Whanganui sport's biggest evening
It is Whanganui sporting community's glittering evening to get together under one roof when the winners of the 2017 Ray White Whanganui Sports Awards are announced at War Memorial Hall tonight.
Organised by Sport Whanganui, there were around 63 nominees for the main categories this year, with a guaranteed fresh Supreme Award winner at the end of the night, as the 2016 winner, Olympic Games silver medallist Rebecca Scown, is not among the contenders this year.
In this non-Olympic year, it opens the door for the judges to consider a new raft of potential nominees from a host of sports, with several categories better represented than in recent years.
The hosting of the World Masters Games in Auckland and Taupo in late April, early May, meant there is a considerably bigger field with nine nominees who had success either there or elsewhere.
Multiple time winner Krystine Davies will stack her success in the world speedskating championships up against rowers from the Aramoho Whanganui RC contingent, who were dominant on Lake Karapiro.
With more Masters nominated, there was also an uptick for the coach of the year category, recognising those who had helped people get to the games, as well as successes in power lifting and boxing through new names in Kyle Murray and Kylie Albert.
Club of the Year sees decisions having to separate the likes of rugby clubs like Marton and Ruapehu - the Senior and Premier club champions respectively - from the active Rangitikei Netball, the ever growing River City Boxing Club, and the breeding ground for stars which is the Whanganui Multisport Club.
For junior team of the year, Hockey Wanganui was well represented by two nominations, alongside the continued success of the Whanganui High School Mixed Touch team and the record-breaking efforts of the Collegiate Junior Relay squad.
Senior team of the year also has a mix where judges weighed the outstanding National 4WD season of driver Hamish Auret and co-driver Paul Barnes, against the "Heartland Invincibles" of the 2016 Meads Cup winning Steelform Wanganui, with the multiple medals of AWRC's senior coxless quad, not to mention the club title winning Kaierau netballers and Ruapehu rugby.
Unsurprisingly, the national junior sportsperson category has the largest nominee list with 13, which just as understandably makes it the hardest to pick a winner.
Nine different codes have put someone forward, with stalwarts like Emma Rainey (hockey) and Jessica Watkin (cricket) being weighed against the more recent success of weightlifters like Amorangi Piataata Rayner and Dante Karangaroa.
The international junior group is a little more exclusive with five nominations, but they are all worthy from top martial artists like Erica Elers (karate) and Finn Brown (judo), through to world championship level attendees Chase Morpeth (speedskating) and Brent Meade (waterskiing).
Lawn bowlers Peter Belliss, who has a whole trophy case of Whanganui awards, and Reen Stratford match up against cyclist Glenn Haden and AWRC's finest in Luke Watts.
In a Scown-less international sportsperson group, there was some real standouts with former supreme winner Kerri Gowler matching up fellow rower Chris Harris, while those with the biggest exposure on national television would have to be Le Man's winner Earl Bamber and rugby stalwart Peter Rowe, who was on-field captain for the NZ Provincial Barbarians in the final quarter against the British & Irish Lions in Whangarei.
The judging was done in October by the committee of Philippa Baker-Hogan, Keith Smith, Grant McKinnon, Ian Glenny and Jared Smith.
In the rules, nominees must be affiliated to a Regional Sport Organisation (RSO), club, or appropriate sports body within the Whanganui region.
The other key factor to note is the qualifying period for achievements is actually from October 1 of 2016 through to September 30 of this year.
This often comes into account for the judging committee for teams or athletes who have their greatest successes in early spring tournaments, often occurring just outside the September 30 time frame and therefore being requested to resubmit for next year's awards.
Guest MC for this evening will be 26-game All Black Matthew Cooper, now part of the Sky TV sports commentary team and the CEO of Sport Waikato.
Cooper is highly regarded as a public speaker, joining the evening with its buffet dinner and music.
The nominees are:
David Jones Motors Masters Award: Anne Kauika (Waka Ama/Dragon Boating); Frances Bayler (Athletics); Michelle Low (Hockey); Brendon Shartatt (Cycling/Cyclocross); Catherine Murray (Cycling/Cyclocross); Krystine Davies (Inline Speed Skating); Allan Luff (Cycling/Rowing); John Wilson, Ian Smith, Brett Smith (Hockey); AWRC world masters squad (Rowing).
Mars Petcare Coach: Richard Drabczynski (Athletics); Darrell Hoskin (Rugby); Brian Scott (Kayak); Sean Brown (Touch Rugby); Kyle Murray (Power Lifting); Michael Lama (Rugby/Touch); Kylie Albert (Boxing); Alec McNabb (Athletics); Gary Clark (Inline Speed Skating); Peter Belliss (Lawn Bowls); Carey (Daisy) Alabaster (Rugby).
Stihl Shop Wanganui Club: Marton Rugby Club; Rangitikei Netball Centre; Whanganui Multisport Club; River City Boxing Club; Ruapehu Rugby and Sports Club.
Treadwell Gordon Junior Team: Hockey Wanganui U13 Hatch Boys (2016); Whanganui High School Mixed Touch Team; Hockey Wanganui U15 Boys; Wanganui Collegiate Junior Relay Team.
Ali Arc Senior Team: Kaierau Premier 1 Netball; AWRC Men's Senior Coxless Quad; Steelform Wanganui Rugby (2016); Hamish Auret, Paul Barnes (4WD 4x4 Trials); Ruapehu Premier Rugby.
Stirling Sports National Junior Sportsperson: Jack Clifton (Kayak); Kyle Hoskin (Cycling); Emma Rainey (Hockey); Jessica Watkin (Cricket); Jesse Malcolm (Boxing); Dana McClelland (Football); Liam Jones (Athletics/Harriers); Amorangi Piataata Rayner (Olympic Weightlifting); Dante Karangaroa (Crossfit/Olympic Weightlifting); Genna Maples (Athletics); Liam Back (Athletics); Tayla Brunger (Athletics) Jordan Cohen (Hockey).
NZCT National Senior Sportsperson: Luke Watts (Rowing); Glenn Haden (Cycling); Peter Belliss (Lawn Bowls); Reen Stratford (Lawn Bowls).
Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store International Junior Sportsperson: Jessica Watkin (Indoor Cricket); Finn Brown (Judo); Erica Elers (Karate); Chase Morpeth (Inline Speedskating); Brent Meade (Waterskiing).
Mitre 10 MEGA International Senior Sportsperson: Frances Bayler (Athletics); Kerri Gowler (Rowing); Chris Harris (Rowing); Amanda Foulkes (Powerlifting); Peter Rowe (Rugby); Earl Bamber (Motorsport).
Also: NZME Services to Sport Recognition; Whanganui Sports Hall of Fame.
By Jared Smith
Wanganui Chronicle 17/11/17