Five world champions, a flying golden girl, a brother-sister combination, a father-son combination and the king of the bowling green. They are among the finalists for the Otago Sports Awards on May 27.
It is one of the strongest fields in years - so strong there is no room for perennial finalist Brendon McCullum, who scored a test double century in India in November, or All Black lock Tom Donnelly or the Hawke Cup-winning Otago Country cricket team.
Cyclist Alison Shanks will chase a fifth straight win in the sportswoman of the year category at the ASB-sponsored awards.
Shanks won a gold medal in the individual pursuit at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, and followed up with a silver medal at the world championships.
Her fellow finalists, Carla Hohepa and Kelly Brazier, both helped the Black Ferns win the women's rugby world cup.
Hamish Bond is back to chase another sportsman of the year title. He won gold in the pairat the world rowing championships and was unbeaten in world cup races.
Shaun Scott won the singles at the national bowls championships, and Andrew McMillan represented St Clair when he won three gold medals at the world surf life-saving championships.
Rebekah Greene (athletics), Jossi Wells (freeskiing) and Brad Evans (cycling) are the junior finalists. Wells' father, Bruce, is a finalist for coach of the year alongside Raylene Bates(athletics) and Craig Palmer (cycling).
North Otago's Meads Cup-winning rugby team, the North East Valley bowls sevens team and curlers Sean and Bridget Becker, who won silver at the world mixed doubles championships,are the finalists in the team category.
The judges for the awards are Dr Dave Gerrard, Academy of Sport South Island acting chief executive Selwyn Maister, Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble and Otago Daily Times reporters Hayden Meikle and Alistair McMurran.
