Otago cyclists Alison Shanks and Greg Henderson, rower Hamish Bond and disabled skier Adam Hall are among the early nominations for the Halberg Awards.
Sixty-six nominations are being considered by the Halberg voting academy, which is now dominated by former athletes but also includes members of the media.
Shanks has a great chance of being one of the four finalists in the sportswoman of the year category for the first time.
She won the world in-dividual pursuit title at the world track cycling championships which were in Poland in March, and added a silver medal with the pursuit team.
World shot put champion Valerie Vili will be favoured to win a fourth consecutive sportswoman award and a third consecutive overall Halberg Award.
Shanks will get a second chance in the team category, where her pursuit team is nominated.
The emotional favourites for the award will be the All Whites, who qualified for the World Cup, but Bond and team-mate Eric Murray will be hard to beat after winning the world coxless pairs title.
The highlight of Henderson's year - apart from becoming a father for the first time - was winning a stage in the Tour of Spain in September.
Hall had another fine year on the snow, winning a bronze medal at the inaugural Winter Games, winning two medals at an International Paralympic Committee World Cup in Spain and being named New Zealand snowsports athlete of the year.
The favourites for the coach of the year award are possibly All Whites coach Ricki Herbert and rowing coach Dick Tonks.
Four finalists in each category will be named next month.
The Halberg Awards are held in Auckland on February 4.
