Latest news with #CentralOtagoSportsAwards
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Olympians winners in awards
Finn Butcher. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Zoi Sadowski-Synnott. PHOTO: SNOW SPORTS NZ Otago's Olympians won the top prizes at the Central Otago Sports Awards earlier this month. Kayak-cross Olympic gold medal winner Finn Butcher was named sportsman of the year and Olympic snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott was named sportswoman of the year. Other winners included Wanaka's Luke Harrold, who scooped the junior sportsman of the year award for his efforts on the freeski halfpipe. Alpine skier Adam Hall was named para athlete of the year and Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College senior student Ryan Enoka (athletics, karate and rugby) 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. ' "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 congratulations to award winners, nominees, and those who gave their time, energy, and passion to sport in Central Otago. — APL
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
A recognition of hometown support
Two Queenstowners and a beloved local sports team were honoured in Wānaka last week. At the annual Central Otago Sports Awards, presented at the Lake Wānaka Centre, Queenstowner Nils Coberger was named coach of the year, resort ice hockey ref Adam Nagy was awarded official of the year, and the SkyCity Stampede ice hockey team was named team of the year. Coberger — who coaches Queenstown alpine ski racer Alice Robinson — was up against fellow Queenstowners Cam Frear (SkyCity Stampede coach) and Sean Thompson (snowboarding), along with Michael Beable (athletics), Dan Bogue (para skiing), Murray Buchan (skiing) and Alex Dickson (rugby), all of Wānaka, and national freeski coach Hamish McDougall (Scotland/Lake Hawea). Of the recognition, Coberger says it's "just a reflection of a team performance" by his fellow coach Tim Cafe, physio Alex Hull and serviceman Michi Haas, of Austria, who have "focused to give Alice everything she needs to perform at the highest level". "It was amazing to be included in the coaches award selection with coaches of world champions, world cup winners, [Crystal] Globe winners and an X Games medallist. "Team Alice is the reason I won this award, so the credit needs to go to Tim, Alex, Michi and our star, Alice." After undoubtedly one of Robinson's strongest European winters to date, Coberger says the highlight for him was seeing her win New Zealand's first silver medal at the alpine ski racing world champs in Saalbach, Austria, in February, followed by a string of results in her last 15 giant slalom races, in which she had just three DNFs and 12 podiums in a row. Looking ahead to this season, 'Team Alice's' focus is on the Winter Olympics, being held in Cortina, Italy, next February. Nagy, meantime, formerly the Stampede's biggest supporter, made his New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL) debut as a linesman two years ago, having reffed social league ice hockey for about six years before that, and is often head ref for NZ Women's Ice Hockey League matches. Taking the official of the year title from Craig Anderson (rugby) and Flick Wallace (snowsports), Nagy tells Mountain Scene it feels "surreal, amazing [and] unexpected" to have been recognised. "I don't think it [the recognition] was for NZIHL, I think it's more for Queenstown Ice Hockey Club and referees in general, just working with the kids, doing the referee stuff that needs to be done ... I don't think Queenstown's ever had a proper official that's taken it so seriously. "I just want to thank the people who have helped me along the way — the referees who have spent the time training me ... the people who have supported me and listened to me on the ice, and the referees who told me, 'If the referee's so bad, why don't you do something about it and become a referee?' "So I did." Stampede coach Cam Frear says the team's "incredibly proud" to have been named team of the year. The nine-time NZIHL champions, who last year stamped their name on the Birgel Cup for the fourth consecutive time, beat the Upper Clutha Rams Central Otago Premier rugby team, the Wānaka Football Club and the Wakatipu under-17 boys double scull, U18 boys double skull and U18 coxed quad in their category. "This recognition is a reflection of the hard work, passion and dedication from every player, coach, staff member and our loyal SkyCity Stampede supporters," Frear says. "It's a privilege to represent Queenstown and Central Otago — thank you to everyone who's supported us on and off the ice."
