With the sporting year nearly over, Sport Northland’s attention now turns to celebrating our region’s sporting excellence at the 2017 Conbrio Northland Sports Awards function to be held on Friday 1 December at the ASB Stadium in Whangarei.

This is the premier sports awards function in the region, bringing together and acknowledging the best of the best from each Northland sporting code, including players, teams, coaches, officials and administrators.

This year’s nominees are again a who’s who of the current Northland sporting elite – on the men’s side names like Tim Southee, Cameron Leslie and Blair Tuke and on the women’s side the likes of NZ representatives Stacey Michelson, Ella Gunson and Aleisha-Pearl Nelson.

But there are also other young athletes being acknowledged, who, although not household names (yet!), are also starting to dominate their codes – youngsters such as Teuarangi Tana (karate), Hayley McIntosh and Ciara Smith (swimming), Tamati Tua (rugby), Arapo Kellner (wrestling) and Paige Lawgun (weightlifting) all of whom have already made their mark on their chosen sport at a national level.

In the early part of the evening, each individual sports code will be recognised with their own male and female winners, something unique to Northland when compared to other regional awards throughout New Zealand.

Awards are then made for Official, Leadership, Coach and Masters Sportsperson of the Year, while the prestigious Garry Frew Memorial Award for the Northland U21 Sportsperson of the Year is always eagerly anticipated. And for first time, one Northland sports organisation will walk away with the new Community Impact Award.

The Northern Advocate People’s Choice Award is being awarded once again – this year Northlanders will decide who their favourite 2017 World Masters Games competitor is. Ady McKenzie, Dennis Langford, Jill Coyle and Vanessa Lawgun have been chosen as finalists and the public is now voting; votes close-off this Sunday. To vote email your winner to competitions@northernadvocate.co.nz or text NAD and your vote to 021 241 4568.

Then come the big ones for the night – the Team of the Year, the Brian Maunsell Memorial Award for Service to Sport and the Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year. The overall Supreme Award winner is then chosen from all nominees.

Another eagerly anticipated part of the night over recent years is the wait to find out who will be inducted into the Northland Legends of Sports. An elite group of 28 Northlanders have so far made the grade into Northland’s version of the Sports Hall of Fame, with another two to be added to this illustrious list this year.

Former Northlander and Sky Sport personality Scotty Stevenson will MC the event with Merana Hawthorn, and a special feature of the night will be there interviewing of Taniwha coach Derren Witcome and former Black Cap identical twins Hamish and James Marshall.

Tickets for this fantastic night of sporting celebration are available from Sport Northland at the ASB Northland Sports House at Kensington Park or by ringing Nicky on 09 437 9605.