A flood of nominations is expected over the next three weeks as the public get their chance to put their opinion alongside that of the judges in deciding one of Hawke's Bay's top sports personalities of the last year.
It comes with the second People's Choice Award being decided from five nominees by public vote, with one voter being drawn to receive two tickets for the announcement of the public elect at the Hawke's Bay Sports Awards annual dinner and presentation in the Pettigrew Green Arena, Taradale, on May 20.
Votes (just one per person) must be emailed to competitions@hbtoday.co.nz and the winner of the draw will be named in the days leading up to the ceremony.
The inaugural People's Choice award last year was won by Magpies rugby player and stock car racer Jason Long, although the panel-judged supreme honour of Sportsperson of the Year went to kayaker Aimee Fisher.
A high-profile group has been nominated this year, with the public being asked to choose from veteran hockey international and professional Shea McAleese, Hawke's Bay Magpies captain and professional rugby player Ash Dixon, New Zealand Kiwis and Melbourne Storm rugby league player Tohu Harris, women's cricket and soccer national representative Rebecca Rolls, and the just-resigned Hawks men's national basketball league coach and former professional and national women's representative Kirstin Daly-Taylor.