Finalists announced for The Dominion Post Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards 2014
19 May 2014, 9:55PM
Sport Wellington
Sport Wellington has announced the finalists for The Dominion Post Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards 2014. Six external and independent judges deliberated over 200 nominations from 26 different sports to compile the list of 46 finalists. Every district in the region was represented through the nominations submitted.
Finalists have been announced in 11 categories covering Sportspersons, Coaches, Officials, Administrators, Clubs and Teams. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony held Thursday 12 June at TSB Banks Arena. From these category winners will come the supreme winner; The Dominion Post Wellington Sportsperson of the Year 2014. Past winners of the supreme award include Peter Taylor, Conrad Smith and Ricki Hebert.
One winner has also been selected as to receive the Lifetime Contribution to Sport award. The winner of this award will be revealed at the awards ceremony. As well as the categories named, the Personality of the Year award will be put to a public vote with finalists announced in The Dominion Post for this category in late May.
Amongst the finalists, Rugby, Cricket, Swimming, Basketball, Hockey and Athletics feature repeatedly with a few less renowned sports making an appearance such as Equestrian, Shooting and Barefoot Water-skiing.
Sport Wellington Chief Executive Phil Gibbons said “this has been yet another great year for the number of nominations received. The quality of the nominees and their level of achievement are outstanding. The judges had a very difficult task in separating the finalists in each category. The range of sports recognised really highlights the diversity of Wellingtons sporting landscape with 20 different sports recognised within the finalists alone. Every corner of our region is recognised and we can all be justifiably proud of the finalists announced today.”
Sport Wellington has also announced New Zealand television broadcaster and TVNZ Sports Icon Geoff Bryan as the host for the evening. Growing up in Wellington, Bryan has worked as a presenter across several local media channels. Bryan has covered five Commonwealth Games, numerous Rugby, Cricket and Football World Cups and a wide variety of other sports at top level.
Established in 1969, the awards ceremony is attended by many of Wellingtons top sporting achievers and is now recognised as the most prestigious event on Wellingtons sporting calendar. The Awards dinner will also include the 2014 induction of the Sports Legends of Wellington. Once inducted the Legends will have plaques unveiled in their honour at the ASB Sports Centre in Kilbirnie on the morning after the awards.
Finalists by category are:
Steinlager Sportsman of the Year
Conrad Smith - Rugby
Steven Adams - Basketball
James Hunter - Rowing
Stephen Jenness - Hockey
Wither Hills Sportswoman of the Year
Mary Fisher - Para Swimming
Anita Punt - Hockey
Georgia Groen - Barefoot Waterskiing
Samantha Lee - Swimming & Surf lifesaving
Hiremaster Team of the Year
Wellington 7’s - Rugby
Hutt Valley/Porirua Flyers - Basketball
Wellington Firebirds - Cricket
CanSurvive Dragonboating - Dragonboating
Gibson Sheat Lawyers Coach of the Year
Gary Hurring - Swimming
Jamie Siddons - Cricket
Scott Waldrom - Rugby
Chris Boyd - Rugby
Wellington City Council Emerging Sportsman of the Year
Kurtis Imrie - Surf Life Saving
Joseph Baker-Thomas - AFL
Ben Walsh - Swimming
Izayah Mauriohooho Le’afa - Basketball
Wellington City Council Emerging Sportswoman of the Year
Whitney Souness - Netball
Julianne Alvarez - Golf
Jackie Kiddle - Rowing
Jacinta Beckley - Basketball
PAK'nSAVE Kilbirnie Club of the Year
Petone Rowing Club - Rowing
Wellington Scottish Athletics Club - Athletics
Hutt Valley Gym Sports - Gym Sports
Greytown Junior Football Club - Football
Pelorus Trust Disabled Athlete of the Year
Kate Horan Para - Cycling
Mary Fisher Para - Swimming
Greg Reid - Shooting
Santana Chapman - Para Swimming
New Zealand Community Trust Volunteer of the Year
Simon Roseingrave - Cricket
Lyn MacIntyre - Equestrian
Mark Harris - Athletics
Geoff Henry - Athletics and Cross Country
BDO Official of the Year
Mike Fraser - Rugby
Kathy Cross - Cricket
Jim McIlroy - Athletics
Pub Charity Administrator of the Year
Matt Wood - Ocean Sports
Mark Berge - Swimming
Louise Evans -McDonald - Athletics
Jo Murray - Athletics
Super Colour Personality of the Year*
*The Super Colour Personality of the Year is decided by a people’s choice promotion run through The Dominion Post.