Auckland secures supreme prizes at New Zealand Exercise Industry Awards

Auckland personal trainer Kate Saynor and the AUT Millennium gym have won the top awards at the annual New Zealand Exercise Industry Awards.

Saynor, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games weightlifter, was highly commended for her commitment as a certified rehabilitation trainer and Pilates instructor from her studio, My Rehab Fitness, on the North Shore.

The AUT Millennium gym was acknowledged for running outstanding virtual classes during the COVID pandemic lockdown while Les Mills gyms helped keep people moving during level four COVID with their group exercise classes being made public to homes throughout the country for free.

Coinciding with FitEx, New Zealand’s largest fitness conference, the awards recognise exercise professionals and facilities for helping New Zealanders stay active.

Commenting on the awards, Richard Beddie, Chief Executive of programme organiser the Exercise Association of New Zealand (ExerciseNZ), stated “exercise is the biggest sport in New Zealand with participation rates larger than the next three sports combined, including rugby, cricket and netball.

“We are seeing huge benefits from the large gym chains helping tens of thousands of members, through to the individual trainers and teachers who help people one on one, or in a community hall.”

Citing the proven benefits of physical activity in not only increases life expectancy, but also quality of life, Beddie highlighted how the New Zealand exercise industry is ready to work with government to get more of the population active.

Beddie noted “something needs to change in New Zealand given that we are the worst of all the developed countries and 13th worst in the world in meeting WHO exercise guidelines.”

The winners of the annual NZ exercise industry awards:

Independent facility award
AUT Millennium gym, Auckland

Personal trainer of the year
Kate Saynor, Auckland

Educator of the year
Luigi Bercades, Auckland

Innovation award
Growing Younger Fitness

Programme excellence award
The Run Crew, Queenstown

Franchise facility of the Year
Anytime Fitness, Cashmere, Christchurch

Studio of the Year
Adapted Yoga & Pilates, Christchurch

UCPT award
Erica Stedman, Dunedin

Exercise instructor award
Stephanie Lim Fong, Auckland

Group trainer award
Christie Houghton, Auckland

Student award
Lisa Lyons, Auckland

Group exercise instructor
Joy McNamara, Auckland

Yoga teacher award
Tilak Raj, Christchurch

Outstanding support award
Lisa Brown, Christchurch

Community contribution
Les Mills NZ

Image: The Auckland University of Technology Millennium gym.

Article corrected 3.15pm, 26th November 2020 to refer to AUT Millennium gym, Auckland as the winner of the Independent facility award and not Auckland University of Technology Millennium.