Sport + Recreation Awards underway

The Sport Tasman Sport + Recreation Awards are underway at Rutherford Hotel. From more than 100 nominations, 11 awards will be given to the region's top sportspeople before a supreme winner is crowned later this evening.

The 2023 NZCT Supreme Award for sportsperson of the year was Finn Fisher-Black after being named GoldenEdge Sportsman of the Year, while his sister Niamh Fisher-Black claimed Bowater Toyota Sportswoman of the Year.

Results will be posted live below as each category is announced by MC Jason Pine.

First up the Lifetime Contribution to Sport

Seven long time local sports figures have been honoured tonight, three of them from athletics.

The lifetime contributors are: Dave Dawber, Stuart Hague and Derek Shaw - athletics. Dave couldn't make the ceremony but Stuart says he spoke for both of them when he said "anyone can run and older people are coming back to running."

Derek commented how he loved being involved in relay racing, enjoyed cultivating kids and seeing them achieve their goals.

Stu Reid - football. "My parents came from Scotland and wouldn't let me play anything else. I have been at the Richmond Football Club ever since."

Jos Pattison - swimming. "Hailstones drove us out of Christchurch to Nelson in the 1970's. We love the joy of young children enjoying the water. It keeps us going."

John Jary - table tennis. "I have enjoyed meetings kids and elderly people. If I didn't I would be cat nappng all day." JJ is 87 years old!

Greg du Feu - cricket.  "I love meeting people and coaching the kids. It's something you just get out and do."

CNX Emerging Talent Award

Basketball star Hayden Jones, from Waimea College held off a big challenge from rugby. He made his Tall Blacks debut this season and is due to take up a scholarship at Wisconsin University next June. Hayden couldn't be at awards because he was seeing his girlfriend, also a basketballer, in Auckland.

Johnston Associates Emerging Talent Award

Weightlifter Litia Nacagilevu is rapt to be acknowledged for her sport which isn't one of the bigger ones in Nelson.

87 kilogram class lifter "Tia" is officially a junior but won the senior title in Auckland recently as well. She is off to Peru to compete at international level next year. How is this, she has already competed in Peru before so knows what to expect.

Tasman Pine Forests Junior Sports Team of the Year

The Nelson U18 Basketball Team won for the second year running. It was hard to go past the Hayden Jones-led side which comfortably retained its national title this year.  Coach Phill Jones accepted the award and commented it was some achievement as only two players were left from the previous championship team. Mind you as Phill said Hayden and James Matthews are pretty gifted players.

NBS Community Impact Award

Active Little Learners took this award. It was set up almost three years ago and goes to early childhood centres and get youngsters moving and active. "We made it in to a charity because we want to go to all of the centres. We will be in 29 centres next year with a thousand children. Business is growing," declares Anthony Denissen of Active Little Learners.  

Rātā Foundation Diversity & Inclusion Award

The Inclusive Sport Trust was adjudged the winner. "We support people who have learning difficulties or learn differently by providing sports opportunities for anyone from age five to 60," says Inclusive Sport Trust board member Helen Bywater.

This particular nomination was for the multi sport group which has doubled in the past year. It is run twice weekly and uses the services of up to 20 community sports organisations.  

The awards have resumed.

8.35pm Guest Speaker - Chelsea Lane, an international high performance expert. She wanted to be an olympic water polo player but realised that wasn't going to happen. But she made her mark behind the scenes as a physiotherapist.

A career highlight - she was the physio for the champi0n Golden State Warriors basketball side between 2015-2018. She is now a consultant based in Auckland.

New World Stoke Masters Athlete of the Year

Touch Football international Emma Paaka was a popular winner. The Motueka Zumba teacher represented New Zealand in the Over 40 Touch World Cup in England where they finished second. Emma couldn't be at the awards as she was coaching at the New Zealand Secondary School Touch Nationals in Rotorua this weekend. In a video link she says she was blown away to beat such a high calibre field.

Halberg Foundation Athlete with a Disability

The winner was swimmer Nohorua Kalani

Rutherford Hotel Coach of the Year

Underwater hockey has won the coaching award for the second year running.

This time it was Warwick King who has been around the sport for almost 50 years.

"I reckon I have been nominated at least nine times before. My wife Alex won it 12 years ago," says Warwick.

He coached the New Zealand U19 Men's Team to win gold at the world age grade underwater hockey championships in Kuala Lumpur in August.

TSM Sports Team of the Year

The Tasman Mako won the Ranfurly Shield for the first ever time and that provincial triumph secured it the team of the year award.

GoldenEdge Sportsman of the Year

The Mako Captain Finlay Christie edged five of his teammates to claim the sportsman of the year award. Blues Super Rugby pre-season commitments kept the former All Black halfback from tonight's function but on a video link he said he was surprised and delighted to win.

Bowater Toyota Sportswoman of the Year

Black Ferns Sevens star Risealeaana Pouri-Lane has taken out the sportswoman award. She was part of the New Zealand team that won gold at the Paris Olympics. "Risi" couldn't be in Nelson as she is in Cape Town preparing for the second leg of the World Sevens Series this weekend.

NZCT Sportsperson of the Year

"Risi" then completed the double, winning the overall supreme award. In a video message from Cape Town, she said she was humbled.  While the 24-year-olds is now based in Tauranga she still feels the love from Motueka where she was raised.

Her mother Lofi brought the house down when she made her way to the stage to accept both awards.

And she reinforced what her daughter said, it was all about staying humble in a team full of standouts.