Mount lifeguard in running for national award

Danielle Shepherd has won the BOP Patrol Captain of the Year award at 2014 Surf Life Saving BOP Excellence awards and is now a finalist in the national awards for Lifeguard of the Year. Photo/file

Mount Maunganui lifeguard Danielle Shepherd will find out this month if she has been named as Lifeguard of the Year in this year's Surf Life Saving New Zealand's Awards of Excellence.

The awards evening will be held at the Amora Hotel in Wellington on Saturday September 20 following the SLSNZ Annual General Meeting and Club Chairs Strategy Meeting.

Ms Shepherd, 30, has been a Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service member for six years, five of which she was a patrol captain.

In July's regional awards Ms Shepherd was named the Bay of Plenty Patrol Captain of the Year, and Pacific Medicare Bay of Plenty Lifeguard of the Year awards.

Ms Shepherd is the Mount club's lifesaving advisory group chairwoman, which means looking after all the details relating to how lifesaving efforts will be carried out, and mentors youngsters.

As Patron of Surf Life Saving New Zealand, the Governor General Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae will present a speech at the awards evening and TV presenter Stephen McIvor will act as MC.

Three national sports awards have already been presented at the 2014 New Zealand Pool Championships on August 30. The three winners are unable to attend this year's awards evening in Wellington as they will be in France for the Lifesaving World Championships (Rescue 2014).

Along with the lifeguarding and sporting awards, there will be a number of Service Awards presented on the night and these will be announced next week.

Top award finalists for NZLGB Lifeguard of the Year

Faron Turner, Orewa
Danielle Shepherd, Mt Maunganui
Matthew Kerr, Tairua
Andrew Shelton, Waikanae
Jacob Crawley, Ocean Beach Kiwi
Ross Peters, Fitzroy
Nick Mulcahy, Titahi Bay
Dan Bromley, Taylors Mistake
Ossian Woods, St. Clair