Sport Canterbury has announced the finalists for the 2026 Mid Canterbury Sport and Recreation Awards.
Forty finalists have been named from across 25 sports and recreational activities.
The winners of the prestigious awards – including the newly named Sporting Legend of Mid Canterbury and the recipient of the Robilliard Award for Outstanding Service to Sport – will be announced during an awards ceremony at the Hotel Ashburton on May 9.
Guest speaker at the ceremony is World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, Jorja Miller.
Sport Canterbury’s community advisor for Mid Canterbury Alice Breading praised the talent and dedication shown by this year’s finalists.
“The quality of nominations reflects the hard work of athletes, coaches and volunteers in our community.”
The finalists reflected the breadth of participation and performance across Mid Canterbury. Cycling, rowing, rugby and tennis feature most prominently with finalists appearing across multiple award categories.
Breading said that breadth was also evident in more specialised disciplines, with nominees recognised in target shooting, smallbore rifle shooting, and fullbore rifle shooting across both youth and masters categories.
Wheelchair sport is a strong feature of the para-athlete category, with finalists competing in wheelchair racing and wheelchair basketball.
“We look forward to recognising their achievements at the awards ceremony,” Breading said.
Tickets for the ceremony are available via the Sport Canterbury website at www.sportcanterbury.org.nz
Finalists in each category are:
New World Ashburton Community Sport and Recreation Impact Award: Active As – Ashburton College, recreation, EA Networks Centre – Ashburton District Council, aquatics; Hampstead Softball, softball; Mid Canterbury Triathlon and Multisport Club, multi sport; Raymond Nicholson – Peninsula and Plains Orienteers, orienteering.
The Ashburton Courier Official of the Year: Cathleen Anderson, basketball, Mathieu Lucas tennis; Levi Watene touch rugby.
Greg Donaldson Contracting Volunteer of the Year: Simon Chisnall, softball; Seija Parkkali-Glew, equestrian; Mel Redmond, squash; Michelle Scrivener, netball; Jason Watene, touch rugby.
Ashburton District Council Para-athlete/s of the Year Award: Terry O’Neill, wheelchair racing; Chloe Peck, wheelchair basketball.
Trident Homes Coach of the Year: Hugh Copland, hockey; Guy Ohana, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; Jack Tiller, tennis; Justin Wall, rowing; Matt Winter, rugby.
Lincoln University Outstanding Youth in Sport Award – Individual: Josh Gilbert, tennis; Chloe Graham, cricket; Eliza McKenzie, cycling and smallbore rifle shooting; Isla Moffett, rowing; Nate Woods, target shooting.
Heartland Print Master’s Sportsperson of the Year Award: Monique Brake, cycling; Sarah MacLeod, dressage/equestrian; Coby Snowden, fullbore rifle shooting; Cherie Summers-Wight, swimming; James Yates, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Hotel Ashburton Sport Team of the Year Award: Girls Under 17 Coxed Quadruple Sculls, rowing; Mid Canterbury Heartland Rugby Team, rugby; Mt Somers Victory Lime A, netball; Natalie Breading and Laura Bawden, multi sport.
Kilworth Insurance and Investment Sportsperson of the Year Award: Kyle Gray, cycling; Anna Redmond, triathlon; Declan McCormack, rugby; Ashlee Strawbridge basketball.
