Kawakawa's world champion axeman Jason Wynyard was crowned the supreme winner of the 2008 National Maori Sports Awards in Rotorua on Saturday.
Wynyard, of Ngapuhi and Ngati Maniapoto descent, beat world-class finalists including rugby league legend Ruben Wiki (Ngapuhi) and ultra-marathon runner Lisa Tamati (Te Atiawa) to take the top prize
- the Albie Pryor Memorial Maori Sportsperson of the Year. At 1.95m tall and weighing 130kg, Wynyard is one of the most powerful woodchoppers and cutters in the world. He has won eight world titles in the past year alone, taking his overall tally to more than 110 world titles.
At the awards ceremony Wynyard and his wife Karmyn (Tainui) also picked up an award for the single saw.
Other Ngapuhi winners were Dion Lane for the double saw; Rauaroha Heta, Aroha Heta and Tohora Harawira all for powerlifting and Mihi Wells for body boarding. Kerikeri High School won a Community Initiative award for work promoting the sport Ki-o-Rahi Akotanga Iho. Cameron Leslie (Ngapuhi) won the Disabled Maori Sports Person of the Year award, while Noeline Taurua-Barnett won the Maori Sports Coach of the Year award for her work coaching the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic.
Junior Maori Sportswoman of the Year went to rower Paparangi Hipango (Whanganui, Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi) while Junior Maori Sportsman of the Year was Tainui rugby league player Kevin Locke. Senior Maori Sportswoman went to Lisa Tamati, while Senior Maori Sportsman of the Year went to Kiwi rugby league icon Ruben Wiki.
