Each year, we honour not only our members' extradorinary efforts and accomplishments, but the spirit of camaraderie that defines us as dragon boaters. 

2024 ADBA Sports Awards, 7 June 2024

2024 Coach of the Year Award  - Deb Camlpin (Jaffettes)

Finalists

• Serena Taiti (Women of Steel)
• Stu Fausett and Stephanie Willcox (Random Jaffas)
• Cat Horgan (Zombies)

2024 Manager of the Year - Tersea Cropp (Jaffettes)

Finalists

• Polly Kenrick (Lion)
• Sandy Timoti (Steel Dragons)
• Kate Ward-Smythe (Hauraki Blues)

2024 Captain of the Year  - June Tai Tin (Women of Steel)

Finalists

• Phil Wakelin (Random Jaffas)
• Caroline Arwanitis (Jaffettes)
• Liz Horne (Pink Dragons)

2024 Rookie of the Year  - Maranetta Gosche (Women of Steel)

Finalists

• Rachelle Caverhill- Evans (City Dragons)
• Rohan Turner (Jaffettes)
• Genie Motulalu (Steel Dragons)

2024 Most Improved (new award) - Nic Badenhorst (Lion)

Finalists

• Harper-Lee Vavetuki (Steel Dragons)
• Luseanne Purcell (Women of Steel)
• Mackenzie Freeman (Jaffettes)

Sweep Recognition - Caz Hill (Level 4) Random Jaffas

Volunteer of the Year - John Constable and Joanna Hurst 

Special Recongition - Linda Ashton (Busting with Life)

Chair's Award - Marion (Maz) Hammond

 

2023 ADBA Sports Awards, 15 July 2023

Check out the photographs here: https://www.adba.co.nz/gallery/11075/

2023 Coach of the Year - Chris Stone (City Dragons)

Finalists

• Bruce Li (Dragon Riders)
• Serena Tiaiti (Steel Dragons)
• Tia Drodroagi (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

2023 Team Manager of the Year - Kerrin Brown (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

Finalists

• Kate Ward-Smyth (Hauraki Blues)
• Laura Johns (City Dragons)
• Narelle McAllum (Random Jaffas)
• Sandy Timoti (Steel Dragons)

2023 Captain of the Year  - Nico Archer (Hauraki Blues)

Finalists

• Phil Wakelin (Random Jaffas)
• Ricky Greaves (Lion Dragon Boat Club)
• Rosemary Geard (Busting With Life)

2023 Rookie of the Year (New Award for 2023) - Alyce "Toretto" Kaume'afaiva (Steel Dragons) and Oscar Te Kii (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

Finalists

• Michelle Wang (Dragon Riders)
• Wendy Whitten (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

2023 Chair's Award - Chris Stone (City Dragons)

2023 Volunteer of the Year - Tony Lindquist (Random Jaffas)

2023 Sweep Recognition

• Steven Lee - Level 4 (Randon Jaffas)
• Linda Ashton - Level 3 (Busting With Life)
• Andrea Partington - Level 3 (Pink Dragons)
• Adrian Grant - Level 3 (City Dragons)
• Brand Bezuidenhout - Level 3  (Waitemata Warriors)

 

2021 ADBA Sports Awards, 8 May 2021 

2021 Coach of the Year ~ Shane Harris (Steel Dragons) 

Finalist ~  

• Leslie Ash (Busing with Life)

• Stuart Fausett (Random Jaffas) 

2021 Team Manager of the Year ~ Liz Butcher (Pink Dragons)  

Finalist ~  

• Laura Johns (Harewa Taniwha)

• Liz Butcher (Pink Dragons)

• Sandy Timoti (Steel Dragons)

2021 Captain of the Year ~ Jane Rutherford (The Jaffettes) and Liz Horne (Pink Dragons) 

 Finalist ~  

• Jane Rutherford (The Jaffettes) 

• Liz Butcher (Pink Dragons) 

• Ricky Greaves (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

2021 Novice Coach of the Year ~ Heather Bisset (Tsunami, Lion Dragon Boat Club) 

Finalist 

• David Price (Waitemata Warriors)

• Lisa Keeley (Komodo Dragons)

2021 Novice Sweep of the Year ~ Andrea Partington (Pink Dragons)  

Finalist 

• Brand Bezuindenhout (Waitemata Warriors)

• Steven Lee (Komodo Dragons)

 

2021 Special Recognition Award  ~ Lisa Burd, Rhys Duncan, Susan Rae (Feature Movie - The Pinkies Are Back) 

The Special Recognition Awards recogning outstanding service to the promotion of dragon boating in Auckland.   

