2018 SWIMMING NEW ZEALAND AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Swimming New Zealand has today announced the finalists for eleven categories at the 2018 Swimming New Zealand Awards, to honour and celebrate achievements by New Zealand swimmers, officials, volunteers and coaches in 2017-2018.

Ten finalists from the International, Domestic, Open Water and Para Swimmer of the Year categories are all in line for the prestigious supreme Swimmer of the Year Award, won last year by outstanding Para swimmer, Sophie Pascoe.

2017 Emerging Swimmer of The Year Award winner and Gold Coast Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Lewis Clareburt is in line for top honours as a finalist in two categories - the International and Domestic Swimmer of the Year.

Clareburt is joined by Bradlee Ashby, and Emma Robinson as finalists in the Domestic category, with 2017 FINA World Championship finalist Corey Main joining Clareburt, Ashby and Robinson as finalists for International Swimmer of the Year.

Clareburt’s coach Gary Hollywood at Wellington’s Capital Swim Club, is a finalist in the Coach of Year category alongside Andrew McMillan (North Shore) and Roly Crichton (QEII).

Pascoe who set six world records in 2017 and won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games is joined by fellow Gold Coast team mates Jesse Reynolds and Chris Arbuthnott as finalists for Para swimmer of the year.

Twelve young Kiwi swimmers are finalists in the New Zealand Swimming Alumni Zonal Emerging Swimmer of the Year award which includes Michael Pickett, who has established himself as one of Australasia’s fastest age group freestyle sprinters, and 2017 Bahamas Youth Commonwealth Games medalists Callum Prime, Finn Kennard-Campbell, Zac Reid, Hannah Bates and Chelsey Edwards.

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games representative Celyn Edwards alongside Andrew Jeffcoat, Tyler Finau, Atakura Julian, Thomas Watkins and Quinton Hurley round out the list of finalists for Zonal Emerging Swimmer of the Year.

Northland’s Carlrine Gillespie, Helen Tait (Canterbury West Coast) and Noel Stevens (Wellington) are finalists for the Bill Matson Technical Official of the Year award.

Volunteer of the Year finalists are Helene Helms (North Shore), Jacqui Forsythe (Wellington) and Wayne Rollinson (Canterbury West Coast).

The winners will be presented at the 2018 Swimming New Zealand Awards ceremony on Saturday 7 July at The Spencer on Byron Hotel, Takapuna.

Other awards presented during the ceremony include; New Zealand Masters Swimmer of the Year and Swimming New Zealand Life Members Awards.

“The Swimming New Zealand Awards offer the swimming community the opportunity to recognise and celebrate our athletes, coaches and administrators who have excelled throughout the 2017/18 years and who have set the standard for others to aspire to over the next 12 months,” says Steve Johns, Chief Executive of Swimming New Zealand.

Full list of finalists for the 2018 New Zealand Swimming Awards:

New Zealand Swimming Alumni – Harlequins Zonal Emerging Swimmer of the year (eligible for the overall Emerging Swimmer of the Year).

Callum Prime (North Shore Swimming Club)
Finn Kennard-Campbell (North Shore Swimming Club)
Michael Pickett (North Shore Swimming Club)

New Zealand Swimming Alumni – Aqua Knights Zonal Emerging Swimmer of the year (eligible for the overall Emerging Swimmer of the Year).

Andrew Jeffcoat (Fairfield Swimming Club)
Tyler Finau (Enterprise Swim Club)
Zac Reid (Aquabladz New Plymouth Swimming Club)

New Zealand Swimming Alumni – All Stars Zonal Emerging Swimmer of the year (eligible for the overall Emerging Swimmer of the Year).

Atakura Julian (Capital Swim Club)
Chelsey Edwards (SwimZone Racing)
Thomas Watkins (Capital Swim Club)

New Zealand Swimming Alumni – Makos Zonal Emerging Swimmer of the year (eligible for the overall Emerging Swimmer of the Year).

Celyn Edwards (Selwyn Swim Club)
Hannah Bates (Aquagym Swimming Club)
Quinton Hurley (Jasi Swim Club)

Bill Matson Technical Official of the Year

Carlrine Gillespie (Northland)
Helen Tait (Canterbury West Coast)
Noel Stevens (Wellington)

Volunteer of the Year

Helene Helms (North Shore Swimming Club)
Jacqui Forsythe (Wellington)
Wayne Rollinson (Canterbury West Coast)

New Zealand Masters Swimmer of the Year
*winner announced at awards.

Para swimmer of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Swimmer of the Year Award)

Chris Arbuthnott (Ice Breaker Aquatics)
Jesse Reynolds (Fairfield Swimming Club)
Sophie Pascoe (QEII Swim Club)

Open Water Swimmer of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Swimmer of the Year Award)

Charlotte Webby (Aquabladz New Plymouth Swimming Club)
Matthew Scott (Enterprise Swim Club)
Stefannie Gillespie (Zenith ASC)

Domestic Swimmer of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Swimmer of the Year Award)

Bradlee Ashby (Fairfield Swimming Club)
Emma Robinson (Capital Swim Club)
Lewis Clareburt (Capital Swim Club)

Swimming New Zealand Coach of the Year

Andy McMillan (North Shore Swimming Club)
Gary Hollywood (Capital Swim Club)
Roly Crichton (QEII Swim Club)

International Swimmer of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Swimmer of the Year Award)

Bradlee Ashby (Fairfield Swimming Club)
Corey Main (Howick Pakuranga)
Emma Robinson (Capital Swim Club)
Lewis Clareburt (Capital Swim Club)