Dalefield celebrate their second consecutive Wellington Premier Championship win in 2021. PHOTO/FILE
Voting for the 2022 Wairarapa Times-Age Sport Awards closes at 4.30pm today. CHRIS COGDALE summaries the categories and the finalists
SENIOR SPORTS TEAM
Dalefield women’s hockey won their second consecutive Wellington Premier Championship, beating Harbour City 3-0 in a shootout.
Douglas Villa Magpies won promotion to Capital Football Division Two, after finishing second in their first year in Division Three.
Greytown won the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Premier Championship, beating Carterton 30-25 in the final to complete a rare unbeaten season.
Wairarapa Korus finished second in the Mike Shrimpton Trophy – the premier women’s cricket competition in Central Districts – behind Manawatu and ahead traditional powerhouses Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki.
YOUTH SPORTS TEAM
Rathkeale College clay bird shooting team finished second in the North Island Secondary School Championship.
The Rathkeale College senior cross-country team was second at the Wellington Regional Championships, with the junior team finishing sixth.
The Wairarapa College 1st XI Hockey won the Manawatu Intercity Secondary School championship with a 5-0 win over St Matthew’s in the final.
Wairarapa College A won their first Netball Wairarapa Premier One title in 16 years, winning a tense final 53-52 over Celtic.
JUNIOR SPORTS TEAM
Douglas Villa Under-13 Minibeans were unbeaten in 12 consecutive games in the Capital JPL competition.
Masterton Intermediate School Aces completed an unbeaten season in the Wairarapa Primary Netball Grade 1 competition, winning every game by at least 50 points.
The Masterton Intermediate School girls volleyball team won all eight games in winning the Wellington Regional Tournament.
The Pioneer Under 13 rugby team completed an unbeaten season in their Wai-Bush JAB championship.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Katherine Reisima coached Dalefield to their second straight Wellington Women’s Hockey Premier title in her first year in the role.
Mark Childs and Paul Pottinger coached Greytown to the Wai-Bush premier rugby championship.
Mark Harris coached Liam Lamb to qualify in the 1500m for the World University Games.
Radha McGlashan was named NZ Football Junior Coach of the Year for her work with Douglas Villa junior teams.
JUNIOR SPORTS PERSONALITY
Ava Wilson won five gold medals in Swim Wellington Championships to qualify for the NZ Short Course Championships.
Luke Lange is Wairarapa’s top junior golfer, competing with success in interclub and tournaments.
Violet Fisher had an outstanding year in athletics, being selected in the Wellington Track and Field, and Cross-Country teams.
William Orsborn was the first Wairarapa player since Marcus Daniell to win the Central Region primary school title. He also excelled at cricket and golf.
YOUTH SPORTS PERSONALITY
Kianna Dawson was named in the Hockey NZ Under-18 development squad, and NZ Beach Handball squads, and earned a hockey scholarship to the University of Connecticut.
Mia Bartlett won the national under-18 javelin championship and was runner-up in the hammer.
Ocean Bartlett played seven games for the Central Hinds and was selected as captain of the NZ Maori Secondary Schoolgirls Cricket team.
Sam Blundell won the NZ Secondary School Motocross Championship, the Taupo Winter Series, and Manawatu-Orion Winter Series.
SENIOR SPORTS PERSONALITY
Dane Lett represented New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics as a key member of the Black Sticks men’s hockey team.
Liam Lamb qualified for the World University games in the 1500m, in the fourth fastest time for a 19-year-old New Zealander.
Seth Rance was the leading wicket taker for the Central Stags, bringing up 100 wickets in all three formats – first class, list A, and T20 cricket.
Stefan Hook took 23 wickets in the Furlong Cup and set a new Wairarapa record of 148 wickets in Hawke Cup cricket.
DISABLED SPORTS PERSONALITY
National cross-country champion and athletics champion Josh Taylor, and para dressage placegetter Vanessa Connell are the two finalists
OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR
Wairarapa-Bush’s leading club referee Alistair Payne controlled his seventh final in the 2021 decider between Greytown and Carterton.
Darren Kerr won the Capital Football Pedro Molina Trophy for dedication and commitment to refereeing.
Mark Harris is one of New Zealand’s leading track and field photo finish judges.
Peter Sigvertsen is Hockey Wairarapa’s leading whistle blower, controlling Wellington premier games. He was selected to officiate at the 2021 National Hockey Championships.
JUNIOR OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR
Hockey umpires Finn Roberts and Flynn Registers. and promising netball umpires Maia Cullen and Sian Wheeler are the finalists in the category for aspiring young officials.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Arguably the toughest category to determine, with all finalists spending many hours contributing to their sports.
Carol MacDonald for countless hours running ACM Harriers, Dennis Burling for the multiple roles he has held with Douglas Villa AFC, Nifo Tauiliili for running the Featherston Sports Hub and ensuring children have access to sports gear, and Rod Sutherland for 58 years’ service to ACM athletics and cycling.
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR
Don Griffin for many years as secretary of Masterton Bowling Club, the region’s largest bowling club, Gail Miller for 18 years as secretary of the Dalefield Hockey Club, Jorge Sandoval for the successful running of the NZ Cycle Classic and North Island Team Series under the strict covid-19 protocols, and Raewyn Ward for her expertise in running the Masterton Croquet Club, are this year’s finalists.
CLUB OF THE YEAR
Douglas Villa is the Wairarapa’s biggest club with close to 30 junior teams. The club’s top team, the Magpies, won promotion to Capital Division Two, and their Under 13 side were unbeaten in the Capital JPL.
Giants Softball overcame a disrupted season for their two men’s teams to win the two Intercity Premier Three Championship.
Greytown RFC won the Wai-Bush premier championship and ran many successful JAB teams and programmes.
The Opaki Tennis Club had two teams in Regional One Interclub and won the Regional Two Championship. As well senior and junior membership increased significantly on the previous year.
SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR
Chanel, Rathkeale, St Matthew’s, and Wairarapa College are the finalists in the College of the Year, and Carterton School, Fernridge, Masterton Intermediate, and Solway School are the choices in the Primary School of the Year.
The Supreme Award winner will be chosen from the winners of all categories. The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Wednesday June 22, with NZ rowing great Mahe Drysdale the guest speaker.
