Awards chance for Central Otago sports community to celebrate year
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The finalists for the 2025 Central Otago Sports Awards have been announced for the formal awards dinner at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Thursday.
The 2025 finalists include world champions, Olympians, and emerging stars across disciplines as varied as alpine skiing, kayaking, athletics, rugby, mountainbiking, rodeo, tennis, rowing, and snowboarding — as well as the often unsung heroes in coaching, officiating and community sport.
The awards are to recognise the outstanding achievements of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and teams from across Central Otago over the past year.
The finalists in this year's awards reflect the depth of talent, passion and community spirit that drives sport in the region.
Sport Central Sport and Active Recreation adviser Jo Knight said the calibre of this year's nominations spoke volumes about the strength of sport in Central Otago.
"The level of competition made it incredibly difficult for our judging panel to select finalists, let alone winners. It's a wonderful reflection of the dedication and talent that exists across Central Otago."
Sport and Active Recreation adviser Ben Hamilton said the awards night promised to be a special celebration for everyone involved in the Central Otago sports community.
"The Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards are about more than just celebrating individual success — they're a chance for the whole sporting community to come together and celebrate an amazing year."
The dinner will be held at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Thursday.
2025 award finalists
Gary Anderson Sound and Vision Sportswoman of the Year
Alice Robinson — Alpine Ski Racing
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott — Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle
Sophie Winter — Ice Swimming
Central Lakes Construction Sportsman of the Year
Finley Melville Ives — Free Ski Halfpipe
Rocco Jamieson — Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle
Finn Butcher — Kayak Cross
Luca Harrington — Free Ski Big Air and Halfpipe
Gallaway Cook Allan Junior Sportsman of the Year
Mason Clarke — Cricket
Levi Casey — Squash
Luke Harrold — Free Ski Halfpipe
James Weber — Athletics
Lewis Laird — Mountain Biking
Charlie Manser — Rowing
Noa Milburn — Tennis
Dan Milburn — Tennis
Health 2000 Wānaka Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Phoebe Laker — Athletics
Brooke Hansen — Freeride Snowboard
Mathilda Watterson — Alpine Ski Racing
Sky Sanders — Rodeo
Heidi Winter — Ice Swimming
Eva Small — Freeride Skiing
Siena Mackley — Running
Zara Hazledine — Equestrian
Rosa Dawson — Gymnastics
Bella Breen — Rowing
Jennian Homes Team of the Year
Upper Clutha Rams — Rugby
Wakatipu U18 Coxed Quad Scull
Wakatipu U17 Boys Double Scull
Wakatipu Boys U18 Double Scull
Sky City Stampede — Ice Hockey
Wānaka Football Club
Otago Polytechnic Para Athlete of the Year
Mac Denniston — Athletics
Adam Hall — Para Skiing
Workplace First Aid Coach of the Year
Alex Dickson — Upper Clutha Rams
Michael Beable — Athletics
Dan Bogue — Para Skiing
Hamish McDougall — Skiing
Sean Thompson — Snowboard
Nils Coberger — Alpine Ski Racing
Murray Buchan — Freeski
Cam Frear — Stampede
Duncan and Kelly Good Ray White Real Estate Junior Spirit of Central Award
Charlie Nisbet — Gymnastics
Eli La Rose — Swimming
Liam King — BMX
Ryan Enoka — Athletics, Ki Uta, Rugby
Eva Small — Freeride Skiing, Mountain Biking, Multi-sport
Mathilda Watterson — Ski Racing
Wānaka Physiotherapy Senior Spirit of Central Award
Roger North — Wānaka Yacht Club
Jess Lake — Cromwell Athletics
Shane Norton — Central Otago Football
Findex Official of the Year
Flick Wallace — Snow Sports
Craig Anderson — Rugby
Adam Nagy — Ice Hockey
— APL
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- RNZ News
Athletes using banned enhancing drugs to take part in event
Swimmers, runners and weight-lifters who are using banned performance-enhancing drugs will take part in the first Enhanced Games next year. The controversial event will take place in Las Vegas and has the backing of Olympians and billionaires. The World Anti-Doping Agency staunchly opposes the project, warning athletes that they risk bans and their health. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Otago contingent poised to make splash
