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Craig Kirkwood named Supreme Winner at 2022 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards
Athletics and triathlon coach Craig Kirkwood has been named the Supreme Winner of the 2022 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards at a ceremony in Rotorua on Friday night.
Kirkwood has coached three highly successful athletes this year, including triathlete Hayden Wilde, athletics star Sam Tanner and aquabike triathlete Jono Gray.
Kirkwood also won the BayTrust Coach of the Year award, and is one of only three coaches to ever win the top Supreme Award honour at the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards, joining Gordon Tietjens and Allan Bunting.
Craig's wife Kylie collected his awards on the night, as Craig was in Abu Dbahi awaiting Hamish Wilde's World Triathlon race.
Throughout the evening top level athletes were recognised alongside community volunteers. Kayaker Dame Lisa Carrington was honoured for her gold medals at the Canoe Racing World Championships when she won the Holland Beckett Law Sportswoman of the Year category.
Hayden Wilde won the Baileys Real Estate Sportsman of the Year Award in recognition of his silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and Lisa Adams took out the Orix New Zealand Disabled Athlete of the Year Award after finishing on top at the Oceania Athletics Championship. Officials were also honoured on the night with Sarah Garnett from the Tauranga Hockey Association winning the Advocate Print Official of the Year.
In the junior athlete categories swimmer Gus Shivnan won the Forsyth Barr Young Sportsman of the Year, and downhill champion mountain biker Jenna Hastings took home the EVES Realty Young Sportswoman of the Year.
Coming out on top in the teams’ categories were volleyballers Brad Fuller and Sam O’Dea who won the Volcanic Hills Team of the Year award after claiming victory at the Australian Beach Tour Championship in March. Ōtūmoetai College Girls Squash Team won the Canon Bay of Plenty Secondary School Girls’ Team of the Year and Tauranga Boys’ College 1st XI Football Team won the Bay Office Products Depot Secondary School Boys’ Team of the Year.
Taking home the Ebbett Tauranga Club of the Year was Otumoetai Football Club off the back of a strong season of growing membership and representation in a range of divisions. Surfing for Farmers, an initiative helping to improve the mental wellbeing of rural communities through surfing, was honoured with the Aurecon Innovation in Sport and Recreation award.
Underpinning the night was the recognition of volunteers who have selflessly supported their sports club and communities over many years. Recipients of the Sport Bay of Plenty Service to Sport were Gary Waller from the Eastern Bay Canoe Racing Club, Miles Hammond from the Whakatane Rowing Club, Monique Eades from the Tauranga Hockey Association, Ron Boyle from Tauranga AFC and Vance Shoebridge from Bay of Plenty Badminton.
Hosted by Sport Bay of Plenty, the awards are the second edition under naming rights sponsor Forsyth Barr. Sport Bay of Plenty CEO Heidi Lichtwark said the team were excited to recognise the Bay’s sporting talent and have the backing of so many businesses from around the Bay of Plenty.
“There is something very special about how much sporting talent emerges from our region each year. I think that’s a real testament to the strength of our physical activity sector and how much we value sport in our region.
“Thank you to Forsyth Barr and all sponsors for their support to make this night possible. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners, and a special thanks to all the volunteers across our rohe who work at the grassroots level to make sport possible.”
Forsyth Barr Tauranga Manager David McConnochie said, "We are delighted to celebrate various team and individual achievements and acknowledge the tireless work by many volunteers in their sporting communities. Congratulations to Sport Bay of Plenty for all their hard mahi organising such an excellent event.”
