Westpac Halberg Awards Dinner Heading for Sell-Out

Media Release

04 December 2008

Westpac Halberg Awards Dinner Heading for a Sell-Out

Outstanding performances by New Zealand sporting individuals and teams during the last 12 months look like ensuring a full house for the 2008 Westpac Halberg Awards dinner in Auckland next February.

Three months out from the big night, set down for Tuesday February 3, more than 900 tickets have been sold with the choice of a new venue, the Vector Arena for the first time, a big attraction. But according to Halberg Trust Chief Executive, Graeme Taylor, the dramatic victory by the Kiwis over Australia in the final of the Rugby League World Cup the other week, has stimulated ticket interest.

Each year the Halberg Trust hosts a glittering black tie dinner which salutes New Zealand’s best sporting achievers of the calendar year, and despite the capacity of the new venue, Mr Taylor is confident the dinner next February at Vector Arena could be a sell-out.

“It is hard to remember a year when our athletes have excelled in so many disciplines,” he says. “We had gold medals at the summer Olympics and the Paralympics in Beijing, with Tom Ashley, Valerie Vili, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, Sophie Pascoe and Paula Tesoriero leading the way. The All Blacks completing the Grand Slam over the Home Nations and the Kiwis beating the world champion Kangaroos and Scott Dixon becoming the first Kiwi to win the Indy 500.

“Along with so many other world champions they have captured the imagination of all sports followers and are now stimulating considerable media debate and attention. We are naturally delighted that with little pre-marketing so many New Zealanders continue to appreciate the relevance and significance of the Westpac Halberg Awards.”

The Halberg Awards category finalists and overall winner are determined by an Academy comprising sports media and sporting achievers, including former Halberg finalists and winners.

A limited number of tickets to the 2008 Westpac Halberg Awards dinner at the Vector Arena on February 3 are available at $3,995 (plus GST) for tables of 10, or $399.50 (plus GST) for individual tickets. Patrons to the dinner can also purchase tickets to the pre-dinner cocktail function to mix and mingle with the category finalists, and special guests at $100 each (plus GST).

The winner of the 2007 Halberg Award was Valerie Vili.

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