North's top sportsperson

According to the schedule, Sam Warriner was meant to be halfway to Israel, getting ready for another gut-busting effort on the world cup triathlon circuit.
Just as well she was talked out of booking an early flight - otherwise she would have missed the tributes at the Northland Sports Awards in Whangarei last night.
Warriner won the major title - Northland Sportsperson of the Year - at the Genesis Energy-sponsored awards after another triumphant season on the international triathlon circuit. Even so, she had to be talked into going to the event. But it didn't take long for her to snap out of celebration mode and get her game face on.
She is determined to end the world cup circuit ranked as the world No.2, and is eyeing the race in Israel next weekend to get there. "I am just so close. I won't be happy until I know I have tried everything to get that second spot on the rankings," she said. "I know my body knows the season is coming to an end and needs a rest, but I am trying to convince it to keep going for one more race."
It's that dogged determination that won Warriner the big award last night. Her ability to maintain a high strike rate in a cut-throat sports scene stacked with talent makes her one of Northland's most popular competitors. This season she has won two ITU world cup races, in Salford and Vancouver, finished in the top 10 six times and qualified for the Beijing Olympics with a gutsy 11th place at the qualifying race in China.
Currently ranked third and the two-times national triathlon champion, Warriner keeps astounding her critics by getting quicker as she moves toward her 35th birthday. When she won in Vancouver Warriner clocked the fastest run time on the world circuit in world cup history, a record only world No.1 Vanessa Hernandez managed to better.
But even with such a striking record this season, Warriner only just managed to fend off a challenge from another Northland athlete also bound for the Beijing Olympics to get the big gong last night. Yachtie Andrew Murdoch won the Sportsman of the Year, his ongoing success sailing in the Laser class making him a standout. He was confirmed as the first official yachtsman to qualify for the Beijing Olympics last week.
Last night also saw three more sports achievers added to the Northland Legends of Sport. Cyclist Laurie Byers, cricketer Brian Dunning and former Northland rugby coach Ted Griffin were all inducted last night.