Founding Members, Life Members
Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving Club Inc Founding Members and Life Members
Ivan Wilson - OBK Club founder and Life Member, and Bernice Wilson - Life Member
Both now deceased
Ivan Wilson began his Surf Life Saving 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 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 Lifeguards. At National level he was a judge and referee at National surf champs and in 1963 he received a New Zealand Service Award.
After coaching the Waikanae six-man Rescue and Resuscitation team to a National title in 1964, Ivan arrived in Napier 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 Lifeguards.
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 (Hawke’s Bay and Kiwi/OBK), competition team selector (Hawke’s Bay and Kiwi/ OBK). At National level he was a Chief Judge, Hawke’s Bay delegate to NZ Surf Council and a national selector. In 1969 he received the New Zealand 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.
Greg Larsen - Foundation and Life Member
KIWI SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB/OCEAN BEACH SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB
Greg became a member of KIWI SLSC in 1964 when he was invited by his friend Brian Wilson at the Te Awa swim club, to a meeting. The meeting was held at Brian’s dad Ivan’s house and that’s when the KIWI SLSC was formed. Greg and Brian were both 14 at the time. Ten new members passed their Lifeguard Award and were ready to Patrol and compete summer season 1964/65.
Awards, Achievements and Positions
1964 – 2020: Kiwi and Ocean Beach Kiwi Clubs, Committee, Chief instructor, Club Captain, Chairman, Publicity Officer, Club Co-ordinator, swim, craft and beach events coach, qualifying Lifeguards instructor, member recruitment and an active patrolling Lifeguard for approximately 30 years.
1969-1974 Hawke’s Bay Surf Life Saving Association positions held: Club Delegate, Publicity Officer, delegate to carnival committee and a Hawke’s Bay Team Selector.
1972 SLSNZ Surf Instructors Certificate.
1990 Made Life Member Ocean Beach Kiwi SLSC.
2000 Hawke’s Bay Surf Life Saving Association Service Award.
2004 Hawkes Bay Surf Life Saving Association Distinguished Service Award.
2015 New Zealand Service Award.
2016 New Zealand 50 year Badge.
Competition:
1967-1980 Member of the Hawke’s Bay Junior and Senior representative teams.
1976 Member of the Hawke’s Bay Team that won the New Zealand inter-districts competition. A first ever for Hawke’s Bay. Competed in four-man R&R, Beach relay and Canoe.
Highlights open competition:
Over many years at National champs, Greg has been a finalist in Junior six-man and four-man rescue events, Canoe and Canoe rescue, march past, ski race and Taplin relay, winning two Gold, three Silver and one Bronze medals.
As a Masters Competitor:
1991 World Masters 1st 40-44 age group beach sprint.
1993. World Masters 40-44 age group 1st beach relay 2nd Taplin relay 3rd Canoe.
2017 world masters. Two silver medals in ski relay and Taplin relay.
1988-2023 Nationals
1st Beach Sprint 29 times, 1st Beach Flags 25 times at NZ Champs. Also in top three placings in ski, canoe, ski relay and double ski in finals from time to time.
Coaching/Qualifying/Recruitment:
1966-2020 recruited coached and qualified many lifeguards.
Have coached six- man/four-man rescue and resuscitation teams, swimming, ski paddling, canoe teams, beach sprint, beach relay and beach flags for junior and senior members.
2006-2020 Formed the Ocean Beach Kiwi men’s and woman’s Beach flags & Sprint Team. Talent scouted and recruited from local schools, qualified and coached 75 young men and women to become beach sprinting Lifeguards who patrolled Ocean Beach.
Over that period the Beach Sprint Team won 29 gold, 21 silver and 17 bronze medals at New Zealand Champs in Beach Relay, Beach sprint and Beach flag events.
Hawke’s Bay Surf Life Saving Coach of the Year: 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Ben Bennett - Foundation and Life Member
KIWI Surf Life Saving Club and Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving Club
Ben joined Kiwi SLSC in 1964 as a foundation member, aged 13. He gained his Surf Lifesaving Bronze Award in 1965. Ben competed and patrolled for Kiwi, and later Ocean Beach Kiwi, from 1964 until 1973, and re-joined Ocean Beach Kiwi in 1989 and continued patrolling until 2008.
He was awarded Life Membership of Ocean Beach Kiwi in 2006, and Distinguished Service Award by Surf Life Saving Hawke’s Bay in 2009.
Ben was a Hawke’s Bay Surf Lifesaving representative from 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.
Has 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.
His most fun Hawke’s 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 Life Saving 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 2004–2009, Coaching Co-ordinator 2007-2009.
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, as well as a member of the committee. He is still the senior coach. Ben has coached a number of National Kayak Rep’s and NZ individual team National title holders 2011 to present.
Ben was awarded Life Member in 2020.
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 Life Saver Stalwart Bryan Faulknor. The dedicated OBK former Treasurer and Chairman received his 50-year badge at NZ annual awards in 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 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 recognise Bryan as having been the backbone of the club, and he 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
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, joining sometime in the 80’s. 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 continued to patrol Ocean Beach right up until his health made it no longer possible, and his daughter Shona is now a qualified instructor with the club.
- Received his life membership in 2010.
- Served many years as the Hawke’s Bay Surf Life Saving District Superintendent and as a judge.
- Served as Chairman of the club for around 10 years.
- A member of the Hawke’s Bay call-out rescue squad.
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 patrol members. 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 Lifeguards for the club and win medals at New Zealand Surf Life Saving Champs.
Richard Wilson - Life Member
Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Richard and his 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.
Background in Surf Life Saving:
- 2005-2008 Committee member responsible for Junior Surf.
- 2006-07 Treasurer.
- 2008– present Chairperson.
- 2007-2010 Team Manager Ocean Athletes. The first time OBK attended the event.
- 2010-2017 Team Manager at various Regional & SLSNZ events.
- 2021 – Awarded Life Member.
Surf Life Saving Hawke’s Bay:
- 2005-2012 Board member of Surf Life Saving Hawke’s Bay.
- 2011/12 Team Manager SLS Hawke’s 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 Life Saving in NZ.
- 2018 NZ Service Award.