Carrington, who won two medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last year, won the supreme award ahead of rower Mahe Drysdale, yachting team Peter Burling and Blair Tuke and parafed athlete Liam Malone.
Carrington (27) won gold in her favoured KI 200m at the London Olympics and backed that up with another gold in the same event at Rio four years later. She also won a bronze medal in the K1 500m at Rio, just missing a gold in a photo finish.
In a contest dominated by champion Olympic athletes, all of the major awards were won by those who succeeded in Rio de Janeiro.Carrington had earlier won the sportswoman of the year award from golfer Lydia Ko, shot putter Val Adams and slalom kayaker Luuka Jones.
Drysdale won the men’s award from shot putter Tom Walsh, runner Nick Willis and boxer Joseph Parker.
Drysdale won his second gold medal — like Carrington backing up from success at London — in the single sculls at Rio de Janeiro in a nail-biting finish.
Sprinter Liam Malone was named disabled sportsperson of the year, ahead of Sophie Pascoe, Anna Grimaldi and Mary Fisher.
Olympic sailing champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke were named team of the year award winners, ahead of champion rowing pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, cycling team sprinters Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster and the 470 yachting crew of Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie.
This would have been an extremely hard category to decide but the Auckland-based duo have been utterly dominant for several years and are now working in the Team New Zealand America’s Cup challenge.
Kayaking had a great night, as Gordon Walker, Carrington’s coach, was named coach of the year. He edged out All Black coach Steve Hansen, men’s 49er coach Hamish Willcox and pole vault coach Jeremy McColl.
Manawatu track cyclist Campbell Stewart, who claimed two junior world championship titles in 2016, won the emerging talent award.
Paralympic swimmer Sophie Pascoe was presented the Sport New Zealand leadership award.
Rugby league player Ruben Wiki and athletics stalwart Don Jowett were inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and Myra Larcombe was recognised with the lifetime achievement award for services to swimming.
The best sporting moment award, which was conducted through a public vote, was won by pole vaulter Eliza McCartney for her bronze-medal winning effort at the Rio Olympics.
Supreme Halberg Award: Lisa Carrington (canoeing).
Sportswoman of the year: Carrington.
Sportsman of the year: Mahe Drysdale (rowing).
Disabled sportsperson of the year: Liam Malone (para-athletics).
Team of the year: Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (yachting).
Coach of the year: Gordon Walker (canoeing).
Emerging talent: Campbell Stewart (cycling).
Sport New Zealand leadership award: Sophie Pascoe (para-swimming).
Lifetime achievement award: Myra Larcombe (swimming)
Hall of Fame inductees: Ruben Wiki (rugby league), Don Jowett (athletics).
Best sporting moment: Eliza McCartney (pole vaulting).
