North Canty Sports big night

The shining stars of North Canterbury sport will be celebrated in style on Friday night at the annual Sports Awards.

The awards, run by the North Canterbury Sport and Recreation Trust in conjunction with Mainpower, will be hosted by TV personality Hilary Barry as the community comes together to celebrate a year of sporting success. Last year the judges selected New Zealand rower Eve MacFarlane to collect the supreme award for 2015.

This year’s finalists were selected from an initial group of 62 nominees across 22 different sporting codes. The calibre and diversity of the nominees speak’s volumes for the talent coming out of the region, but only one can be crowned the supreme winner who can come from any of the categories.

The mens finalists are Olympian BMX rider Trent Jones, Mountain biker Anton Cooper and cricketer Shanan Stewart, with New Zealand bowler Katelyn Inch, trampolinist Bronwyn Dibb and canoe polo player olivia Spencer-Bower vying for the womens honours.

There are also the junior sportsman and sportswoman, coach, administrator, Masters sportsperson, official, personality, club and event. There are also the three service to sport awards this year to be presented to bowls Sue Kilmartin, trampoline’s Ken Olley and Swimming’s Clare Pitt.