2018 Whanganui Sports Awards

Rebecca Baker speaks after being named National Junior Sportsperson of the Year!!

PHOTOS / Stuart Munro

Many have the ability take their skills out to the wide world, but it takes real talent to be recognised as 'world famous in Whanganui'.

There was a lot of emotion in the voice of proud mother Maureen Johnson when she stood on the dais at the Wanganui Function Centre to accept the platitudes for son Earl Bamber at the 2018 Ray White Whanganui Sports Awards on Friday night.

Bamber had sent a grainy cellphone video from the streets of Macau, where he is competing at the 2018 FIA GT World Cup for Porsche, to thank the audience for his International Sportspeson of the Year award.

The 28-year-old singled out those who had been members of the Wheels Trust and Club 500 that gave financial backing to the-then teenager Bamber to go out on the world stage.

"There was people there that helped me as a young person to achieve my dream," said Bamber, who is well respected throughout both Northern and Southern Hemisphere motor racing circles, but had yet to receive an award in his home town.

"Whanganui has good talented sportspeople and Earl identifies [with that]," said Johnson after the video played

"He is truly indebted to Club 500."

But mum had only just got back to her seat when she had to stand up again as Bamber then received the biggest prize of the night – the Supreme Award – which is decided from all the category winners.

"Wow," she exclaimed, in a voice beginning to shake.

"We, his family, are really proud of his racing career, but Whanganui can be just as proud of celebrating his success."

Johnson said her on all of her son's social media platforms, which are extensive, he uses the handle of being proudly from New Zealand and Whanganui, wherever he goes in the world.

"He lives on a farm above Jerusalem on the Whanganui River."

There was similar pride expressed at the start of the night with the newest inductees to the Whanganui Sports Hall of Fame.

The wife and grandson of the late Charlie Phillips, who passed away in 2003, were honoured to accept his induction for an outstanding softball career as a player, administrator and referee, who has a lasting legacy as it was Phillips who introduced the game to teeball to New Zealand, which hundreds of Whanganui children were playing less than 12 hours later in Gonville.

"He left his mark locally, nationally and internationally," said Mrs Phillips.

"He went about everything he did quietly and thoroughly, without looking for reward."

Phillips was also remembered by fellow inductee Robin Hood, who was only a year older than him, who said they both shared a "closeness to sport".

Having travelled back from his home in Albany, Hood was delighted to accept his induction for a lifetime in high board diving administration – like Bamber, it is a sport not so well known in his home town despite the fact Hood has received many national and international awards.

"It has been said, quite correctly, there is no such thing as a self-made person," said Hood, who thanked his wife, his late coach Merv Campbell and everyone who had ever given him encouragement.

Hood told the story about joining the Wanganui Swimming Centre in 1959, and then because of the actions of an official, he was robbed of a bronze medal at the national championships.

"It was muddled thinking, but it was sincere – they were sincerely wrong."

That memory no doubt played a part in Hood's determination to become a competent official, referee and diving judge, a role he performed a dozens of Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and world championships.

A special memory was when he was referee at the 3m Board Men's Final at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, with his mentor Campbell acting as a judge – two men from Whanganui and Hamilton out on the world stage.

"And it all began here, in this city, for which I have a deep, profound love," Hood said.

"Thank you all for this honour, I shall never forget it.

"It shall remain with me, for my remaining days of life."

Like Bamber, there was a video acceptance for the International Junior Sportsperson of the Year and it came all the way from the West Indies where White Fern Jessica Watkin was attending the ICC Women's Twenty20 World Cup.

Watkin, who finally broke into the national side this year and earned a professional NZC contract, thanked long-time coach Dilan Raj and personal trainer Ebony Kerr, who received the award on her behalf.

The spin bowler and attacking batswomen also gave warm thanks to her family.

"They've been there this whole time, so thank you and miss you from the Caribbean.

"In the Caribbean, so [audience] have a rum to celebrate, congrats to all the winners."

United's veteran spin bowler Martin Pennefather also had words of wisdom for young sportspeople and that's to stick at their chosen code, given he earned his first 'Black Cap' with the New Zealand Over 50's team this year.

"You get to a certain age and you don't expect to be called up to a national side, or expect an award like this," said the Masters Award winner.

"I knew if I kept playing cricket, something good would happen."

 

Hockey's Andrew Spence had his thoughts on his players who "make him look good" after he went up to accept the Coach of the Year award after his team finally won the Under 15 Boys national championship.

"It's really important for me to understand is that it's quality around you that makes the difference."

Although many in the room may have misheard the citation for Wanganui Bowling Club's Dianne Patterson, Lesley Bourke and Karen Hunt, they were deserving winners of the Senior Team of the Year award after claiming the Bowls NZ Club Championship National triples title.

It was a long process that including winning the local qualifiers against the other Whanganui clubs, and then the regional competition and ultimately the nationals in Brown's Bay against the other champion teams over two days and five rounds.

That the veteran Patterson-skipped team was also able to claim the title against the best given Bourke and especially Hunt were academy-level players is a very unique achievement.

Patterson and Bourke also finish fourth in the pairs at the same nationals and some members of the audience may have only heard that specific number announced on the night, without realising the national triples title was the high water mark.

"To achieve this award is absolutely wonderful," Patterson said as the Wanganui BC team accepted the prize.

There was less rancour in the choice of Junior Team of the Year, which was the dominant Collegiate sprint relay team of Jenna Maples, Tayla Brunger, Emma Osborne, Ana Brabyn and Georgia Matson.

The Collegiate sprinting captain Grace Godfrey accepted the award and thanked their coach Alec McNab for all his efforts.

"It develops a team sport and it develops us as sprinters.

"The hours you put in is something I haven't seen anywhere in sport."

The National Junior Sportsperson of the Year Rebecca Baker kept her remarks on point, as the senior national-championship winning hockey player thanked her parents, siblings, conditioning coach Greg Fromont and all her Whanganui High School coaches.

As repeat National Senior Sportsperson of the Year, rower Luke Watts thanked departed Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club coach Pedro Figueira and his AWRC team mates, who won gold with him at NZ Rowing Championships in double sculls and coxless quad sculls, while Watts also got the single scull gold.

"We had quite a good season and won when it counts," he said.

Award Winners

NZME Services to Sport Recognition: Amanda Cornforth (Special Olympics); Andrew Murray (Football); Charlie Brown (Football, Futsal); Eddie Tofa (Boxing); Ethan Gillespie (Hockey); Jason King (Football); Lance Brown (Softball); Linda Cornforth (Special Olympics).

Rivercity Gas Disabled Sportsperson Recognition: Erin Gale (Equestrian); Judith Bradley (Indoor Bowls, Bocce); Rachel Māia (Rock Climbing, Paraclimbing); Renee Onishenko (Equestrian).

David Jones Motors Masters Award: Martin Pennefather (Cricket).

Stihl Shop Wanganui Club of the Year: Kaierau Netball Club.

Mars Petcare Coach of the Year: Andrew Spence (Hockey).

Treadwell Gordon Junior Team of the Year: Wanganui Collegiate School Sprint Relay Squad.

Ali Arc Senior Team of the Year: Wanganui Bowling Club Open Triples Team.

Stirling Sports National Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Rebecca Baker (Hockey).

NZCT National Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Luke Watts (Rowing).

Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store International Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Jessica Watkin (Cricket).

Mitre 10 Mega International Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Earl Bamber (Motorsport).

Ray White Supreme Winner: Earl Bamber (Motorsport).

By Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle 19/11/18