, Muriwai
• Johnny Clough, United North Piha
• Timothy Green, Orewa
• Dougal Holmes, Taylors Mistake
• Allister Hunter, Waimarama
• Stephen Johnston, Waimairi
• Malcolm MacDonald, Spencer Park
• Diane Magner, Titahi Bay
• Robert Magner, Titahi Bay
• Ian McCaw, Omanu
• Malcolm McClurg, Taylors Mistake
• Suzanne McPhee, Brighton
• Gareth Neilson, United North Piha
• Allan Seagar, Piha
• Alistair Thorpe, Waikanae

50 Year badges:

• Neale Ames, Otaki
• Paul Carpinter, Taylors Mistake
• Jan Lane , Taylors Mistake
• Brett Leask, Waimairi
• Ian McCaw, Omanu
• Greg McClurg, Taylors Mistake
• David McPhee, Brighton
• Suzanne McPhee, Brighton
• Daryl Neate, Taylors Mistake
• Noel Saxton, Taylors Mistake
• Lindsay Sneddon, South Brighton
• Ray Stoddart, Lyall Bay
• Valda Walsh, East End
• Tony Butt, Muriwai
• Elizabeth McDermott, Taylors Mistake

Life membership:

• Geoff Barry, South Brighton
• Marilyn Moffat, Lyall Bay
• Trish Reid, Muriwai