A young Rotorua mountain biker has been dubbed people's choice winner as part of the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards.
Connor Hamilton, 18, scooped the People's Choice category of the awards with an impressive 891 public votes.
He said the win left him pretty stoked.
"When I got the call to say I was nominated I thought that in itself was pretty cool but to actually win the category was surprising. I was stoked and I'm still thinking about it."
Hamilton said he wasn't expecting to win and put his high number of votes down to successful social networking.
"I don't really know why I got so many votes. I put the link on Facebook so that probably had a lot to do with it. I also coach some new riders so maybe they went to school and told their mates to vote for me."
Hamilton is also a finalist for the Vodafone Junior Sportsman of the Year award, with the winner to be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday.
Meanwhile, Rotorua woman Tayla Ammunson was announced the winner of the iPad Air on offer for People's Choice voters.
She said she didn't even know there was a prize up for grabs.
"I was surprised when I had won because one, I never win anything, and two, I didn't even know there was something to win."
She said she was excited to start using the iPad Air.
"I've thought a lot about getting one so to get one for free is pretty awesome."
The annual Bay of Plenty Sports Awards, which are hosted by Sport Bay of Plenty, aim to recognise all aspects of sport with award categories highlighting the achievements of sports clubs, administrators, coaches and officials alongside those athletes who are at the top of their sports nationally and internationally.
-The Bay of Plenty Sports Awards gala dinner is being held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre on Friday from 6pm. Tickets for the event are still available and can be purchased through the Sports Bay of Plenty website - visit www.sportbop.co.nz/bopsportsawards.