Otago Daily Times
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
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
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
BMX coach ‘proud' of award nomination
Cromwell BMX rider, coach and Central Otago Sports Awards Junior Spirit of Central awards finalist Liam King, 13, as he races. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A teenage BMX coach said he was quite proud to be one of the finalists for the 2025 Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards, to be held in Wānaka in May. Cromwell teen Liam King, who had been involved with BMX since he was 5 said he was surprised to hear he had been nominated for the Junior Spirit of Central Award. "I'm quite proud of myself," he said. This was not the first award Liam had been nominated for this year, with him being named the South Island Coach of the Year at the 2024 BMX New Zealand Awards for his work coaching Cromwell BMX Club's seven and under riders known as sprockets, something he has done for three years. "Yeah, it's an honour to be able to teach the young kids and help them improve with themselves," he said. Liam said he would be absolutely thrilled if he won the award. Alexandra ice swimming sisters Sophie and Heidi Winter were also announced as finalists in this years awards. Sophie, 18, was made a finalist for the Sportswoman of the Year award, while 16-year-old Heidi was a finalist for the Junior Sportswoman of the Year. Sophie said it was great to hear both her and Heidi were finalists. "We really support each other so it's great to be involved together," she said. Heidi said since ice swimming was a relatively new sport in Central Otago so it was great to see it get recognised. When asked about how they would feel should they win the awards, Sophie said there were so many great sportspeople in Central Otago and that it would be great to be alongside them and celebrate together. Heidi said it would be a nice surprise to win. The awards ceremony would recognise the outstanding achievements of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and teams across Central Otago last year. Sport Central sport and active recreation adviser Jo Knight said the level of competition made it hard for judges to select finalists, let alone winners. "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," she said. This year's finalists include world champions, Olympians and upcoming talents from a variety of sports including BMX, ice hockey, rugby and rodeo as well as coaches and officials. Sport and active recreation adviser Ben Hamilton said the awards night should be a special celebration for everyone 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," he said. The formal awards dinner would be held at the Lake Wānaka Events Centre on May 8.
Otago Daily Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Sports noms haul for Queenstowners
The Whakatipu is well represented in the finalist list for this year's Central Otago Sports Awards. To be announced at a formal dinner on May 8, at the Lake Wānaka Centre, the awards, sponsored by Forsyth Barr, recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and teams from across Central Otago over the past year. Sport Central sport and active recreation adviser Jo Knight says the calibre of this year's nominations speaks volumes about the strength of sport in the region. "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," Knight says. In the sportswoman of the year category, Queenstown ski racer Alice Robinson's a finalist, alongside Wānaka snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Alexandra ice swimmer Sophie Winter. Robinson's head coach, Nils Coberger, is a finalist in the coach of the year category, as is SkyCity Stampede coach Cam Frear, Queenstown-based snowboarding coach Sean Thompson — other finalists in that category are Upper Clutha Rams rugby coach Alex Dickson, para skiing coach Dan Bogue, skiing coach Hamish McDougall, all of Wānaka, and national freeski coach Murray Buchan (Scotland/Lake Hawea). Frear's Stampede ice hockey team is a finalist in team of the year, as are the Wakatipu under-18 coxed quad scull rowers, the Wakatipu U17 boys double scull and the Wakatipu boys U18 double scull. Other finalists there are the Upper Clutha Rams rugby team and the Wānaka Football Club. Queenstowners also dominate the junior sportsman of the year — our finalists are Mason Clarke (cricket), James Weber (athletics), Lewis Laird (mountain biking), Charlie Manser (rowing), and brothers Noa and Dan Milburn (tennis). They're up against Cromwell's Levi Casey (squash) and Wānaka's Luke Harrold (freeski halfpipe). In the junior sportswoman category, Queenstowners Brooke Hansen (freeride snowboard), Siena Mackley (running), Zara Hazledine (equestrian) and Rosa Dawson (gymnastics) are all finalists, alongside Wānaka's Phoebe Laker (athletics), Mathilda Watterson (alpine ski racing) and Eva Small (freeride skiing), Cromwell's Sky Sanders (rodeo) and Bella Breen (rowing) and Alexandra's Heidi Winter (ice swimming). And in the official of the year category, Queenstown ice hockey ref Adam Nagy will be up against Wānaka's Flick Wallace (snowsports) and Central Otago rugby ref Craig Anderson. Tickets for the awards night cost $75, via The event includes dinner and a presentation from Wānaka's Dougal Allan, a world champion multisport and adventure racer and Team New Zealand cyclor.
