Les Mills New Lynn named New Zealand’s supreme club of the year

The Les Mills New Lynn fitness club in Auckland has been named Supreme Club of the Year at the Exercise Association of New Zealand (ExerciseNZ) 2018 awards presented at the weekend.

Les Mills New Lynn finished top among five facilities nominated for the awards while Ngarama Milner-Olsen of Wellington was named New Zealand’s best personal trainer.

Judges said Milner-Olsen is incredibly professional, has outstanding communication and rapport with clients, is goal focused and confident with Jase Te Patu, also of Wellington, being named best mind body instructor of the year.

Judges said he embodied Maori principles and values in his yoga teaching, offering his students a rich philosophical tapestry to practice by.

They advised that “he is a leader in his ability to teach from the heart and guide a wide range of people deeply into mind body connection.”

The franchise facility of the year went to Anytime Fitness Cashmere, Christchurch; while Les Mills New Lynn, Auckland picked up the supreme club of the year and the best chain or group facility of the year.

Bernadette Smith of Christchurch, who helped set the New Zealand hula hooping record last month, won the NZ Register of Exercise Professionals award.

Smith broke the record with 199 hoopers gathered together for two minutes, while at the same time raising funds for the NZ Heart Foundation.

Jo Clark of Auckland won the ExerciseNZ award for her outstanding contribution to the exercise industry.

All the winners are:

Innovation award
Circuband, Christchurch

Programme excellence award
Farm Bootcamp, Canterbury

Community contribution award
FXU Vibe for chronic illness, Wellington

Instinctive fitness community work
Rotorua

Seeding yoga in schools
Wellington

Soaring Words with Zumba
Wilson Home, Auckland

Wellbeing – Your Way
Hamilton

Special awards
NZ Register of Exercise Professionals award
Bernadette Smith Christchurch

ExerciseNZ award 
Jo Clark, Auckland

Skills active – Manukura award
Gillian Christian, Wellington

Skills active – Te Iti Kahurangi award
The Lab Training Centre, Napier

Individual awards
Group exercise – pre-choreographed instructor of the year
Kelly Hadwin, Auckland

Group exercise – own choreography instructor of the year
Roxanne Flawn, Christchurch

Mind body instructor of the year
Jase Te Patu, Wellington

Small group trainer of the year
Reece McCaffrey, Christchurch

Student of the year
Olivia Bradley, Masterton

Outstanding support award
Kate Maxwell, Christchurch

People’s choice award
Julie Bish, Auckland

Up and coming personal trainer of the year
Kelly MacDonald, Auckland

Personal trainer of the year
Ngarama Milner-Olsen, Wellington

Facility awards
Studio of the year
Studio Glow, Hamilton
Highly commended - Adapted Yoga and Pilates, Christchurch

Franchise facility of the year
Anytime Fitness Cashmere, Christchurch

Independent facility of the year
Ironhood Fitness, Christchurch

Chain/ group facility of the year
Les Mills New Lynn, Auckland
Highly commended – Cityfitness Willis Street, Wellington

Supreme club of the year
Les Mills New Lynn, Auckland

Images (from top): Les Mills New Lynn, Ngarama Milner-Olsen and Jase Te Patu