Surf life-saving: Regional title goes to Newman

Brighton Surf Life Saving Club's Paige Newman was named lifeguard of the year at the surf life-saving awards for the Otago and Southland region on Saturday night.

The 18-year-old stood out for her work ethic.

She is junior club captain for Brighton and has been heavily involved in helping with training sessions during the season and off-season.

One of the night's other top awards went to 19-year-old Tarn Neuman, from Warrington Surf Life Saving Club.

She was named volunteer of the year.

Both teenagers are finalists for the national Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) awards in Wellington in September.

SLSNZ club development officer Sam Clutterbuck said the rescue of the year was awarded to St Kilda Surf Life Saving Club.

On April 3, while lifeguards Duncan New and Bryn Schievink were cleaning the clubhouse, they spotted two youths caught in a powerful rip.

''It was on Easter weekend when there are no lifeguards at the beach. The season finished on the 15th of March,'' Clutterbuck said.

''Those guys were just hanging around the club and tidying it up ... and they heard someone scream out.

''They paddled out and grabbed the two kids. One was about 100m off shore and when they finally grabbed him, he was just going under ... if they weren't there that day, there could have been a tragedy at the beach.''

Later that afternoon, the pair pulled another swimmer from the water.

Club of the year was Brighton.

The six Otago-Southland clubs - Brighton, Warrington, St Kilda, St Clair, Kaka Point and Oreti - undertook a total of 34 rescues during the 2014-15 season.

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