Race Heats Up To Determine ‘NZ’s Favourite Sporting Moment’

Race Heats Up To Determine ‘New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment’

Auckland, 19 January 2012 – The race to determine ‘New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment’ for 2011, which will be announced at the 2011 Westpac Halberg Awards, is heating up with rugby, rugby league and basketball emerging as the serious contenders, with only three weeks remaining before public voting closes.

On the back of recent speculation that the try by Lewis Brown that sent the Warriors to the NRL Grand Final was leading the Favourite Moment vote count, All Blacks fans have come out en masse to close the gap, putting the final whistle of the Rugby World Cup back in contention for the big prize.

And with the NZ Breakers season in full swing, surges in votes to crown their historic win in the 2011 ANBL Final against the Taipans as the Favourite Moment for 2011, suggest the Breakers may be the dark horse in the race to the finish.

Public voting for ‘New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment’, brought to you by High Performance Sport New Zealand, opened on December 28. The public can vote up to once a day online at www.skysport.co.nz or via text message.

Halberg Trust Fundraising and Events Manager, Grant McCabe, says that while the recent swing of support for the All Blacks isn’t surprising, ‘New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment’ for 2011 is far from over.

“We are aware that public opinion can change quickly, but if last year’s voting pattern is anything to go by, we can expect to see more sports fans let their fingers do the talking as the deadline approaches.”

‘New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment’ for 2011 will be announced by Prime Minister John Key at the Westpac Halberg Awards in Auckland on Thursday February 09.

One lucky voter will win four tickets to attend the Awards (including accommodation and travel) and will be hosted by event partner High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ), a new subsidiary of SPARC.

To be eligible for the prize draw, voters must submit their vote before midnight on Monday 06 February. Official voting closes at 12 noon on Thursday 09 February, the day of the Westpac Halberg Awards. For full voting details visit www.skysport.co.nz.

The six special sporting moments for 2011, from which the public can select their ‘Favourite Sporting Moment’, are (in chronological order):

1. NZ Breakers – Win Australian National Basketball League Championship; Breakers v Taipans, ANBL Final, North Shore, New Zealand
2. Valerie Adams – Dominates the field to win Gold; IAAF World Championships, Daegu, Korea
3. Men’s Pair – Hamish Bond and Eric Murray win Gold; World Rowing Championships, Bled, Slovenia
4. NZ Warriors – Lewis Brown’s try sends Warriors to NRL Grand Final; Warriors v Storm, NRL Preliminary Final, Melbourne, Australia
5. All Blacks – The final whistle; All Blacks v France, Rugby World Cup Final, Auckland, New Zealand
6. Blackcaps – Doug Bracewell bowls Nathan Lyon to win test match; Blackcaps v Australia, Hobart, Australia

The public can vote through www.skysport.co.nz or by texting their vote using the following codes:

NZ Breakers – Text SM1 to 2227
Valerie Adams – Text SM2 to 2227
Men’s Rowing Pair – Text SM3 to 2227
NZ Warriors – Text SM4 to 2227
All Blacks – Text SM5 to 2227
Blackcaps – Text SM6 to 2227

Visit www.hpsnz.org.nz/2011highlights for more on this year’s sporting highlights and interviews with some of the country’s leading high performance athletes.

The Westpac Halberg Awards are New Zealand’s premiere event to celebrate sporting excellence. The Awards also help to raise vital funds for Halberg Trust’s disability sport work www.halberg.co.nz

ENDS

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