Life Saving Victoria’s Awards of Excellence 2022 are just two weeks away, and the finalists for all categories have been announced ahead of the big night. 

The Awards of Excellence celebrates the best in Victorian lifesaving, celebrating the outstanding achievements of LSV’s volunteers, members and aquatic industry colleagues. 

The winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence on Saturday 6 August at Sofitel on Collins. 

The 2022 Awards of Excellence finalists are: 

Major awards 

Beaurepaire Shield for Club of the Year, supported by Marsh 

• Jan Juc SLSC  
• Mildura LSC  
• Port Campbell SLSC 
• Port Melbourne LSC

 

John Wishart Memorial Medal for Life Saver of the Year, supported by Microflite.  

• Nick Vouk South Melbourne LSC
• Calden Lyons Apollo Bay SLSC
• Wayne Cartwright Anglesea SLSC

 

Youth Lifesaver of the Year (18-21), supported by Westpac.  

• Lily Adams Mildura LSC 
• Ella Arnold Inverloch SLSC 
• Ryan Box Woolamai SLSC  
• Nathanial Clarke Point Leo SLSC 
• Greg Dale Port Melbourne LSC 
• Penny Donnan Fairhaven SLSC 
• Olivia  Jenkins Jan Juc SLSC  
• Tielle Lyons Apollo Bay SLSC 
• Liam Maragnio Cape Paterson SLSC  
• Reagan Morel Mornington LSC 
• Aidan O’Rourke Apollo Bay SLSC 
• Joshua Williams Woolamai SLSC

 

Graeme Long Memorial Medal for Volunteer of the Year 

• Peter Bellion Port Melbourne LSC 
• Bruce Honey Ocean Grove SLSC 
• Stephen (Steve) Scammell Jan Juc SLSC 
• Matthew Taylor Anglesea SLSC 
• Luke Treadwell Point Leo SLSC

 

Rescue of the Year 

• Williamstown S&LSC Jason Thurley, Bruce Collins, Claire Howell
• Venus Bay SLSC – Patrol 2 Zara Curran, Aliya Malik, Blake Harvey, Molly-Mae Nicols, Caitlan Overall, Lachlan Hickey, Tyler McAlear, Paul Hoffman
• Mildura LSC Jae Knobben, Dan Rosendahl, Jameson Adams, James Herbert, Lachlan Harkin Mildura LSC
• Lorne Surf Life Saving Club Kai Enticott
• Central Beach Lifeguard – Nick Frisby Half Moon Bay SLSC
• Surf Coast and Otway Lifeguard Service Romy Columb (Team Leader), Sophie Carne, Alisa Johnson and Siena Nunn Kozel (Surf Coast Lifeguards). Australian Lifeguard Service
• Surf Coast Lifeguard Service  Lucas Karlson, Alisa Johnson, Tilly Shepherd, Will Lennon Australian Lifeguard Service

 

Inclusion Award  

• Hampton LSC Starfish to SRC Patroller Program – Zoe Murdoch 
• Mount Martha LSC Starfish Nippers 
• Port Melbourne LSC Inclusive Nippers 
• Sandringham Life Saving Club – Silver Salties

 

Dr Nigel Taylor ESM Innovation Award  

• Lifesaver 31 – Aerial Intelligence for Water Safety 
• Green Patrol – environment

 

Lifesaving operations and volunteer training awards 

 Outstanding Achievement of the Year 

• Charlie Crawford-Rust, Cape Paterson SLSC 
• MLSC Schools Program, Mornington LSC 
• Seaspray SLSC commitment to gender equality, Seaspray SLSC

 

Beach Lifeguard of the Year, supported by Microflite 

• Sean Cummins
• Sophie Gordon
• James McGlashan  
• Caitlin Sampson  
• Lucas Waters

 

Volunteer Assessor of the Year 

• Darrel Gill Port Melbourne LSC  
• Evelyn Lyons Apollo Bay SLSC 
• Susan O’Rourke Apollo Bay SLSC 
• David Stogdale Gunnamatta SLSC

 

Volunteer Trainer of the Year  

• Finn Dripps Jan Juc SLSC  
• Lara Falk Port Campbell SLSC 
• Andrew (Henry) Kiss Portsea SLSC 
• Evelyn Lyons Apollo Bay SLSC 
• Susan O’Rourke Apollo Bay SLSC 
• David Stogdale Gunnamatta SLSC 
• Liam Smith Mordialloc LSC 
• Lucy Tate Inverloch SLSC 
• Vanessa  Wootton Mount Martha LSC  

 

Education, training and industry engagement awards

LSV Swim and Survive Partner of the Year award 

• Echuca War Memorial Centre- Echuca War Memorial Centre
• Chewton Pool -Chewton Pool