 

2021 Sweep of the Year ~  Leslie Ash (Busting With Life)  

Finalist 

• Alisha Zanetich (Tsunami, LDBC and Auckland Women's Premier / Senior B Reps)

• Deb Camplin (The Jaffettes)

• Leslie Ash (Busting with Life, Auckland Womens Senior C Reps)

2021 Volunteer of the Year ~ Liz Butcher   
 
2021 Chairman's Award ~ Holly Claeys (Komodo Dragons)

2021 Honorary Life Memberships 

The award of Honorary Life Membership recognises long-term commitment and who have made a substantial contribution to the ADBA Committee and Association. 

• Alisha Zanetich, serving since April 2008 
• Chris Stone, serving since April 2009 
• Marion Hammond, serving since June 2009 

 

2020 ADBA Sports Awards, 16 May 2020 

2020 Coach of the Year ~  Sooupu Perese (Lion Dragon Boat Club, Head Coach Black Dragons and Akl Junior Reps, Epsom Girls Grammar, Pink Dragons) 

Finalist 

• Bill Lomas (Sky Dragons)

• Leslie Ash (Busing with Life)

• Shannon Garside (Komodo Dragons)

• Sooupu Perese (Lion Dragonboat Club, Pink Dragons, Epsom Girls Grammar School, Auckland Junior Reps, the NZ Black Dragons Premier Team)

 

2020 Team Manager of the Year ~ Narelle McAllum (Black Dragons and Random Jaffas)  

Finalist 

• Holly Claeys (Komodo Dragons)

• Liz Butcher (Pink Dragons)

• Narelle McAllum (Random Jaffas & The Black Dragons - Premier Mixed Crew)

• Rach Versloot (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

• Sandy Timoti (Steel Dragons) 

 

2020 Captain of the Year - Linda Ashton (Busing with Life)  

Finalist 

• Holly Claeys (Komodo Dragons)

• Liz Butcher (Pink Dragons)

• Narelle McAllum (Random Jaffas & The Black Dragons - Premier Mixed Crew)

• Rach Versloot (Lion Dragon Boat Club) 

• Sandy Timoti (Steel Dragons)

2020 Volunteer of the Year ~ Tery Hardwicke  (AADR & Auckland Regionals Timekeeper )  

2020 Most Improved Team of the Year ~  Air NZ 

2020 Novice Sweep of the Year ~  Tania Scurr  (Komodo Dragons & Dio Girls Grammar)  

2020 Chairman's Award ~ Gary Sin (ZoMBIEs) 

 

 

2019 ADBA Sports Awards, 11 May 2019 

2019 Coach of the Year ~ Bill Lomas (Sky Dragons) and Sooupu Perese (Lion Dragon Boat Club, Head Coach Akl Reps, Epsom Girls Grammar, Pink Dragons) 

Finalist ~  

• Bill Lomas (Sky Dragons) 

• Leslie Ash (Busting With Life)

• Ricky Greaves (Auckland Representative Squad) 

• Sooupu Perese (Auckland Representative Squad, Lion Dragon Boat Club & Epsom Girls Grammar School)

 

2019 Team Manager of the Year ~ Holly Claeys (Komodo Dragons)  

Finalist 

• Gary Sin (ZoMBIEs)

• Holly Claeys (Komodo Dragons)

• Rachel Versloot (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

• Toni-Talita Fraser (The Jaffettes) 

• Narelle McAllum (Random Jaffas)

 

2019 Captain of the Year ~ Serena Tiaiti (Hauraki Blues)  

Finalist 

• Phil Wakelin (Random Jaffas) 

• Ricky Greaves (Lion Dragon Boat Club)

• Serena Taiti (Hauraki Blues) 

• Renee Hart (ZoMBIEs)

 

2019 Volunteer of the Year ~ Toni-Talita Fraser (The Jaffettes)  

2019 Most Improved Team of the Year ~ Sky Dragons 

2019 Novice Sweep of the Year ~ Bruce Lee  (Dragon Riders)  

2019 Chairman's Award ~ Andrew Wilcox (Air NZ) 

2019 Special Recognition Award  ~ Deb Stevenson  (Busting With Life)

2019 Honorary Life Membership - Sooupu Perese, serving since April 2008 

 

