Founding Members, Life Members

OCEAN BEACH KIWI

Ivan Wilson OBK Club founder and Life Member and Bernice Wilson Life Member

Both now deceased

Ivan Wilson began his Surf Lifesaving career with the St Clair club in 1939. He won the Otago Junior Beltman Title in 1939. He was a very good swimmer.

Before arriving in Napier in 1964 Ivan had built up a reputation as a mover and shaker in Surf Life Saving circles around New Zealand.

His work life took him to a number of cities including Dunedin, Christchurch, Invercargill and Gisborne joining clubs Oreti, St Kilda, Brighton and Waikanae clubs. In all these clubs he was a membership recruiter, swim coach, administrator and chief instructor qualifying many surf life guards. At National level he was a judge and referee at National surf champs. In 1963 received NZ service award.

After coaching the Waikanae 6-man Rescue and Resuscitation team to a National title Ivan arrived in Napier 1964 and joined the Westshore club. Later that year he decided to form a new club Kiwi who patrolled the southern end of Westshore beach. In 1969 Ivan formed the Kiwi swim section of the club (now called the Aquahawks) to be a feeder of swimmers into the surf club to become life guards.

In 1970 Ivan was involved in the amalgamation of the Kiwi club and Ocean Beach club to become the Ocean Beach Kiwi club patrolling Ocean Beach. Ivan was the driving force behind the success of The OBK Surf Life Saving club.

From 1964 until Ivan retired he held many positions in the club including swim coach, President, chairman and Chief Instructor (Hawkes Bay and Kiwi/OBK) competition team selector (Hawkes Bay and Kiwi/ OBK).
At National Level he was a Chief Judge, HB delegate to NZ Surf Council and a national selector. In 1969 he received NZ Distinguished Service award.

Ivan’s wife Bernice was a massive support throughout their married life totally involved in all surf club activities. She was also elected to Life Membership of the Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving and swim club.

Ivan and Bernice’s family Anne, Brian, Michael and Vicki were also very much involved in the club with Brian, Michael and Vicki becoming individual NZ Champions. Brian and Michael represented New Zealand teams. They all were very much the back bone of our competitive teams for many of the early years.

Ben Bennett Foundation and Life Member

KIWI SLSC and OCEAN BEACH KIWI Surf Life Saving Club

Joined Kiwi SLSC in 1964 as a foundation member, aged 13. Gained Surf Lifesaving Bronze award 1965. Competed and patrolled for Kiwi, later Ocean Beach Kiwi, from 1964 until 1973. Re-joined Ocean Beach Kiwi in 1989 and continued patrolling until 2008.

Awarded Life Membership of Ocean Beach Kiwi in 2006, and Distinguished Service Award by Surf Life Saving Hawkes Bay in 2009.

Hawke’s Bay Surf Lifesaving representative 1969 to 1973.

World Masters Results.
1998 World Surf Lifesaving Champs; Masters 40-44 age group 1st Beach Relay 1st Ski Relay 2nd Surf canoe, 5th Surf ski, 7th Surf Ironman

2017 World Masters Games Surf Life Saving; 1st 65+ Surf Ski and 2nd Ski Relay

National Results.
Have held numerous New Zealand open & masters titles over the years.

3rd Junior Canoe race 1966 at Oakura beach with team mates Chris Manning, Colin Plunket and Greg Larsen

1st NZ title was Open Men’s Surf Teams 1973, in massive surf at Oakura, with team mates Brian Wilson, Russell Brown and Selwyn Pohio. His feat of catching a wave from the buoys to the beach earned him the nick name Big Wave Benny.

Most fun Hawkes Bay Title was winning the Open Mens Double Ski with Shane Bennett when he was 50, and beating the young Swain brothers from Westshore club in the process.

Voluntary & administrative roles.
Ocean Beach Kiwi SLSC. Patrol member 1964 – 1973 & 1989 – 2008. Various coaching and instructing roles 1996 – 2008, Team manager 1997 – 2008, Committee member 1997 – 2008.

Hawkes Bay Surf Lifesaving Association. Open & U19 Surf League Team selector 2002 – 2009, Skills advisor Open & U19 Surf League Teams 2007-2008, Co-coach Open Surf League Team 2009. Carnival Official 2004 – 09, Coaching Co-ordinator 2007 – 09

From around 2009 to present Ben became an individual World Kayak Champion over 1000 metres plus silver and bronze medalist in other World race distances. As a member of the HB racing kayak club Ben went on to become assistant then senior coach also a member of the committee. He is still the senior coach.

Was awarded life member 2020. Ben has coached a number of National Kayak Rep’s and NZ individual team National title holders 2011 to present.

