Kia ora Surf Life Saving whānau,

It appears Autumn has well and truly arrived, with temperatures dropping and brisk winds making themselves known! It feels a lifetime ago that we were raising the red and yellow flags for the very first patrols in October.  A big thank you to everyone who has played a part in keeping our beaches safer this summer!

We hope you’re now able to take some time to reflect on the past season. It’s been busy, and for some, challenging. Remember, if you need to talk to someone, please reach out! You can find out more about our counselling and wellbeing service below.

In this month’s Member News, you’ll also read about March bp Rescue of the Month winners, the 21-day Classic Outward Bound course, sports updates and more!

Kia kaha ki te whakatepe! Stay strong to the end. 

Focus on prevention results in lowest rescue numbers in three years

A concerted focus on preventative action this summer saw Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) conduct 577 rescues over the summer patrol season (Labour Weekend – 28 April). The rescue number is down from 873 in the 23/24 season and 1472 in the 22/23 season.

Surf lifeguards worked over 240,000 hours keeping people safer this summer season with surf lifeguard hours increasing every year.

General Manager of Lifesaving Andy Kent says New Zealand owes our over 4000 volunteer surf lifeguards a huge debt of gratitude.

“We can enjoy downtime on the beach because others are giving up their time to keep us safer.”

To read the full season wrap, click here.

March bp Rescue of the Month Winners Announced

All those rescued by our March bp Rescue of the Month winners were incredibly lucky that surf lifeguards were at the scene to assist them. On both occasions off-duty surf lifeguards sprung to action applying teamwork and skill to bring people in trouble to safety.

Congratulations to all our recent winners. To read more about each rescue, click here.

Special thank you to bp for their continued support towards our surf lifesaving community.

Surf Lifesaving Peer Support

As we conclude the 2024/25 season, this is a reminder that SLSNZ provides all active members with access to surf lifesaving peer support and funded counselling with Telus Health. Peer Supporters are fellow members with extra training to confidentially support you. Peer Supporter contacts can be found on the member portal. For counselling support or to learn more about services available, click here.

SLSNZ Beach Education programme teaches water safety skills to over 25,000 young people this season

A total of 25,500 school-aged students from Ahipara in the far north to Oreti in Southland have learned valuable water safety skills during the 2024-25 season thanks to the SLSNZ Beach Education programme. Designed for primary school-aged children, Beach Education has been delivered by SLSNZ clubs and members for over 30 years and has brought water safety skills and knowledge to over 250,000 Kiwi students.

To read more, click here.

bp Leaders for Life

bp Leaders for Life is SLSNZ's premier leadership development programme for current and emerging club leaders aged 20-35 years.

This programme offers a valuable opportunity for participants to enhance their leadership abilities, deepen their knowledge, and develop key skills. It also fosters the creation of meaningful relationships and connections across clubs and regions throughout New Zealand.

Candidate applications for next year’s programme are now open and further information on the programme, as well as the application link, can be found here.

bp Leaders for Life - Mentors

Mentors play a valuable role in the bp Leaders for Life programme and are the key link between the skills taught in the workshops and the integration of these skills into practice. They will serve as a key support resource for candidates in programme, have a passion for enabling people to reach their potential and a genuine interest in the development of leaders.

If you are keen to help support and develop our next generation of leaders, click here.

Ngaru Huhuka 2025 – Leadership Development Opportunity

We’re excited to announce that Ngaru Huhuka will support 14 emerging leaders from SLSNZ to attend a 21-day Classic Outward Bound course. This unique opportunity is tailored to align with SLSNZ’s leadership development outcomes.

Key Details:

·       Applications opened: Friday 18 April

·       Applications close: Sunday 11 May

·       Course dates: 22 August-11 September 2025

Eligibility:

·       Open to members aged 18–27 years

·       One participant per SLSNZ club (14 spaces available)

Participant Contribution:

·       Travel to/from Picton

·       Pre-course medical certificate

·       Co-payment of $2,000 (the full course cost is $5,595, with the remaining balance funded by the Outward Bound Trust)

Don’t miss this chance to challenge yourself, grow as a leader, and represent your club!

For more info on the course, click here.

To apply, click here.

Kaka Point Clubrooms Up for Sale | Otago Daily Times

Kaka Point Surf Lifesaving Club is selling its old beachfront clubrooms to make way for new facilities. The timber-framed buildings – one two-storeyed with living spaces and a lookout, the other a storage unit – are in good condition and available to purchase together or separately. Club president Mark van Asperen hopes the buildings, dating back to the 1950s, will find a new home rather than face demolition. The sale is part of the club’s long-awaited rebuild, with new designs expected to be shared soon.

For the full article, click here.

Cliff-face rescuers ‘incredible’

A Dunedin woman at the centre of a three-hour cliff rescue drama says the emergency services that saved her were "absolutely incredible". To read more, click here.

Man rescued from Back Beach over weekend

A man was successfully rescued from Back Beach in New Plymouth at the weekend after getting swept out to sea. To read more, click here.

Clubs keeping Coasties safe in the water

Recent remarks by Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown questioning the role of Auckland’s East Coast surf lifesaving clubs prompted strong responses from local councillors, who highlighted the clubs’ vital work, including dozens of rescues, community safety initiatives, and emergency flood responses. To read more, click here.

Aon New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships 2026

SLSNZ and Whakatane SLSC are pleased to confirm the Aon NZ Surf Lifesaving Championships 2026 will be held at Ohope Beach from 5-8 March.

“From the shores of Ohope Beach, Whakatane SLSC and our community extend a warm welcome to our surf lifesaving whānau – let’s ride the waves together in 2026!”

Hamish Reid, Whakatane SLSC Chair.

Senior and Youth Performance Squads

Congratulations to athletes selected to the Senior and Youth Performance Squads. To view the full squad list of ocean, beach and pool athletes, click here.

How good were the Aussies!

Congratulations to all the Kiwi athletes who competed on the Gold Coast for their New Zealand or Aussie clubs. Thank you to all the Kiwi volunteers that went over to assist in various roles.

If you missed the coverage, check out the livestreams here.

For results, click here.

Thank you to Toyota Financial Services

Have you noticed the red and yellow flag featured on our latest vehicle design? It’s a proud symbol of our lifesaving mission. A special thank you to our partner, Toyota Financial Services, for their incredible support of surf lifesaving. Their contribution helps ensure our team can travel safely and stay ready to protect lives across Aotearoa.

We would love to hear from you

If you have a story to share, especially any amazing rescue stories, please email us.

Thank you to our Major Partners