Thorpe: Sportsperson of Year

The past year has been one heck of a ride for Whangarei's "girl next door" Anna Thorpe, and to cap it all off, she was presented with top honours at the Konica Minolta Northland Sports Awards.
Thorpe was a shoe-in for 2010 Konica Minolta Sportsperson
of the Year after an outstanding - and somewhat tumultuous - year with the Black Sticks Women's team.
Following the awards held last night at Kensington Stadium, a gobsmacked Thorpe said she was honoured to receive the award, along with a standing ovation from the audience.
"I had no idea at all I would win this award, there are so many talented athletes here. I am lucky I do what I love, and I try to achieve what I can and do the best I can ... I'm so touched and so humbled to receive the award."
The 26-year-old also thanked her many supporters. "It's true what they say - an athlete can train as hard as they can but it's their supporters which get them through each day - my parents and my partner [Matt Alexander] and employer Northland Kindergarten Association, along with Northland Hockey, have been a huge help this year and I wouldn't have achieved what I did without them," she said.
After missing the Rabo Trophy in the Netherlands this year with an ankle injury, Thorpe was cleared to play at the Champions Trophy in Nottingham during July, but pulled up lame after tearing her quadricep.
The midfielder's injury placed a question mark over her availability to play at the World Cup in Argentina and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi but despite this, Black Sticks coach Mark Hager included her in both squads and crossed his fingers she would be fit in time.
Fortunately, Thorpe recuperated in time to compete at both tournaments. She helped the team to a seventh place in Argentina, and played an integral part of the Commonwealth Games silver medal winning Black Sticks team in India.
Considered a late-starter after making her debut at 25 for the Black Sticks last year, the Maungakaramea stalwart quickly stamped her claim in the national team. She was recognised for her dedication and positive attitude to her sport at last night's awards, collecting the overall award for the first time and also taking home the ASB code award for hockey along with the Steinlager Edge Sportswoman of the Year honours.
The award's main guest speaker was All Whites midfielder Jeremy Christie.
Following his entertaining interlude during the awards evening, the presentations continued.
Rene Ranger was named the Steinlager Edge Sportsman of the Year following a momentous year where the winger/ centre became Northland's 31st All Black.
"Ranger Danger" hit Northland hard when he made his debut for the national side off the bench in the second test against Wales, with his performance standing out enough to be named in the All Blacks squad for the Tri-Nations.
The 24-year-old added spark to the Taniwha backline during the ITM Cup season, and to the province's delight, has recently signed with Northland for another two years, and is looking forward to another season with the Blues in the 2011 Super 15 competition.
He also collected the code award for rugby union.
The Garry Frew Memorial Award Junior Sportsperson of the Year went to 18-year-old Nicky Roberts for her outstanding efforts in karate this year, where she won the Senior Woman Kata champion at the Oceania Championships. No stranger to success, Roberts is also the current NZ junior woman kata champion, and current NZ secondary schools under-19 years kata champion.
The Northland Water Skiing Team picked up the Dudley and Dennis Team of the Year after a successful 2010, while Angeline Waetford netted the CourierPost Coach of the Year for her work locally with Springfield women's hockey side, as well as the NZ Under-17 Youth Olympics hockey team, who won bronze at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.
Other special awards were presented to swimming's Barbara Linton, who won the Pacific Motor Group Official of the Year and to Kathy Bingham who was named Rowsells Collision Repairs Administrator of the Year for her work with boccia, while the Brian Maunsell Memorial Award Service to Sport went to netball's Eileen Schick (deceased). Former Black Stick Sandy Hitchcock (nee Bennett) and Northland rugby administrator extraordinaire Duncan Ross (deceased) were also inducted into Northland's Legends of Sport at the award's ceremony.