For the first time in two years Otago’s sporting elite will gather tonight.
Going by the Otago Sports Awards nominations, there will be plenty of talent on hand as well.
The awards ceremony returns this year, after last year having been announced by the Otago Daily Times over a series of weeks during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Last year’s supreme winner, motocross world champion Courtney Duncan, is once again among the nominees.
She will contest the senior sportswoman category alongside Coast to Coast champion Simone Maier and professional cyclist Mikayla Harvey.
Junior sportswoman looks to be a very tightly contested title with three world class nominees.
Skier Alice Robinson, snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and swimmer Erika Fairweather are all top performers on an international level.
On the male side, Aaron Smith features in the sportsman of the year nominees for the first time.
The All Blacks and Highlanders halfback has never been nominated, having remained registered with Manawatu at provincial level.
However, he has lived in Dunedin for a decade now and this year became the Highlanders’ all time most capped player.
He is up against two multisport athletes in Dougal Allan and Braden Currie.
Junior sportsman will be contested by long jump-sprinter Shay Veitch, biathlete Campbell Wright and snowboarder Nico Porteous.
Basketball and rowing dominate both the team and coach of the year nominations.
The Otago Nuggets and Otago Gold Rush were both nominated for team of the year, following their exploits in the men’s and women’s National Basketball Leagues respectively.
They will compete with Dunstan High School’s dominant under-18 girls double sculls crew of Paige Furrie and Mackenzie Ealson for the award.
Nuggets coach Brent Matehaere and Dunstan rowing coach Simon Smith are up for coach of the year, alongside snowboarding coach Sean Thompson.
Official of the year will be contested by Nuggets general manager Angela Ruske, cricket umpire Chris Gaffaney and rugby referee James Doleman.
A supreme award winner will be named from among the category winners.
A services to sport award and innovation in sport award will also be handed out on the night.
The awards cover from April 1, 2020, to March 31 this year.
Otago Sports Awards finalists
Coach: Simon Smith (rowing) Brent Matehaere (basketball), Sean Thompson (snowboarding). Official: Chris Gaffaney (cricket), Angela Ruske (basketball), James Doleman (rugby).
Junior sportswoman: Erika Fairweather (swimming), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snowboarding), Alice Robinson (skiing).
Junior sportsman: Campbell Wright (biathlon), Shay Veitch (athletics), Nico Porteous (snowboarding).
Sportswoman: Courtney Duncan (motocross), Simone Maier (multisport), Mikayla Harvey (cycling).
Sportsman: Aaron Smith (rugby), Braden Currie (multisport), Dougal Allan (multisport).
