From Afar: World Cup not only great sporting moment

The year 2011 is coming to an end and what an emotional year it has been.

The Christchurch earthquakes, the Rugby World Cup and the general election are just some of the key events that come to mind as signifying what this year has been about as an emotional roller-coaster ride.

It started tragically, slowly built up to an intense heart-stopping finale, and then ended rather flat and predictable. Not many, however, would have predicted that Winston Peters and Stephen Donald would win over fans before the year was up!

In December, sports journalists and bloggers also tend to summarise what they consider to be the sporting highlights for 2011.

In terms of "moments" that I'll remember some are celebratory, some are unforgettable, and others are forgettable.

Spare a thought for non-rugby athletes and teams this year vying for top honours at the Halberg Awards. They have performed and peaked at a time when recognition for their efforts in a rugby-mad nation is going to be tough.

And there have been some exceptional performances especially in team events.

It is common knowledge the All Blacks broke the 24-year curse, but did you know the Black Caps test win over Australia was the first test victory on their soil since 1985 and the women's Black Sticks team won their first series victory over Australia in 25 years when they won the Oceania Cup?

To add to these significant victories (significant in terms of breaking the curse!), the NZ Breakers became the first New Zealand team in any sport to win a premier Australian sports competition, the Junior Warriors were the only team in the national youth competition to score 1000 points, and the women's pursuit team (cycling) recorded the fastest time by any team at sea level at the recent Oceania Championships.

The New Zealand Warriors also showed their tenacity by making the NRL finals for the fourth time in five years, and our rowers continue to demonstrate why New Zealand is considered the third-best rowing nation in the world for "small boats".

Despite 2011 being New Zealand's chance to shine as a rugby nation, there have been some cringe-worthy moments in and around rugby.

The revolving door regarding the All Black first five-eighth role during the World Cup tournament was enough to make any optimist see the glass as half empty, and the bolt in McCaw's foot threatened to loosen every time he took the field.

Off the field, the claims of racism in rugby, the Hurricanes' self-implosion, the failure of Auckland's public transport to kick-off the RWC 2011, and Zac's drunken Rarotongan behaviour (the latest of many alcohol-related indiscretions involving rugby players) did little to make rugby haters into rugby heads.

Personally, the Black Ferns' two losses and one draw to England were disappointing but ones that hardly figured on the national Richter scale when it comes to sporting disasters.

Out of rugby, Steve Williams' club in mouth incident regarding his ex-boss, an orifice, and the opposite of white caused a stir, while the bankruptcy of Terry Serepisos could not resurrect his desire to stay with the Wellington Phoenix.

Talking of rebirths, boxing has been the perfect platform for the likes of Shane Cameron and David Tua to reignite their careers (with mixed success) and celebrities the chance to tick one more thing off their bucket list.

The Fight for Life was one of many chances to get excited, to laugh, to shadow box and celebrate with victors and sympathise with the vanquished.

Piri Weepu achieved victory and iconic status towards the end of the Rugby World Cup and Dan Carter didn't end the year completely empty-handed when he and Honor Dillon (New Zealand's answer to sporting royalty?) finally tied the knot.

In total, it has been a great sporting year for New Zealand and, despite some of our heroes and heroines, moving on in sport (e.g. Mils Muliaina, Graham Henry, Ruth Aitken), the baton has been passed on to the new (and not so new) kids on the block like Jacko Gill, Andrea Hewitt, Israel Dagg, Suzie Bates, Steve Hansen, Waimarama Taumaunu, Valerie Adams and Kayla Sharland.

Like Paige Hareb fighting against the physically more imposing Hayley Holt, New Zealand athletes and teams will continue to box above their weight and win us over as fans because when they compete they do so with grit, determination and attitude.

Bring on the London Olympics and wish for a year with less tragedy, less tedious politics and more triumphs.