Brave pair take out Rescue of the Year award at MHVLS prizegiving

TONY BAKER

19 June, 2022

Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service (MHVLS) members and officials have recognised and acknowledged standout club achievements over the 2021-2022 season during their annual senior prizegiving, held at the Mangawhai Club on Saturday June 19.

For the keenest guard with the brightest speedos, Patrol Member of the Year went to Don Baxter, whose enthusiasm created a good atmosphere while on patrol, and humour kept spirits up.

Senior Lifeguard of the Year, Cory Vercoe, stepped up by being the youngest person on the committee as powercraft officer, and has displayed consistent dedication to the MHVLS on the beach and off.

Although not related to surf lifesaving, Grace Richards received the Senior Sportsperson of the Year award for her contribution to her swimming club and school, for being a division 2 swimmer at Kowhai Swimming Club, having attended nationals in May for 200m breaststroke, placing 5th and beating all her previous personal bests. Grace has also been selected to represent New Zealand for underwater hockey in the Northern U18 team for three consecutive years.

Flavell Trophy for Patrol of the Year went to Patrol 2: Neev Cunningham (PC), Quinn Bedford (VPC), Donald Baxter, Ella Cross, Jordan Booth, Kaea Heke, Kate Johnson, Liam Yeo, Luke Watkinson, Mark Watkinson, William Sutherland, Oli Cross, Stella Waldron, and Grace Richards. Patrol 2 had consistent turnout of lifeguards, good atmosphere and comradery, had some of the most heinous surf conditions of the season with no rescues needed showing that the lifeguards were vigilant in their patrol, including on the days that the beach had to be closed, and upholding MHVLS core values throughout the season.

The major award – Rescue of the Year – went to Quinn Bedford and Tom Kehoe for their amazing rescue of a drowning surfer at Ahipara. Quinn and Tom were surfing up north at Shipwreck Bay and pulled a man out of the water who was unconscious and not breathing. Performing CPR the pair kept the man alive until he could be placed with an ambulance. He is alive and well.

See the full list of senior award winners below.

From left, club chairman Gordon Finlayson, Rescue of the Year co-winner Quinn Bedford, club instructor Jess Costello. Absent: ROTY co-winner Tom Kehoe. PHOTO/SUPPLIED