The Halberg Foundation has today announced eleven sporting highlights for New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment of 2017 – the only category that is selected by the public at the 55th Halberg Awards.
The sporting moment award gives the New Zealand public the opportunity to choose the nation's most exciting, remarkable, or compelling sporting moment, game or series in 2017. The highlights include moments from cricket, tennis, rugby, yachting, softball, athletics, canoe racing and motor racing.
The full list of Sporting Moment of the Year finalists are:
1. Martin Guptill smashes 11 sixes to give the Blackcaps a seven wicket ODI win. (Blackcaps vs. South Africa, Hamilton)
2. Mitchell Hunt drops a stunning last minute drop goal securing the win for the Crusaders during the Super Rugby season. (Crusaders vs. Highlanders, Christchurch)
3. Michael Venus wins the French Open men's doubles final to become the first New Zealand male Grand Slam champion since 1974. (French Open, Paris)
4. Black Ferns Sevens win the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series. (Black Ferns Sevens vs. Australia, Clermont-Ferrand)
5. Emirates Team New Zealand win the America's Cup.(Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Oracle Team USA, Bermuda)
6. Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber – win the Le Mans 24 hour race.(Le Mans, France)
7. Black Sox win the World Softball Championships title for the seventh time. (Black Sox vs. Australia, Canada)
8. Tom Walsh wins the shot put gold medal to become the first New Zealand male to win an IAAF track and field championship. (IAFF World Track and Field Championships, London)
9. Black Ferns win the Women's Rugby World Cup for the fifth time. (Black Ferns vs. England, Belfast)
10. Lisa Carrington wins the K1 200m gold medal for the fifth time at the World Canoe Sprint Championships.(World Canoe Sprint Championships, Czech Republic)
11. Ross Taylor achieves a record equalling 17 test centuries with the Blackcaps in the second test against the West Indies. (Blackcaps vs. West Indies, Hamilton)
The public can vote for their choice once a day by text message or online at www.sportingmoments.co.nz.
