Finalists Revealed For 2021 Forsyth Barr Bay Of Plenty Sports Awards

Over 40 finalists have been announced for the 2021 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards, including junior athletes, Olympians and Paralympians, coaches and community organisations.

For the first time in its 50 year history, the awards were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions, but will resume this year as an online event in response to the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

Seventy nominations were received for 13 award categories including four new categories to recognise disabled athletes and community organisations.

Among the individual finalists for the 2021 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards are gold medallists Lisa Carrington and Lisa Adams, triathlete Hayden Wilde, CrossFit Games athlete Hiko-o-te-rangi Curtis, swimmer Bailey Conlon and rising athletics star Hannah Gapes.

Finalists in the open team category include Mount Maunganui Rugby Club Womens’ who took out this year’s Baywide Women’s Club Premiership. They go up against Upper Central Rugby League Stallions, Tauranga City Athletic Football Club Womens’ and Bay of Plenty Senior Mens’ Volleyball who are all vying for the Team of the Year honour.

Four-time Official of the Year winner Kelly Hudson from hockey and 2018 winner Greg Rieger from surf life saving once again make their mark in the Official of the Year category alongside Joanie Coles from netball.

The new award categories of Community Organisation of the Year and Innovation in Sport and Recreation feature several community clubs and groups that have worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to deliver great physical activity opportunities across the Bay of Plenty.

This year leading investment services firm Forsyth Barr has joined the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards as naming rights sponsor.

Tauranga branch manager David McConnochie said Forsyth Barr is excited to have the opportunity to support and celebrate schools, clubs and community organisations for everything they have achieved in the 2021-22 nomination period.

"Congratulations to all nominees and finalists of the 2021 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards. Their achievements are an inspiration to us all and testament to the Bay's strong and passionate sport and recreation community. We look forward to celebrating those achievements on November 19."

2021 Sports Awards goes online
On Friday, 19 November, the Bay of Plenty community will have the opportunity to come together virtually and celebrate all aspects of sport and recreation from grassroots volunteers through to elite athletes.

Sport Bay of Plenty will play host to the online celebration alongside MCs Philly Angus from Rotorua and former Olympian Sarah Cowley-Ross.

Sport Bay of Plenty sport manager Nick Chambers said the awards are an important recognition of our region’s achievements and resilience over a challenging period.

“Over the last 18 months we’ve had to contend with disrupted seasons, limited or cancelled events and the upending of competition formats. Despite the chaos, though, athletes, volunteers, clubs and organisations have managed to find a way forward and achieve great things on the local and international stage,” Chambers said.

“COVID-19 has also forced us to rethink how we deliver the awards, but we’re thrilled to still be able to honour and celebrate the incredible achievement of the Bay’s sport and recreation community.”

The 2021 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards will be live and online from 5:30pm on Friday, 19 November. Tune in, and find out more about this year’s finalists, by visiting sportbop.co.nz.

A list of all finalists is attached and below.

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