Rowing: Good year for rowers gets better

Two awards last night capped off a memorable year for single-sculler Mahe Drysdale. Picture / Martin Sykes

Rowing was the big winner at the Sport Auckland Sporting Excellence Awards last night at Eden Park.

Rowers won the sportsman and sports team of the year as well as the overall sporting excellence awards.

World champion Mahe Drysdale won the sportsman category and was also the joint winner of overall sporting excellence award with fellow world champion rowers Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh, the New Zealand women's coxless pair.

It was a big year for Drysdale who was seriously injured when hit by a waterskier at Lake Karapiro six months ago.

He recuperated quickly and at the national champs won the singles scull race representing his West End club.

He picked up silver medals at world cup regattas in Lucerne and Munich and gold at Gifu, Japan.

Drysdale's competition in the sportsman category came from fellow world champion rower Nathan Twaddle, a winner in the coxless pairs at Gifu with George Bridgewater.

Also nominated was Auckland rugby captain and All Black Keven Mealamu.

Coles and Haigh won the team award on the back of their stunning performance winning the two build-up regattas at Lucerne and Munich and then the gold at Gifu.

Their competition in the team category came from the Auckland Aces cricket team, Auckland Sevens rugby and Ramblers Softball premier team.

Winner of the sportswoman section was soccer's Hayley Moorwood, ahead of Auckland woman's rugby player Rochelle Martin and squash player Louise Crome. Moorwood captained the New Zealand women's team, and helped steer her Virginia Commonwealth University team to a place in the NCAA College Cup for just the second time in its history.

Netball's Te Aroha Keenan, the coach of the successful New Zealand under 21 team, won the coach of the year, with softball's Ricky Earley and Auckland Tennis coach Chris Lewis finalists.

Teenage tennis player Marina Erakovic won the junior sports woman title ahead of netballer Maria Tutaia and Rebecca Ryall (rowing).

Hockey player Hamish Baron won the junior sportsman from finalists Sean Berman Sean (tennis) and Isaia Toeava (rugby).

Chris Lewis, coach of Erakovic and Berman, was given a special recognition award.

Coach of the Year : Te Aroha Keenan (Auckland Netball).

Finalists: Ricky Earley (Auckland Softball), Chris Lewis (Auckland Tennis).

SPARC Junior Sportsman of the Year : Hamish Baron (Hockey) Finalists: Sean Berman (Auckland Tennis), Isaia Toeava (Auckland Rugby). Peter Snell Institute of Sport Junior Sportswoman of the Year : Marina Erakovic (Auckland Tennis).

Finalists: Rebecca Ryall (Auckland Rowing), Maria Tutaia (Auckland Netball).

He Oranga Poutama Maori Achievement Award: Nathan Nukunuku (Auckland Softball), Krystal Forgesson (Auckland Hockey), Carlos Spencer (Auckland Rugby).

Masters Achievement Award: Dene O'Kane (Auckland Billiards).

Finalists: Bevan Hunt (Auckland Softball), Bharat Sukha (Auckland Hockey), Mahendra Unka (Auckland Hockey).

Referee/Umpire of the Year: Neil Fox (Soccer2).

Finalists: Matthew Stanish (Auckland Rugby), Simon Taylor (Auckland Hockey).

Sportsman of the Year: Mahe Drysdale (West End club, Auckland Rowing).

Finalists: Keven Mealamu (Auckland Rugby), Nathan Twaddle (West End club, Auckland Rowing).

Sportswoman of the Year: Hayley Moorhead (Soccer2).

Finalists: Louise Crome (Squash Auckland), Rochelle Martin (Auckland Rugby).

Team of the Year: : NZ Women's Coxless Pair.

Finalists: Auckland Aces (Auckland Cricket), Auckland Rugby 7's (Auckland Rugby), Ramblers Softball Premier Men (Auckland Softball).

Overall Sporting Excellence Award: Mahe Drysdale.

Special Recognition Award: Chris Lewis.