There is no clear favourite for the supreme honour at the Otago Sports Awards at the Dunedin Town Hall tonight.
It is one of the strongest fields since Sport Otago took over the organisation of the annual awards in 1991.
All the finalists in the men's, women's and junior categories are internationals, five finalists are world champions, and the three coaches all work with international athletes.
Cyclist Alison Shanks, who won the 3000m individual pursuit at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, will chase a fifth straight win in the sportswomen category. Her fellow finalists are Carla Hohepa and Kelly Brazier, key members of the Black Ferns rugby team that won the World Cup in England.
Hohepa, the equal-top try-scorer at the tournament with seven tries, was named the International Rugby Board women's personality of the year. Brazier was the top scorer at the tournament with 48 points and was named in the World Cup XV.
Hamish Bond and partner Eric Murray retained the men's pairs title at the world rowing championships, and swimmer Andrew McMillan won three gold medals at the world surf life-saving championships.
The other finalist for the sportsman award is New Zealand singles champion bowler Shaun Scott, who represented New Zealand for the first time in the transtasman series.
Jossi Wells was the world halfpipe champion in freeskiing.
His fellow nominees for the junior award are Rebekah Greene, runner-up at the world secondary schools cross-country championships in Slovakia, and Brad Evans, a member of the New Zealand team that finished fourth in the pursuit at the world junior cycling championships.
The team finalists are the North Otago rugby team, which beat Wanganui 39-18 to win the Meads Cup, the North East Valley bowls team, winner of the national interclub sevens final, and Shaun and Bridget Becker, who won a silver medal in the mixed doubles at the world curling championships.
The finalists for the coach of the year are Raylene Bates (athletics), Craig Palmer (cycling) and Bruce Wells (freeskiing).
The services to sport award and the innovations in sport award will also be presented.
Eight awards will be presented on the night, culminating in the presentation of the Otago sportsperson of the year.
All profits from the ASB-sponsored awards dinner go towards delivering the Halberg Sport Opportunity programme across Otago that helps young people with a disability to access sport and recreation opportunities.
The guest speaker for the dinner, which will be attended by 400 people, is triple Halberg Award winner, Olympic gold medallist and double world rowing champion Rob Waddell.
The judges are Dr Dave Gerrard, Academy of Sport South Island acting chief executive Selwyn Maister, Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble, Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle and ODT sports reporter Alistair McMurran.
Fact File: Otago Sports Awards finalists
Sportsman: Shaun Scott (bowls), Andrew McMillan (surf life-saving), Hamish Bond (rowing).
Sportswoman: Kelly Brazier (rugby), Carla Hohepa (rugby), Alison Shanks (cycling).
Teams: North Otago rugby team, Sean and Bridget Becker (curling), North East Valley bowls team.
Coaches: Raylene Bates (athletics), Craig Palmer (cycling), Bruce Wells (free skiing).