From the rising superstars to the local Olympians, Otago's depth will be making a splash at the national championships this week. Twelve swimmers from across the region will be among the more than 350 athletes, including 17 Aquablacks, vying for titles in Auckland starting today. Neptune will be spearheaded by Olympians Caitlin Deans and Kane Follows. Follows enjoyed a national championships to remember last season when he qualified for Paris and broke the national record in the men's 200m backstroke. He will again line up for the 200m and 100m backstroke. Deans also had a strong championships in 2024 and will line up for the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle in Auckland. Aquablack Esme Paterson will race in the 100m freestyle, and the 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly, and Tom Gold will compete in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly. Emilia Finer, who won five gold medals at the international ice swimming world championships earlier this year, rounds out the Neptune squad, racing in the 400m and 1500m freestyle, 400m IM and the 200m butterfly. Kiwi's six swimmers is the largest contingent heading away. Rising star Alfie Weatherston-Harvey will race in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle, the 200m backstroke and the 400m medley relay. Taka Sugiyama is in for a busy week swimming in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, the 200m and 400m freestyle and IM, and the 400m medley relay. Liam Rees is scheduled to compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, the 200m and 400m IM, the 50m freestyle, and the 400m freestyle and medley relay, while Kale Twist will race individually in the 50m and 100m freestyle — he finished fourth in the 100m last year — and in the 400m freestyle and 400m medley relays. Meg McLaughlan will race in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, and the mixed 400m freestyle relay, and Abby Samuels is down for the 50m and 100m freestyle, the 50m butterfly, and the mixed 400m freestyle relay. Alexandra swimmer Caleb Ludlow has has a fine season so far and will fly the flag for Central Otago. He is scheduled to swim in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, the 50m freestyle and the 200m IM. Former Neptune swimmer Erika Fairweather will race in her new colours for North Shore for the first time at a national event. The Olympian, who made the move to Auckland earlier this year, will race in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle. Olympian Lewis Clareburt is training and competing overseas and will skip the national event. The championships are a key for athletes qualifying for the world championships, para world championships and the world junior championships. The championships runs until Sunday.
Otago Daily Times
17-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Wānaka athletes claim top awards
Snowboarder Zoi-Sadowski-Synnott. PHOTO: ODT FILES Wānaka athletes stood out at the 2025 Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards held in Wānaka last week. Snowboarder and Olympian Zoi-Sadowski-Synnott was named sportswoman of the year while sportsman of the year went to Wanaka's Luke Harrold for his efforts on the freeski halfpipe. Other local winners included alpine skier Adam Hall who won para athlete of the year and Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College senior student Ryan Enoka (athletics, karate and rugby) who won the junior spirit of Central Otago award. The annual awards, hosted by Sport Central, brought together 200 people from the region's sporting whānau to celebrate sporting excellence as well as the spirit, passion, and people who make Central Otago a powerhouse of sporting talent, Sport Central sport and active recreation adviser Jo Knight said. "The judges had an incredibly tough job this year, which reflects the calibre of talent in Central Otago," Ms Knight said. "The finalists seem to raise the bar every year." "All categories were hotly contested, with so many national and international champions and multiple athletes breaking local, international and world records." Ms Knight said Sport Central extended its congratulations to all award winners, nominees, and those who continue to give their time, energy, and passion to sport in Central Otago. Full list of winners: Gary Anderson Sound and Vision Sportswoman of the Year: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle) Central Lakes Construction Sportsman of the Year: Finn Butcher (Kayak Cross) Gallaway Cook Allan Junior Sportsman of the Year: Luke Harrold (Freeski Halfpipe) Health 2000 Wānaka Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Heidi Winter (Ice Swimming) Jennian Homes Team of the Year: Sky City Stampede (Ice Hockey) Workplace First Aid Coach of the Year: Nils Coberger (Alpine Ski Racing) Otago Polytechnic Para Athlete of the Year: Adam Hall (Skiing) Ray White Wānaka Junior Spirit of Central Otago Award: Ryan Enoka (Athletics, Karate and Rugby) Wānaka Physiotherapy Senior Spirit of Central Otago Award: Shane Norton (Football) Findex Official of the Year: Adam Nagy (Ice Hockey) John Fitzharris Trophy for Services to Sport: Flick Wallace (Snow Sports) Forsyth Barr Supreme Award — Bruce Grant Memorial Trophy: Finn Butcher — APL
