Source: Surfing New Zealand - www.surfingnz.co.nz

Peter Fitzsimmons OBE receives Sparc Lifetime Achievement Award
Three leaders in sport and recreation have been honored for their dedication and long-term service, while excellence across the sector has also been recognized in the inaugural Sport and Recreation Sector Award.

Lois Muir OBE DCNZM, Peter Fitzsimmons OBE, and Ralph Roberts MBE have received Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Sir Wilson Whineray, who led the independent judging panel, said the award winners thoroughly deserved to be recognized by their peers in this way.

``These three individuals are passionate and dedicated New Zealanders who have made an enormous contribution as sportspeople and sports administrators,’’ Sir Wilson said.

Awards have also been presented to recognize excellence in innovation, leadership, events, project collaboration and commercial partnership.

SPARC chief executive Peter Miskimmin said that the sport and recreation sector had many people and organizations making outstanding contributions, and the awards had been designed to recognize this.

``The quality of those vying for the awards was incredible and I didn’t envy the tough job the judges had in deciding the winners. But it goes to show how privileged we, in New Zealand, are to have such capable people running organizations dedicated to delivering the best in sport and recreation,’’ Miskimmin said.

Bay Of Plenty Surf to massive win at Scholastics
The Bay of Plenty surfing team surfed their way to a massive win at the 2009 National Scholastic Surfing Championships held at Ruapuke Beach, Raglan Friday, April 24th.  The team took home four of the eight individual titles as well as the tag team title to claim their fourth win in 21 years of competition at the prestigious school event.

After a flat ocean caused a halt to action on the penultimate day, the event was relocated 30 minutes south to Ruapuke Beach and was completed in flawless 1.0m – 1.5m waves groomed by offshore winds.

The Bay of Plenty team won all three boys division titles with Alex Dive winning the Under 18 Boys, Todd Doyle winning the Under 16 Boys and Peri Matenga winning the Under 14 Boys.  The team also took out the Under 18 Longboard through Sam Guthrie.  Their team also included four other finalists Matt Hewitt (Under 18), Demi Hewitt (Under 14 Girls), Rick Williamson (Under 18 Longboard) and Tom West (Under 18 Bodyboard).

RESULTS

Team Points
1. Bay of Plenty, 17362
2. Waikato, 15928
3. Auckland, 15703
4. Gisborne, 14363
5. Coromandel, 14095
6. Northland, 13239
7. Canterbury, 13053
8. Taranaki, 12833
9. Hawkes Bay, 8268
10. Otago, 4010
11. Wellington, 3890
12. West Coast, 3260

Under 18 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1: Blake Myers (Coro), 1, Alex Dive (BOP), 2, Haami Martin (Wai), 3, Michael Mallalieu (Tara), 4
Heat 2: Matt Hewitt (BOP), 1, Tim Thompson (Auck), 2, Mark Parthemore (Tara), 3, Tyler Anderson (Tara), 4

Under 18 Boys Final
Alex Dive (BOP), 1, Tim Thompson (Auck), 2, Blake Myers (Coro), 3, Matt Hewitt (BOP), 4

Under 16 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1: Tyler Lawson (Hbay), 1, Ben Poulter (Wai), 2, Louis Smith (Nrth), 3, Joe Moretti (Nrth), 4
Heat 2: Todd Doyle (BOP), 1, Jacob Kohn (Gis), 2, Fraser Chatham (Coro), 3, Nat Hughes (Wai), 4

Under 16 Boys Final
Todd Doyle (BOP), 1, Ben Poulter (Wai), 2, Jacob Kohn (Gis), 3, Tyler Lawson (Hbay), 4

Under 14 Boys Final
Peri Matenga (Mnt), 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), 2, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 3, Adam Grimson (Gis), 4

Under 18 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1: India Wray- Murane (Wai), 1, Tessa Randrup (Wai), 2, Haley Baxter (Cant), 3, Demi Poynter (Nrth), N/S
Heat 2: Nicola Colson - Koster (Auck), 1, Anna Hawes (W.C), 2, Kendra Hartley (Tara), 3, Gia Garrick (Coro), 4

Under 18 Girls Final
Nicola Colson Koster (Auck), 1, India Wray- Murane (Wai), 2, Anna Hawes (W.C), 3, Tessa Randrup (Wai), 4

Under 16 Girls Final
Alexis Poulter (Wai), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 3, Kristi Zarifeh (Cant), 4

Under 14 Girls Final
Ella Williams (Coro), 1, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 2, Maiya Thompson (Auck), 3, Demi Hewitt (BOP), 4

Under 18 longboard Final
Sam Guthrie (BOP), 1, Charlie Brown (Gis), 2, Luke O’Neill (Cant), 3, Rick Williamson (BOP), 4

Under 18 Bodyboard
Vaughn Rhind (Auck), 1, Jackson Baxter (Cant), 2, Daniel Willetts (Tara), 3, Tom West (BOP), 4

Background
The National Scholastic Surfing Championships have taken place for the past 21 years.  The event was first staged at Raglan in 1989.  Since then the event has trekked around both the North and South Island.  Host team Waikato are the defending champions after winning the last even held at Opunake, Taranaki in 2008.  A complete list of all National Scholastic Champions is located on the Surfing New Zealand website under events – www.surfingnz.co.nz.

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karin Sierralta (Peru).

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