Auckland, 15 December 2010 - Outstanding performances by New Zealanders on the world stage during the year resulted in 71 nominations being considered for the 2010 Westpac Halberg Awards.

The awards, organised by the Halberg Trust, salute outstanding achievement by New Zealanders in sport both at home and abroad. There were 66 nominations for the 2009 awards.

Each year the Halberg Trust calls for nominations from all New Zealand national sporting bodies and a Voting Academy to determine four finalists for the Westpac Sportsman, Sportswoman and Sports Team categories. From those 12 finalists the Voting Academy selects one, by secret ballot, to receive the supreme accolade for sporting excellence, the Halberg Award. This will be announced at the 2010 Westpac Halberg Awards dinner at SKYCITY, Auckland, on Thursday 10 February, 2011.

This year the Halberg Trust received 20 nominations for the Sportsman category, 14 Sportswoman, 22 Team and 15 nominations for Coach of the Year. The category finalists will not be announced until the New Year so late performances by individual athletes or teams during 2010 can be considered.

A special feature of the awards next February will be the announcement of New Zealand’s ‘Favourite Sporting Moment’ for 2010. Sponsored by SPARC, this will be determined by public vote. The criteria for New Zealand’s ‘Favourite Sporting Moment’ is the “most exciting, remarkable or compelling sporting moment, game or series during 2010 involving New Zealand sporting teams and individuals at home or abroad.”

The criteria for Halberg Award selection is:

The Halberg Award will be awarded to the individual athlete, athlete in a team, or team whose achievement in 2010 represented excellence in sport at the highest level.

The 28-strong Voting Academy comprising media representatives plus athletes and coaches is:

Philippa Baker Hogan, Richard Becht, Hamish Carter, Ron Cheatley, Graeme Crosby, Andy Dalton, Howard Dobson, Daniel Gilhooly, Steve Gurney, Andy Hay, Rachael Henderson, Debbie Hockley, Jayne Kiely, Dave Leggat, Danyon Loader, Jonathan Millmow, Peter Montgomery, Ron Palenski, Farah Palmer, Ramesh Patel, Mark Richardson, Anna Rowberry, Mark Sorensen, Mike Stanley, Howie Tamati, Dick Tayler, Brendan Telfer and Kevin Tutty.

The full list of nominations for the 2010 Westpac Halberg Awards:
Westpac Sportsman of the Year

David Thew (kung fu), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Jossi Wells (snow sports), David Fagan (shearing), Cam Ferguson (shearing), Benji Marshall (rugby league), Manu Vatuvei (rugby league), Graeme Kendall (yachting), Andrew Murdoch (yachting), Adam Hall (Paralympic skiing), Kieran Read (rugby), Richie McCaw (rugby), Kirk Penney (basketball), Ryan Nelsen (football), Brendon McCullum (cricket), Hayden Roulston (cycling), Greg Henderson (cycling), Jesse Sergent (cycling), Julian Dean (cycling) and Mark Paston (football).

Westpac Sportswoman of the Year

Emma Twigg (rowing), Casey Williams (netball), Sara Winther (yachting), Joelle King (squash), Sarah Walker (cycling), Valerie Adams (athletics), Linda Villumsen (cycling), Lauren Ellis (cycling), Catherine Cheatley (cycling), Alison Shanks (cycling), Carla Hohepa (rugby), Sophie Pascoe (Paralympic swimming), Nikki Hamblin (athletics) and Caroline Powell (equestrian).

Westpac Sports Team of the Year

Black Sticks, Men (hockey), Black Sticks, Women (hockey), Eric Murray and Hamish Bond (rowing), Juliette Haigh and Rebecca Scown (rowing), David Fagan and Cam Ferguson (shearing), Nathan Cohen and Jason Sullivan (rowing), Mike Collings and John Snowden (shooting), Kiwis (rugby league), Silver Ferns (netball), Blackmatch Racing (yachting), NZ Eventing Team (equestrian), Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie (yachting), Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (yachting), Joelle King and Jaclyn Hawkes (squash), Women’s Team Pursuit (cycling), Men’s Team Pursuit (cycling), NZ Sevens (rugby), Black Ferns (rugby), All Blacks (rugby), New Zealand Road Relay Team (roller sports), All Whites (football) and Women’s 4 x 200m Relay (swimming).

SPARC Coach of the Year

Stephen Kearney (rugby league), Ruth Aitken (netball), Nathan Handley (yachting), Tim Carswell (cycling), Dayle Cheatley (cycling), Craig Palmer (cycling), Graham Henry (rugby), Gordon Tietjens (rugby), Dave Rennie (rugby), Ricki Herbert (football), Mark Howard (yachting), Anthony Ricketts (squash), Brian Evans (rugby), John Robinson (rowing) and Dick Tonks (rowing).

Tickets to the Westpac Halberg Awards dinner in Auckland next February at $4,600 (inclusive of GST) for a table of 10 or $460 for individual tickets are still available by contacting info@halberg.co.nz

ENDS

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