The finalists for the awards, organised by Sport Otago, have been revealed.
Judges have narrowed down the 80-plus nominations and snowsports lead the charge with 12 finalists across the 11 categories.
Freeskier Luca Harrington has been named as a finalist for sportsman of the year after another standout campaign, including claiming bronze at the Winter Olympics, as has world champion freeride skier Ben Richards.
Snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who won double silver at the Winter Olympics, and alpine skier Alice Robinson are up for sportswoman of the year, alongside rower Juliette Lequeux, who was selected for the world championships last year.
Para athlete of the year will be hotly contested between alpine skier Adam Hall, who won silver at Milano Cortina, shot putter Holly Robinson and sprinter Anna Grimaldi.
Team of the year shapes as an interesting category as two Otago rugby teams go head to head.
The Otago Spirit are finalists after winning the Farah Palmer Cup Championship and so are the Otago men, who made it to the NPC final and locked away the Ranfurly Shield.
The Otago men’s A relay squad, who won the category last year, are also finalists.
It will be a battle of snowsports figures for coach of the year as Daniel Bogue (adaptive alpine skiing), Nils Coberger and Tim Cafe (alpine skiing) and Tom Willmott (snowsports, park and pipe) are all finalists.
World champion freeskier Finley Melville Ives, rising Otago halfback Dylan Pledger and cyclist James Gardner are up for junior sportsman of the year, while freeskier Mischa Thomas, sprinter Jorja Gibbons and javelin thrower and basketballer Alexa Duff are finalists for junior sportswoman of the year.
Otago’s rising stars across several sports have also been named finalists for emerging talent.
James Doleman (rugby), Chris Gaffaney (cricket) and Allys Clipsham (football) are up for official of the year.
Services to sport, innovation in sport and the supreme award will all be announced at the awards evening on June 12 at the Edgar Centre.
“Otago athletes have delivered a truly stellar year, with performances that speak to the depth of talent, dedication and pride that runs right across our sporting community,” Sport Otago chief executive James Nation said.
“I’m really looking forward to an awesome night honouring what has been an outstanding year for Otago sport.”
The awards are judged by Nation, Otago Academy of Sport manager Carmel Leslie, Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle, TVNZ sports reporter Michelle Banks and University of Otago pro vice-chancellor health sciences Megan Gibbons.
Otago Sports Awards
Major category finalists
Sportsman: Jacob Duffy (cricket), Luca Harrington (freeskiing), Ben Richards (freeride skiing)
Coach of the year: Daniel Bogue (adaptive alpine skiing), Nils Coberger and Tim Cafe (alpine skiing), Tom Willmott (snowsports, park and pipe)
