KEY POINTS:
Outstanding performances by New Zealanders on the world and Olympic stage during the year has resulted in 53 nominations being considered for the 2008 Westpac Halberg Awards.
The awards, organised by the Halberg Trust, salutes outstanding achievement by New Zealanders in sport at home and abroad.
Each year the trust calls for nominations from all New Zealand national sporting bodies and a voting academy to determine four finalists for the Sportsman, Sportswoman and Sports Team categories. From those 12 finalists the academy selects one, by secret ballot, to receive the supreme accolade for sporting excellence, the Halberg Award. This will be announced at the awards dinner at the Vector Arena in Auckland on February 3.
This year the trust received 19 nominations for the sportsman category, 12 sportswoman, 12 team and 10 nominations for coach of the year. The category finalists will not be announced until early next month so late performances by individual athletes or teams can be considered.
There were 17 nominations for the Emerging Talent Award, being presented for the third time, which offers a $25,000 scholarship from Westpac bank to the winner. The four finalists for 2008 are Graham Oberlin-Brown (rowing), Paige Hareb (surfing), Christopher Rahardja (karate) and Jossi Wells (skiing).
The 30-strong voting academy comprising 10 media representatives plus 20 athletes and coaches is: Richard Becht, Chris Cairns, Ron Cheatley, Kerry Clark, Mathew Cooper, Graeme Crosby, Andy Dalton, Howard Dobson, Daniel Gilhooly, Steve Gurney, Rachael Henderson, Debbie Hockley, David Leggat, Danyon Loader, John McBeth, Jonathan Millmow, Peter Montgomery, Lance O'Sullivan, Ron Palenski, Ramesh Patel, Anna Rowberry, Ian Smith, Mark Sorenson, Mike Stanley, Blyth Tait, Howie Tamati, Dick Tayler, Brendan Telfer, Greg Turner and Kevin Tutty.
* Halberg nominees
Westpac Sportsman of the Year
Tom Ashley (board sailing), Moss Burmester (swimming), Nathan Cayless (rugby league), Scott Dixon (motor sport), Kalon Dobbin (roller sport), Bevan Docherty (triathlon), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Hayden Godfrey (cycling), Gary Lawson (bowls), Danny Lee (golf), Cameron Leslie (swimming), Simon Mannering (rugby league), Benji Marshall (rugby league), Karl Purdie (yachting), Hayden Roulston (cycling), Manu Vatuvei (rugby league), Colin Waghorn (shooting), Ben Willis (surf life saving) and Nick Willis (athletics).
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year
Luisa Avaiki (rugby league), Nicole Begg (roller sport), Marina Erakovic (tennis), Melissa Ingram (swimming), Sophie Pascoe (swimming), Val Smith (bowls), Paula Tesoriero (cycling), Julia Toomey (surf life saving), Valerie Vili (athletics), Sarah Walker (BMX cycling), Samantha Warriner (triathlon) and Casey Williams (netball).
Westpac Sports Team of the Year
All Blacks (rugby), Kiwis (rugby league), Kiwi Ferns (women's rugby league), Women's Double Scull (rowing), Men's Coxless Pair (rowing), NZ Men's Underwater Hockey, Warriors (rugby league) , Men's Team Pursuit (cycling), NZ Men's Black Jacks (bowls), NZ Men's Pair (bowls), NZ Men's Four (bowls) and NZ Women's Pair (bowls).
Westpac Coach of the Year
Grant Beck (board sailing), Tim Carswell (track cycling), Dave Edwards (bowls), Mark Elliott (triathlon), Kirsten Hellier (athletics), Graham Henry (rugby), Stephen Kearney (rugby league), Hugh McCutcheon (volleyball), Craig Palmer (track cycling) and Richard Tonks (rowing).
