Hawke's Bay sport awards: Who's the standout?

The Hawke's Bay Sport Awards in 2016, the 50th anniversary of the first single award in 1966. Nominations in this year's 13 categories close next Friday. Photo / NZME

Nominations for the Forsyth Barr Hawke's Bay Sport and Recreation Awards have hit the 50 mark, but many more are wanted before the deadline next Friday.

Beginning as the single-category Hawke's Bay Sportsman of the Year award in 1966, it has been run by Sport Hawke's Bay for more than two decades, growing to 53 entries from 33 sports in 2018 and expanded this year to 14 awards.

Sport Hawke's Bay general manager Ryan Hambleton said the independent awards panel will meet on September 20 to determine up to five finalists in each of 13 categories, the winners of which will be eligible for the ultimate honour of the Hawke's Bay Sport and Recreation Supreme Award.

The panel will also have to consider the eligibility of competitors in the mix - locally-based and competing athletes, athletes who call Hawke's Bay home but never compete in or for the region, and competitors from Hawke's Bay now based in other centres because of facilities and training opportunities.

With the intervention of the global pandemic cancelling many sports opportunities around the world, there has been a rethink of the Hawke's Bay event, with a qualifying period of 18 months for the 2022 awards.

Traditionally presented in May in recent years, this year they will be presented at an awards dinner on October 29.

Reigning Supreme Award winner and 2021 Team of the Year the Hawke's Bay Magpies are expected to be top contenders, along with 2021 Sportsperson of the Year and rower Tom Mackintosh, and kayaker Aimee Fisher, a three-times Supreme Award winner.

Hambleton said he can think of athletes who deserve to be nominated but haven't yet been, and points out that while local sports clubs and organisations and national bodies are being urged to make the nominations, anyone is entitled to make nominations, which can be done via the Sport Hawke's Bay website.

Individual awards are for Sportsperson of the Year, Master Sportsperson of the Year, Emerging Sportsperson of the Year, Disabled Sportsperson of the Year, Official of the Year (refereeing, umpiring), Volunteer of the Year, Community Coach of the Year, and an Activating Te Matau a Māui Award.

Others are Team of the Year, Sports Organisation of the Year, Grassroots Club of the Year, Community Initiative of the Year, and the multiple recognition of the Lifetime Contribution to Sport Award.

The Central Hawke's Bay Sports Awards, usually held late in the year, will next be held on May 26 next year. Secondary schools awards are likely to be November, and Sport Hawke's Bay hopes to see the resurrection of the Ngāti Kahungunu Sports Awards and the Wairoa Sports Awards.

The 2022 Tararua awards, in the Sport Manawatū region, were held in June.