 

2018 ADBA Sports Awards, 12 May 2018 

2018 Coach of the Year ~ Deb Camplin (The Jaffettes)

2018 NOVICE Coach of the Year (New Category) ~ Anna Lum (Random Jaffas) 

2018 Team Manager of the Year ~ Rachel Versloot, Lion Dragon Boat Club 

2018 Captain of the Year ~ Ricky Greaves, Lion Dragon Boat  

2018 Novice Sweep of the Year - Carol (Caz) Hill 

2018 Volunteer of the Year - Hauraki Blues 

2018 Most Improved Team of the Year - Komodo Dragons

 

2017 ADBA Sports Awards, 20 May 2017 

2017 Coaches of the Year ~ Leslie Ash (Busting With Life) and Shannon James (Komodo Dragons) 

2017 Team Manager of the Year ~ Leslie Ash (Busting With Life) 

2017 Captain of the Year ~ Steph Chaney (The Jaffettes)

​2017 Novice Sweep of the Year ~ Jo Ward (Komodo Dragons)  and Lavi Stewart Anitone (Sky Dragons & Rutherford College) 

2017  Volunteer of the Year ~ Bruce Slaughter (via Hauraki Blues) 

 2017 Most Improved Team - Air NZ 

2017 Chairman's Award ~  Deb Stevenson, Events Manager 

2017 ADBA Frontiers Award ~ Presented to those teams that competed internationally - this year Pink Caps 

 

2016 ADBA Sports Awards, 23 July 2016 

2016 Coaches of the Year ~ Leslie Ash (Busting With Life) and Tim Grimley (Random Jaffas)

2016 Team Manager of the Year ~ Leslie Ash (Busting With Life) 

2016 Captain of the Year ~ Kerrin Brown (Hauraki Blues) 

​2016 Novice Sweep of the Year ~ Vinesh Reddy (Latitude & Rutherford College) 

2016 Volunteer of the Year ~ Doug Gillespie (Air NZ) 

2016 Most Improved Team  ~ Fresh on the Boat 

2016 Chairman's Award ~  Pip Winchester 

Pip has spent countless hours restoring our fleet of 14+ dragon boats, 2 safety boats plus trailers, 4 trolleys, 2 dragon boat trailers.  Not to mention shipping equipment all over the country to assist our other regions and supporting the NZDBA.   

2016 ADBA Frontiers Award ~ Presented to those teams that competed internationally 

• For qualifying and competing at the 2016 Club Crew World Championships in Adelaide ~ Lion Dragon Boat Club, Hauraki Blue, The Jaffettes, North Shore Dragons. 
• For competing in the International Hong Kong Dragon Boat5 Festivel ~ Random Jaffas​ 

 

2015 ADBA Sports Awards, 18 July 2015 

2015 Coach of the Year ~ Sooupu Perese (GE Force, Epsom Girls Grammar, Pink Dragons, Lynfield College, Lion, The Jaffettes) 

2015 Team Manager of the Year ~ Shannon James (North Shore Dragons, Komodos Dragons) 
 
2015 Captain of the Year ~ Phil Wakelin (Random Jaffas) 

2015 Novice Sweep of the Year ~ Natalie Fowlie 
  
2015 Volunteer of the Year ~ Brent Newton 
 
2015 Most Improved Team of the Year ~ The Jaffettes (Prem A Women's) and GE Force (Prem A Mixed) 

2015 Chairman's Award ~ Alisha Zanetich 
 
2015 Chairman's Special Mentions ~ Sooupu Perese, Deb Stevenson and Clayton Downes 

 

2014 ADBA Inaugural Sports Awards, 14 June 2014 

2014 Coach of the Year ~ Ricky Greaves (AWDBC) 

2014 Team Manager of the Year ~ Jo Greaves (Lion) 
 
2014 Captain of the Year ~ Deb Camplin (AWDBC) and Claire Rawkins (The Jaffettes) 

2014 Novice Sweep of the Year ~ Fane Usali 
 
2014 Volunteer of the Year ~ Kitty Keenan-Britts 
 
2014 Most Improved Team of the Year ~ Pink Dragons 
 
2014 The Chair's Award ~ Ricky Greaves