 

Education Instructor of the Year 

• Nat Desylva
• Erin Doupe  
• Eliza Hine  
• Georgie Park-Beard  
• Alex Tsantarlis

 

Aquatic sport awards 

Athlete of the Year (Open) 

• Jesse Coulson Half Moon Bay SLSC 
• Russel Fox Half Moon Bay SLSC 
• Sophie Thomas Torquay SLSC

Athlete of the Year (U14-U15) 

• Swayde Cole Mordialloc LSC 
• Jemma Holt Mordialloc LSC 
• William Newton Lorne SLSC 

 

Athlete of the Year (Youth  U17-U19) 

• Mia Cook Warrnambool SLSC  
• Gabe Cornwell Portsea SLSC 
• Arno D’Andrea Fairhaven SLSC 
• Paige Holt Mordialloc LSC 
• Reidel Smith Half Moon Bay SLSC

 

Athlete of the Year (Masters) 

• Sam Barrow Mordialloc LSC 
• Brett Croft Portsea SLSC 
• Sue Crow Portsea SLSC 
• Chloe Hardman Portsea SLSC 
• Ant Orwin Half Moon Bay SLSC

 

Team of the Year U17-Open  

• Anglesea Open 6 (R&R)  
• Open Male Taplin  – Half Moon Bay SLSC 
• Maddy Hurst & Sarah Bray Australian Open Womens Double Ski Champions – Half Moon Bay  
• Seahorses  Rescue & Resuscitation Team – South Melbourne LSC 
• St Kilda Salamanders – Female Surf Boats  
• Willy Marchers -Williamstown S&LSC March Past Team

 

Team of the Year (U14-U15)  

• Lorne U14 Youth Male Team  
• Mordialloc Boys 14/15 Beach Relay Team  
• Mordialloc Girls 14/15 Beach Relay Team

 

Team of the Year (Masters)  

• Rusty Larikins – Ski Team Half Moon Bay SLSC Half Moon Bay SLSC
• Rams  – Male Surfboat Team Jan Juc SLSC Jan Juc SLSC

 

Coach of the Year Award 

• Jan Matthew Culka St Kilda LSC
• Christine Cardwell South Melbourne LSC and Anglesea SLSC
• Sonia Kinsey Ocean Grove SLSC
• Ant Orwin Half Moon Bay SLSC 

 

Official of the Year 

• Winnie (Winston) Burger Mordialloc LSC 
• Chris Hoffman Warrnambool SLSC 
• David Laws Black Rock LSC 
• Philip Mawkes Hampton LSC 
• Karl Russell Lorne SLSC 
• Mary Veal South Melbourne LSC

 

Emerging Official of the Year 

• Hugh Cattermole Lorne SLSC 
• Kylie Clark Point Leo SLSC  
• Leonie Mawkes Hampton LSC 
• Kelly Parrish Mornington LSC 
• Katrina Walsh Jan Juc SLSC

 

Membership and Leadership Development awards 

Nipper Club Program of the Year 

• Anglesea SLSC  
• Elwood LSC  
• Lorne SLSC  
• Point Leo SLSC  
• Port Melbourne LSC  
• Portsea SLSC  
• Torquay SLSC  
• Woolamai Beach SLSC

 

Nipper Program Volunteer of the Year 

• Robert (Robbie) Brain South Melbourne LSC 
• Darren Lawson Chelsea Longbeach SLSC 
• Mike (Michael) McGrath Black Rock LSC 
• Kiara McKerron Lorne SLSC 
• Kelly Parrish Mornington LSC 
• Gary Squires Mordialloc LSC 
• Charles Tuchtan Woolamai SLSC  

Community Education award 

• Resilient communities through local engagement Fairhaven SLSC 
• Hampton OWLE Program Hampton LSC 
• Beach and Surf Awareness Day Ocean Grove SLSC 
• Point Lonsdale Nippers in School Point Lonsdale SLSC 
• Port Melbourne School Programs Port Melbourne LSC 
• Seaspray Pre School Program Seaspray SLSC 
• WOW Schools Program Williamstown S&LSC

 

Youth Lifesaver of the Year (14 – 17 years) 

• Jackson Comrie Inverloch SLSC 
• Ben Gray Port Melbourne LSC 
• Sophia Hungerford Woolamai Beach SLSC 
• Jae Knobben Mildura LSC 
• Massimo Lancia Mornington LSC 
• Josh Laney Hampton LSC 
• Alisdair Nolan South Melbourne LSC 
• Madeleine (Maddie) Quail Black Rock LSC 
• Mia Salomon Apollo Bay SLSC 
• Liam Whitehouse Point Leo SLSC