Finalists for 'Favourite Sporting Moment' announced

Paul Henare led the New Zealand Breakers to their first ANBL championship before retiring. Photo / Sarah Ivey

New Zealanders will have to choose from a stellar year of sporting memories to decide on the best sporting moment of 2011 at next year's Halberg Awards.

The award, given out for the first time at this year's awards, gives the public a chance to vote for their favourite sporting moment from a shortlist of six nominees.

The final whistle in October's Rugby World Cup final will be a strong favourite, as the All Blacks look to set to enjoy a clean sweep of awards. But they face strong competition in this category from the Breakers, the Warriors, the Black Caps, Valerie Adams and rowers Hamish Bond and Eric Murray.

Halberg Trust chief executive Steve Hall said public response to 'New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment' in the voting process last year exceeded expectations.

"Last year the public really got behind the promotion so we are very pleased to bring back 'New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment' for the 2011 Westpac Halberg Awards."

Last year, Winston Reid's header for the All Whites against Slovakia at the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa won the award, edging the Silver Ferns' double overtime Commonwealth Games victory over Australia and Nathan Fein's last minute try to win the Four Nations for the Kiwis.

Voting for the award opens today and closes on the day of the awards, February 9. Votes can be made via text or online at www.skysport.co.nz

The six sporting moments for 2011, from which the public can select their 'Favourite Sporting Moment', are (in chronological order):

1: NZ Breakers - Win ANBL Championship; Breakers vs Taipans, ANBL Final, North Shore, New Zealand.

2: Valerie Adams - Dominates the field to win gold; IAAF World Championships, Daegu, Korea.

3: Men's Pair - Hamish Bond and Eric Murray win gold; World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia.

4: NZ Warriors - Lewis Brown's try sends Warriors to NRL Grand Final; Warriors vs Storm, NRL Preliminary Final, Melbourne, Australia.

5: All Blacks - The final whistle; All Blacks vs France, Rugby World Cup Final, Auckland, New Zealand.

6: Blackcaps - Doug Bracewell bowls Nathan Lyon to win test match; Black Caps vs Australia, Hobart, Australia.