Overall Halberg Award winners, Olympic rowing men's pair Hamish Bond (left) and Eric Murray, at the 52nd Halberg Awards, held at Vector Arena, Auckland. Photo / NZME.
Nominations for best New Zealand sports achievements are usually a forum for "go figure" debates.
Curiously, New Zealand Rugby's player of the year Ma'a Nonu is missing from the nominations for this year's Halberg Awards while teammate Daniel Carter gets the support from the top office. Others like basketball's Steven Adams and motor racing's Brendon Hartley, who won a world title, are also missing from the nominations.
After their World Cup success, many feel the All Blacks will knock the reigning supreme winners Hamish Bond and Eric Murray out of this year's contest but the rowers have had another undefeated season, while Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have been in remarkable 49er sailing form.
The All Blacks were beaten by the Wallabies this year and some of the judges will argue they had to play well in only the last two tests at the World Cup to take out the trophy.
It's an argument which faces many of the rowing and kayaking groups, who often have limited numbers of rivals in their events.
Lisa Carrington won two world kayaking titles this year. Lydia Ko will be her main rival for the sportswoman award and supreme winner after a massive year when the teenager won multiple events, including her first major and ended as world No 1.
Ko will confirm this week she will defend her national open title at Clearwater in February before she travels to Adelaide to play in the LPGA-sanctioned Australian Open.
The 18-year-old had a magnificent season when she won the LPGA points race and a US$1 million bonus, the player of the year award and the money title after rising to No 1 in the world in February and then reclaiming it in October in the tightest of duels with Inbee Park.
It's been a stunning harvest from Ko in a global sport where the standards continue to rise each season.
She seems to have completed all these feats with ease, which may have a disarming effect on New Zealand sports followers.
The lack of reliable television coverage of her mainly offshore exploits does not help but we got a reminder of her class when she won this year's New Zealand Open and shot a course record 11-under par 61.
Three former supreme Halberg Award winners are among the 63 nominations received across six categories at the 53rd Halberg Awards.
The long list of nominations was revealed by the Halberg Foundation today, with the finalists to be confirmed early next year.
Twenty-seven different sports are represented in the nominations which are received from national sports organisations and an independent voting academy.
The Team of the Year and Sportsman of the Year received the most nods with 13 apiece.
Nominees in the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson and Team of the Year categories will all be eligible for the supreme Halberg Award - the country's highest accolade for sporting excellence.
The award is presented to the athlete or team whose achievement is deemed by the judges as representing excellence in sport at the highest level.
Current supreme Halberg Award winners Hamish Bond and Eric Murray are in line to defend the top honours again.
The men's pair are up for the Team of the Year category which will be hotly contested by the All Blacks, New Zealand Breakers, Black Caps, the 49er crew of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, the New Zealand taekwondo team, three cycling teams and four more rowing crews.
The Sportsman of the Year category features 13 athletes from 11 sports including Anton Cooper, Daniel Carter, Danny Lee, Eddie Dawkins, Kane Williamson, Mahe Drysdale, Scott Dixon, Tomas Walsh and Winston Reid.
Last year's Sportswoman of the Year, Lydia Ko, is nominated again along with 10 other female athletes from nine sports including Lauren Boyle, Linda Villumsen, Lisa Carrington, Sarah Walker and Zoe McBride.
Nominations now go to the Halberg Awards judging panel which includes former athletes, coaches and sports journalists.
The full list of nominations for the 53rd Halberg Awards:
New Zealand Sportsman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
Adam Ling (Rowing), Anton Cooper (Mountain Biking), Daniel Carter (Rugby), Danny Lee (Golf), Dexter Dunn (Harness Racing), Eddie Dawkins (Cycling), Kane Williamson (Cricket), Mahe Drysdale (Rowing), Matt Archibald (Cycling), Sam Gaze (Mountain Biking), Scott Dixon (Motorsport), Tomas Walsh (Athletics), Winston Reid (Football).
New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
Avalon Biddle (Motorcycling), Janina Kuzma (Skiing), Kimberley Chambers (Swimming), Lauren Boyle (Swimming), Linda Villumsen (Cycling), Lisa Carrington (Canoeing), Lydia Ko (Golf), Rachel Priest (Cricket), Sarah Walker (BMX), Zoe McBride (Rowing).
Disabled Sportsperson of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
Corey Peters (Para-Skiing), Emma Foy and Laura Thompson (Para-Cycling), Jessica Hamill (Para-Athletics), Michael Johnson (Para-Shooting), Nikita Howarth (Para-Swimming), Rory McSweeney (Para-Athletics), Sophie Pascoe (Para-Swimming).
Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
All Blacks (Rugby), BLACKCAPS (Cricket), Junior Women's Team Pursuit; Holly White, Bryony Botha, Madeleine Park and Michaela Drummond (Cycling), Men's Pair; Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Rowing), Men's Team Pursuit; Piet Bulling, Alex Frame, Dylan Kennett, Marc Ryan, Regan Gough (Cycling), Men's Team Sprint; Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster, Eddie Dawkins (Cycling), New Zealand Breakers (Basketball), Men's 49er Class; Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (Yachting), New Zealand Taekwon-Do Team (Taekwon-Do), Women's Double Scull; Zoe Stevenson and Eve MacFarlane (Rowing), Women's Eight; Rebecca Scown, Genevieve Behrent, Kerri Gowler, Grace Prendergast, Kelsey Bevan, Ruby Tew, Emma Dyke, Kayla Pratt, Francie Turner (Cox) (Rowing), Women's Light Weight Double Scull; Julia Edward And Sophie McKenzie (Rowing), Women's Pair; Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast (Rowing).
Emerging Talent
Bobbi Gichard (Swimming), Campbell Stewart (Cycling), Carlos Garcia Knight (Snowboarding), Clayton Lewis (Football), Dylan Schmidt (Trampoline), Eliza McCartney (Athletics), Jesse Reynolds (Para-Swimming), Richard Rahardja (Karate), Tai Wynyard (Basketball).
Coach of the Year Award
Anthony Peden (Cycling), David Plew (Mountain Biking), Gary Hay (Rowing), Gordon Walker (Canoeing), Hamish Wilcox (Yachting), Mike Hesson (Cricket), Raylene Bates (Para-Athletics), Ross Machejefski (Cycling), Steve Hansen (Rugby), Tim Carswell (Cycling), Tom Willmott (Snowsports).