Cyclist Regan Gough won the supreme award for a third time last night. Photo/Warren Buckland
Olympian Regan Gough won the Central Hawke's Bay Sportsperson of the Year award for a third time last night.
Gough, 20, was the hot favourite for the supreme award after another sensational year. He was a member of the New Zealand men's pursuit team which finished second at the World Track Championships in Hong Kong as well as at the Oceania Track Championships in Melbourne.
In January Gough completed a treble of national titles with victories in the under-23 169km road race and 40km time trial at the Napier-hosted nationals. Two months earlier he won the national criterium title in Auckland.
Unlike when he had won the Central Hawke's Bay award previously Gough was able to attend last night's function in the AW Parsons Stadium. In previous years he was racing in the annual Tour of Southland.
Last month Gough returned home from a European season on the road with the An Post-Chain Reaction Continental team. Later this month he will represent New Zealand at the Oceania Championships in Cambridge.
Gough had earlier collected the Junior Male award. He won the junior category at the Hawke's Bay sports awards function back in May and has won the supreme award at this level in the past.
Fellow cyclist Amanda Jamieson, who is eyeing Commonwealth Games selection next year, won the Junior Female award.
The under-23 elite women's road race winner at the Napier-hosted nationals, Jamieson, finished 16th in a field of 120 riders as a 19-year-old in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Melbourne. Most of her opponents were professionals.
Motorsport's Sam Barry retained the Senior Male award. He won his first race in the V8 Super Touring class racing a V8 Toyota Camry for the Richards Team Motorsport during the 2016-17 season.
Barry was named Rookie of the Year for the class and finished fourth overall. He will take a break from racing this season to enable him plenty of time to recover from decompression surgery for a condition called a Chiari malformation.
The surgery involved removing a small section of his skull and top vertebrae to release the pressure his brain was under.
"Although I'm feeling 100 per cent I have made the decision to stand down this season to insure my brain and body have truly healed. This decision has been difficult for me to make however the support I have received from sponsors, family, friends and fans has been extraordinary," Barry said in a press release this week.
Rebecca Hodge, a world record holder in powerlifting, won the Senior Female award. Hodge is awaiting word on whether or not her feat will gain an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.
It was a memorable night for the Otane Sports Club. The club won the club of the year award after their senior rugby side, four junior rugby sides and their five senior netball teams all made the finals of their respective grades.
The club's flagship netball team, Thirsty Whale Otane Force, won the Senior Team award after winning Hawke's Bay's Super 8 Premier League title and the side's co-coaches Jewels Falcon and Tammy Kupa took home the Coach award.
Surf lifesaving's Allister Hunter took home the Masters award. Waimarama's Hunter won seven medals, including a world title in the beach sprint at the World Masters Championships and at the national championships he won gold in his board event and silvers in his flags and sprint events.
Hunter has been an active competitor for more than 50 years. During this time he has been a coach, national level official, instructor, a board member of his club for 22 years and an active lifeguard for the past 36 years.
Former sports broadcaster and inaugural Hawke's Bay Tuis women's rugby coach John McBerth was the guest speaker at last night's function which attracted a crowd of 395. McBerth gave a run down of his numerous favourite assignments over the years.
Award Winners
Crowe Howarth Administrator: Sara Corbett (Touch).
Hawke's Bay Today Official: Jack Waugh (Rugby).
Aqua Management Club: Otane Sports (Rugby and Netball).
AMP Masters: Allister Hunter (Surf Lifesaving).
Central FM Coach: Jewels Falcon and Tammy Kupa (Netball).
Sloans Saddlery and Party Hire Service: Marion Burns (Cycling), Barry Fuller (Bowls), Raewyn Sergeant (Motocross), Dave Hern (Target Shooting), Wendy Lansdown (Equestrian).
Caltex Waipukurau Junior Team: Onga-Tiko Colts Rugby and Central Hawke's Bay College Senior A Basketball.
Plus Rehab CHB Senior Team: Thirsty Whale Otane Force (Netball).
New World Waipukurau Emerging Talent Award: Sam Sandford (BMX).
Unichem Pharmacy Waipukurau Junior Female: Amanda Jamieson (Cycling).
Wright Wool Ltd Junior Male: Regan Gough (Cycling).
DAC Legal Senior Female: Rebecca Hodge (Powerlifting).
Ruahine Motors Ford Senior Male: Sam Barry (Motorsport).
CHB Mail Premier Sportsperson of the Year: Regan Gough (Cycling).