Bond teamed up with Eric Murray to win a second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the men's pair.
Grimaldi won over the nation with her charming reaction following her career-best leap that nabbed her a gold medal in the women's T47 long jump at the Rio Paralympics.
Wanaka freestyle skier Bilous claimed New Zealand's first Winter Youth Olympics medal with silver in the halfpipe and is a finalist in the emerging talent category.
The sportsman of the year category will be hotly contested. Olympic rowing champion Mahe Drysdale, WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, and Rio bronze medallists shot putter Tom Walsh and runner Nick Willis would all be deserving winners.
Lydia Ko is a finalist again for the sportswoman category. Ko won two majors and an Olympic silver in 2016 but double Olympic medallist Lisa Carrington mounts a compelling case, as well.
Surprise Rio silver medallist Luuka Jones and shot putter Dame Valerie Adams are the other finalists.
The disabled sportsperson of the year award includes 2015 recipient Sophie Pascoe. The swimmer who won three gold and two silver medals at the Paralympics is up against fellow gold medallists Grimaldi, Mary Fisher and Liam Malone, who won double gold and a silver in Rio.
Four teams who all ascended the medal dais in Rio are up for the team of the year category. The finalists include two Olympic champion crews: the men's 49er (Peter Burling and Blair Tuke) and rowing pair Bond and Murray, along with silver medallists Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster (team sprint) and the 470 crew of Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie.
All Black coach Steve Hansen won the coach of the year award in 2015 and is a finalist again. Hamish Willcox is a strong contender as well. He led the men's 49er crew to Olympic success in Rio, while Gordon Walker guided Lisa Carrington to double Rio gold.
Jeremy McColl coached Eliza McCartney to her first Olympics and a silver medal.