Bryan Faulknor Life Member

KIWI SLSC and Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving Club

“Nothing beats being at Ocean Beach on a perfect day” says Lifesaver Stalwart Bryan Faulknor. The dedicated OBK Treasurer and former Chairman received his 50 year badge at NZ annual awards (HB Today 2017).

Sometimes someone comes along who contribute awesomeness to your club. When relatively young Bryan took on the role of treasurer. No one else had put their hand up. Some members said: “hey Bryan you are studying to be an accountant we vote you for the job” The young Bryan took his job seriously regards club finances and was affectionately known as money bags Faulknor. Over the many years he has raised and managed Thousands of dollars of income for the club. Many members recognize Bryan as having been the back bone of the club and well deserves all the awards he has received.

Club Service:

Life member and foundation member of Ocean Beach Kiwi.
Continuous membership since 1967 having joined the old Kiwi SLSC in that year.
Patrolled for 35 years.
Treasurer and funding coordinator for 40 years. Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Chairman and President for 20 years.
Held every position at some time including secretary, club captain, chief instructor, patrol captain, coach.
Organised the highly succesful 50th Jubilee in 2014
Project managed upgrade of Clubhouse and new deck some years ago
Past competitor and national gold and silver medallist in canoe.

Surf Life Saving Hawke’s Bay

Life member, distinguished service award, service award.
Held positions of director, chief examiner, chief patrol inspector, carnival official, and club delegate.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand

Awarded Service Award and Distinguished Service Award
50 year badge

Mark Jenkinson (Jenks) Life Member (deceased)

Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving Club

Mark received his life membership in 2010.
Mark joined the club sometime in the mid-eighties.
Although Jenks didn’t come from the usual background of swimming or competitive sport he soon proved to be a great asset to the club. It was at a time when Surf Life Saving was entering the world of motorised rescue craft and needed members to have some mechanical ability to repair motors and the fearlessness to drive the rescue boats in rough conditions. Jenks possessed all these abilities and with team mates Ben Doggett and Russell Moffitt created and built an IRB (inflatable rescue boat) training and maintenance program for the club.
Jenks served many years as the Hawkes Bay Surf Life Saving District Superintendent and as a judge.
Jenks served as Chairman of the club for around 10 years.
Jenks was a member of the Hawkes Bay call out rescue squad.
Jenks continued to patrol Ocean Beach right up until his health no longer made it possible.
Marks Daughter Shona is now a qualified instructor with the club.

Pat Benson Life Member (deceased)

Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving Club

Club service

Pat received his club Life Membership in 2010.
Continuous membership since 1974 having joined the club that year.
Patrolled Ocean Beach for over 20 years being involved in many rescues.
A strong surf swimmer Pat won Gold in surf team races at National level in 1974, 1975, and 1976.
At various times Pat has held club positions including Committee, club captain, director of sport, club co-ordinator, membership recruiter, patron and surf/craft coach.
His family businesses Napier Computer Systems and Benson properties have been generous sponsors of the club over many years.
In 1991 Pat received the New Zealand Surf Life Guard of the year award. The Award was for his work in saving OBK Surf Patrol from going into recess.
Between 1990 and 1996 Pat recruited around 25 new talented swimmers and beach athletes and coached them to be champion competitors and patrolmen. The club went from just about going into recess to featuring in the top ten clubs in NZ at Nationals with the best performance being in 1993 finishing 4th.
Between 1990 and 1996 those 25 members won 14 Gold, 17 silver and 24 bronze medals.
Alongside his OBK club activity Pat managed to attend university, become a junior all black swim Cook Strait and take part in Marathon swimming.
Pat has seen his children also very good pool swimmers become life guards for the club and win medals at New Zealand Surf Life Saving Champs.

Richard Wilson Life Member

Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club

Background in Surf Lifesaving:

Family joined in 2004 through Vicki Moffitt (Ivan Wilson’s daughter) who was Richards daughters swim coach at the time. Vicki had re-established the Nippers group that season.
2005-2008 Committee member responsible for Junior Surf.
2006-07 Treasurer
2008 – to 2023 Chairperson
2007- 2010 Team Manager Ocean Athletes. The first time OBK attended the event.
2010 – 2017 Team Manager at various Regional & SLSNZ events
2021 – Life Member

Surf Lifesaving Hawkes Bay

2005-2012. Board member of Surf Lifesaving Hawkes Bay.
2011/12 Team Manager SLS Hawkes Bay U16 at NZ Interprovincial Competition.
2017 SLS HB Service Award

Surf Life Saving New Zealand

2010/11. Involved in a working group as part of a review of surf lifesaving in NZ
2018 NZ Service Award