New Zealand captain Scott Curry with Fiji's Alasio Sovita Naduva at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. Photo / Supplied
New Zealand captain Scott Curry with Fiji's Alasio Sovita Naduva at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. Photo / Supplied
Local community volunteers and international sport stars are among the near 80 finalists of the 2018 Bay of Plenty Sports Awards hosted by Sport Bay of Plenty.
Celebrating 50 years, the event has a long and prestigious history in the region and recognises all aspects of sport from local clubs and volunteers right through to individual athletes at the top of their sporting careers.
More than 120 nominations were received for 18 award categories, which include the top honours of Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year.
Among the individual finalists for 2018 are Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning sevens players Michaela Blyde and Scott Curry, Black Sticks gold medallist Samantha Charlton, three-time Olympic gold medallist Lisa Carrington, triathlete Sam Osborne and cricketer Kane Williamson.
Team award finalists include brothers Sam and Ben O'Dea, who took home bronze in beach volleyball at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, New Zealand surf lifesaving champions the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service Open Men's surf team and secondary school teams for volleyball, football, motocross and underwater hockey.
Lisa Carrington is a finalist for Sportswoman of the Year at the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards. Photo / Supplied
In the categories of Official and Coach of the Year, finalists include Kelly Hudson (hockey), Greg Rieger (surf lifesaving) and Glen Jackson (rugby), and coaches Allan Bunting (rugby sevens), and Chris Willett (triathlon).
Finalists and winners for the Service to Sport and Secondary School Service to Sport awards, which recognise individuals for their significant contribution to sport, will be announced on the night.
Sport Bay of Plenty sport manager Nick Chambers said the calibre of this year's nominations made it difficult for the judges to chooses finalists.
Black Caps batsman and captain Kane Williamson in action against South Africa in an ODI in Hamilton. Photo / Supplied
"The Bay of Plenty has a great tradition of sporting excellence and year on year that's reflected in the Sports Awards nominations. This year is no exception," Chambers said.
"Fifty years on from the first Sports Awards in 1969, there's still a depth of talent coming out of our region, from athletes competing on the world stage, to avid supporters working behind the scenes to help their local club."
Chambers said nominations came in from across the region, and for a range of sports including rugby, basketball, synchronised swimming, surf lifesaving and hockey.
"The awards are a celebration of all people involved in sport, and recognise the wide-variety of sporting codes throughout the Bay of Plenty.
"On behalf of Sport Bay of Plenty, thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination and congratulations to all nominees and finalists."
The 50th Bay of Plenty Sports Awards will be held on Friday, November 16 at ASB Arena in Tauranga. Tickets are on sale at sportbop.co.nz.
Full list of finalists:
Bayleys Sportsman of the Year: Mike Dawson - Canoe Slalom Joseph Miller - Athletics Sam Osborne - Triathlon Scott Curry Rugby - Sevens Kane Williamson - Cricket
Holland Beckett Law Sportswoman of the Year: Kelly Brazier - Rugby/Rugby Sevens Michaela Blyde - Rugby/Rugby Sevens Sam Charlton - Hockey Amanda Landers-Murphy - Squash Lisa Carrington -Kayaking
BayTrust Coach of the Year: Allan Bunting - Rugby Sevens Chris Willett - Triathlon/Multisport Craig Kirkwood - Triathlon Mary Jane Araroa -Netball
Advocate Print Official of the Year: Glen Jackson - Rugby Greg Rieger Surf - Lifesaving Kelly Hudson - Hockey Sarah Garnett - Hockey
University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance Team of the Year: O'Dea Brothers Beach - Volleyball Mount Lifeguard Service - Surf Lifesaving Ngongotaha Premiers - Netball NZ Community Trust Junior -Team of the Year Bay of Plenty Rugby U18 Girls' - Team Rugby Bay of Plenty Rugby U19 Boys' - Team Rugby Whakatāne Surf Lifesaving U19 Girls' Team - Surf Lifesaving Mount Surf Lifesaving U19 Boys' Team - Surf Lifesaving
Vodafone Junior Sportsman of the Year: Brendon Berg - Triathlon Hamish Miller - Surf Lifesaving Hayden Wilde - Triathlon Kaleb Trask - Rugby
Eves Realty Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Courtney Williams - Canoe Slalom Eva Morris - Synchronised Swimming Frances Davies - Hockey Libby Bradley - Surf Lifesaving Veerle Ten Have - Sailing
Ebbett Tauranga Club of the Year: Avenues Badminton Club - Badminton Geyser City Cricket Club - Cricket Mount Maunganui Tennis - Club Tennis Mount Maunganui Surf Lifesaving Club - Surf Lifesaving Otumoetai Football Club - Football Ruatoki Sport and Cultural Club - Rugby/Netball
YMCA Open Service to Sport: Embargoed until Sports Awards evening
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Secondary School Sportswoman of the Year:
Frances Lloyd - Taekwondo - Tauranga Girls' College Khiarna Willaims Netball Eden Worsley - Synchronised Swimming - Bethlehem College Elin Tawharu - Surfing - Mount Maunganui College Kyra Mita - Waka Ama / White Water Rafting - Rotorua Lakes High School Gemma Baldey - Cross Country - Whakatāne High School
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Secondary School Sportsman of the Year: Samuel Tanner - Athletics/Surfing/Cross Country - Bethlehem College Lachlan Haycock - Triathlon - Tauranga Boys' College Bae Fountain Water - Polo - Mount Maunganui College Hemia Tauroa-Apete - Volleyball - Western Heights High School Brodie Connolly - Motocross - Tauranga Boys' College
Donelley Sawmillers Secondary School Coach of the Year: Paora Morrison - Basketball - Western Heights High School Kenrick Knowlson - Underwater Hockey - Tauranga Boys' College Duncan By De Lye - Rowing - Tauranga Girls' College Andrew Ede - Rowing - Tauranga Girls' College
Bay Office Products Depot Secondary School Boys' Team of the Year:
Western Heights High School - Senior Volleyball Rotorua Boys High - Touch Tauranga Boys' College - Motocross Tauranga Boys' College Underwater - Hockey
Bay Cardiology Secondary School Girls' Team of the Year:
Otumoetai College - Volleyball Otumoetai College - Football Tauranga Girls' College - Rowing
Aurecon Secondary School Student Contribution to Sport: Daniel O'Connor - Hockey Tamatea Bennett Basketball - Tauranga Boys' College Darcy Hika-Munroe Basketball - Te Whare Kura O Mauao Alex Poupoasa Basketball - Tauranga Girls' College
BOP Principals Association Secondary School Service to Sport: - Embargoed until Sports Awards evening
