CHB in the running as Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards finalists announced

CHB Mail

27 Sep, 2023 01:00 AM3 mins to read

CHB’s Sportsperson of the Year Lackie Kirk is in the running for the 2023 Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Emerging Sportsperson Award.

Finalists have been announced in their respective categories for the 2023 Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards.

Judges, experts in their sporting and sports media fields, have narrowed nominations submitted over the past month down to 52 finalists across 13 categories.

The Senior Sportsperson of the Year Awards will once again be hotly contested, with previous winners Aimee Fisher, Emma Twigg and Tom Mackintosh up against national middle distance champion record holder and Havelock North local George Beamish.

Fisher and Twigg have dominated the awards in recent years, Twigg first claiming the Supreme Awards in 2005.

Eighty nominations were received, slightly down on previous years. While nominations were down, the quality of nominations is as strong as ever and shows the excellent achievements in sport and active recreation from across the region.

Recent winners at the Central Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards, Nichola Heremaia (squash, Volunteer of the Year), Lachie Kirk (Emerging Sportsperson), Wayne Marsh (Coach), Waipukurau Lawn Tennis and Squash Club (Grassroots Club) and Flemington Mud run (Community Initiative) continue to have cause to celebrate as being announced as finalists in the regional awards.

Porangahau Sports Club (rugby and netball) is also a finalist for Grassroots Club of the Year.

Sport Hawke’s Bay general manager Ryan Hambleton said: “With the impact Covid-19 and more recently Cyclone Gabrielle has had on our sport and active recreation landscape, we have again produced some outstanding finalists for this year’s awards.”

“On behalf of Sport Hawke’s Bay and all supporters of physical activity, thank you to all of those who took the time to nominate a wide range of worthy volunteers, community initiatives, coaches, officials and sportspeople.”

The winners of the Disabled, Master, Junior and Senior Sportsperson and Junior and Senior Team of the Year all go forward as finalists for the supreme award, the Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sportsperson of the Year.

The awards recognise both excellence in sport and active recreation from across the region and also recognise those who are creating quality physical activity opportunities for all. The Activating Te Matau a Māui and Community Initiative of the Year categories have seven finalists, in recognition of the work they have done and continue to do to support the Hawke’s Bay region to get more active, more often.

“It’s great to see so many from the Hawke’s Bay community taking this opportunity to recognise and celebrate successes in their sport and acknowledge those who work so hard to make sport happen. We also say thanks to the amazing sponsors who continue to support the sport sector to help make this night happen” Hambleton says.