Hard task for judges of awards

Stevie Paine, right, nominee for Senior Sports Personality of the Year.

Record nominations were received for the 2013-14 Wairarapa sports awards, finalists for which were announced today.

Nothing illustrates better the wide variety of sports represented over the 13 categories in this Wairarapa Times-Age sponsored event than the Senior Sports Personality section which has a champion kick-boxer taking on equally formidable performers in athletics, cricket and motorcycle sidecar racing.

Zane Hopman is the New Zealand WMC cruiser weight title holder and has been selected in the national squad to face the world amateur Muay Thai championships in LangKawi, Malaysia, next month.

Stevie Paine won a gold medal in the women's under-20yr 400m at the New Zealand track and field championships and is nationally ranked in the top five in her age group over 400m, 800m and 1500m. She has been named in a NZAA silver level Performance Potential Squad which marks her as a contender for the 2020 or 2024 Olympic Games

Seth Rance overcame injury problems to force his way into the Central Stags senior men's cricket squad and regularly picked up wickets as an opening bowler as well as proving to be a useful lower order batsman.

He was also a mainstay of the Greytown side which finished fifth in the national club finals.

Steve "Spike" Taylor won the New Zealand motorcycle sidecar racing title in 2013 and repeated the achievement again this year.

Public voting for the awards will commence through a form to be published in the Times-Age next Wednesday, and regularly thereafter, and the category winners, as well as the overall supreme champion, will be announced at a function to be held at Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park on Wednesday, June 4. Also to be presented are a Lifetime Achievement award, which recognises long-time service to sport in Wairarapa.

Finalists selected from the nominees are:

SENIOR SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Zane Hopman (Muay Thai/kick boxing)), Stevie Paine (athletics), Seth Rance (cricket), Spike Taylor (sidecar racing).

YOUTH SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Alison Andrews-Paul (athletics), Melissa Hansen (cricket), Joseph Robertson (hockey), Katie Smith (athletics).

JUNIOR SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Mitchell Cockburn (hockey, softball, swimming), Shane Colton (tennis), Kate Sims (athletics, cricket, swimming), Katrina Watkins (dressage).

DISABLED SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Ruby Morrison (athletics), Samantha Paku- Rimene (swimming), Keelan Ward (athletics)

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mark Harris (athletics), Anna Kitching (swimming), David Wright (football).

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR: Gail Miller (hockey), Sam Rossiter-Stead (basketball, football, swimming), Jill Stringer (athletics), Bob Wilton (drag racing).

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Andrea Lambert (athletics), Robyn Prior (swimming), Simon Roseingrave (cricket).

SENIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR: Greytown senior men's cricket, Greytown senior men's rugby, Wairarapa-Bush Heartland rugby.

YOUTH SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR: Wairarapa College first XI girls hockey, Wairarapa College first XV rugby, Wairarapa under-18 women's hockey,

JUNIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR: Douglas Villa 13th grade football, Masterton Intermediate first X1 football, Masterton Swimming Club 12yrs and under.

SPORTS CLUB OF THE YEAR: Cancer Society Wairarapa Dragon Boat Racing Club, Pioneer Sports Club, Red Star Squash Club.

PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR: Martinborough School, Masterton Intermediate, Whareama School.

COLLEGE OF THE YEAR: Rathkeale College, Solway College, Wairarapa College.