Wanaka’s queen of the slopes snapped up silver in the women’s big air at the Winter Olympics earlier this week and will be the favourite to win Sportswoman of the Year at the Halberg Awards on Monday.
Sadowski-Synnott, who drops in for the qualifying rounds of the women’s slopestyle at Milano Cortina during the awards, had a standout 2025 season.
The 2022 Supreme Halberg Award winner won the world slopestyle title and claimed gold in the Winter X Games.
Otago’s snowsports stars feature prominently among the finalists for the 63rd awards.
Queenstown skier Alice Robinson, who is also in Italy, is also a finalist for Sportswoman of the Year, alongside Black Ferns and sevens star Jorja Miller, road cycling world champion Niamh Fisher-Black, world series cross-country mountain-biking champion Sammie Maxwell and doubles tennis ace Erin Routliffe.
Wanaka freeskier Luca Harrington is a finalist for Sportsman of the Year.
Harrington, who banked bronze in his Olympic debut in the men’s slopestyle this week, famously started 2025 as a late call-up to the Winter X Games, where he won gold in slopestyle. He later won the big air title at the world championships.
He is up against high jump world champion Hamish Kerr, steeplechase world champion Geordie Beamish, football star Chris Wood and outstanding golfer Ryan Fox.
Finley Melville Ives, who is also making his Olympic debut in Italy, is among the crew nominated for emerging talent.
The Wanaka skier was crowned the FIS freeski halfpipe world champion in his maiden season last year and is up against athletics sensation Sam Ruthe — who has to be the favourite for the award — swimmer Zoe Pedersen, BMX rider Lily Greenough and Black Ferns rookie Braxton Sorensen-McGee.
Snowsports coach Hamish McDougall, who guides several athletes including Harrington, is a finalist for Coach of the Year, alongside Brendon Cameron (para cycling-track), Mike Rodger (rowing), James Sandilands (athletics) and Cory Sweeney (Black Ferns sevens).
Competition for Para Athlete/Team of the Year is again strong.
World para shot put champion Lisa Adams, double world para sprint champion Danielle Aitchison, para cyclists Nicole Murray and Devon Briggs, and para swimmer Cameron Leslie — who won this category two years ago — are the finalists.
The Black Ferns Sevens will aim to regain the team title they claimed in 2023 after winning the world series.
They will be challenged by the Kiwis, the Black Sox, Auckland FC, the world champion men’s rowing pair of Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, and the men’s team pursuit cycling squad of Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood.
Otago freeskier Luke Harrold is also up for Favourite Sporting Moment — decided by a public vote — for landing the world’s first triple cork rotation in a halfpipe competition.
The finalists were selected by a panel of former elite athletes, coaches, sports administrators and media representatives including Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle.
Winners of the sportswoman, sportsman, para athlete/team and team categories are also eligible for the supreme award.
