Race heats up in voting for top sporting moment

Brad Thorn celebrates on the fulltime whistle in the Rugby World Cup final. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks' fans have mobilised to ensure the final whistle of the Rugby World Cup final is back in contention for New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment of the year at the upcoming Halberg Awards.

Rugby fans were prompted into action following recent speculation that Lewis Brown's try against Melbourne, to send the Warriors to the NRL grand final, was leading the count.

There have also been surges in voting for the Breakers' historic win in last year's ANBL final against the Taipans, meaning the race for the award is likely to come down to a battle between rugby, rugby league and basketball.

Public voting opened on December 28 and the winner will be announced by Prime Minister John Key at the Halberg Awards in Auckland on February 9.

The six candidates for the Favourite Sporting Moment, are (in chronological order):

1. NZ Breakers - Win Australian National Basketball League Championship; Breakers v 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 v Storm, NRL preliminary final, Melbourne, Australia

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

6. Blackcaps - Doug Bracewell bowls Nathan Lyon to win test match; Blackcaps v Australia, Hobart, Australia.