Scott Bartlett's key role in breaking Australia's domination of the World Lifesaving Championships has led to his being named co-winner of Surf Life Saving New Zealand's Coach of the Year Award.
He was head coach of the Black Fins team of six men and six women who created history by becoming the first lifesaving team in New Zealand to win back-to-back world titles - in 2012 and 2014.
It was the second time Mr Bartlett had won the DHL Coach of the Year title. The first time was in 2013 for his involvement with the Black Fins' success in breaking the Aussies' long grip on the world championships.
The 39-year-old Omanu Surf Life Saving Club member shared the title with the team's co-coach Jason Pocock of Mairangi Bay. "We worked as hard as each other to get the team up to dominate the world," Mr Bartlett said.
The key to turning elite athletes into world champions was finding a winning plan and then creating the right team culture.
The award citation said the two men's efforts resulted in the team winning eight world titles over five days of competition in France. The team also won 14 silver and five bronze medals and set three world records in the pool.
"The influence of the coaches and setting the standard for the team was nothing short of amazing. To get the best out of such a talented pool of athletes, so they all peaked for the event, was outstanding," the citation said.
Tauranga's other success story from Saturday's prizegiving was Papamoa's Ross Merrett, who was named Surf Official of the Year. It was the third year in a row he had won the award. Last season he officiated for more than 400 hours at 14 events, four of them overseas.
Mr Merrett officiated in regional, national and international events, helping with the planning, organisation and implementation of surf lifesaving sporting events and carnivals in the summer and in winter pool events.
At the 2014 World Championships, he acted as a judge for one day and chief judge for four days as well as deputy arena referee for five days at the interclub championships. He was also involved in the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.
Mr Merrett serves on regional and national officials' representative committees.