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STORY BY PETER JONES
DAVID JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
SPORT
Marlborough
Sports Awards
What an incredible night it was to honour
the sporting talent in our region at the
Marlborough Sports Awards in November.
With such a diverse array of achievements
in sporting arena’s, it’s no wonder that
Marlborough can boast our regions successes
right up to international level. This is a testament
to those who support, participate and contribute
to Marlborough Sport.
Check out these incredible highlights from
the evening …
Rower Robbie Manson went back-to-back,
winning the Marlborough Sportsperson of the
Year award for the second year in a row.
The Wairau and New Zealand rower was named
Marlborough Sportsperson of the Year in front of
a 300-strong audience at the Convention Centre,
repeating his 2017 triumph. After taking out the
Scenic Hotel Sportsman of the Year category,
he then picked up the main award, which was
something of a surprise to the humble oarsman.
Rower Robbie Manson has
gone back-to-back, winning
the Marlborough Sportsperson
of the Year award for the
second consecutive year.
"Last year I broke the world record and didn’t do
that this year, so I wasn’t expecting to win it …
it is a huge honour though. There are so many
talented sportspeople in Marlborough and just
to be recognised means a lot. I was just happy
to come along and enjoy the night so I feel very
proud and privileged to win,” says Manson.
Although Manson mixed rowing with some
holiday time in the States, gaining a much-
needed freshen-up, he knows the hard work
starts again now as he sets off on another
huge season with Olympic qualification the big
goal. He says returning home and rowing in
Marlborough is a welcome motivating factor.
"Coming back and rowing on the Wairau
motivates me more than anything. Back
to where I started … and also realising how
far I have come because at no point when I
first started rowing did I ever think I would
have achieved even half of what I have done.
[The Wairau] is just peaceful and relaxing and
SPORT
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feels like my river – it’s so nice to be home,”
Manson says. His nomination was sponsored by
McKendry Ford.
Mixed Martial Arts champion Gase Sanita
took out the MoreFM Sports-woman of the
Year category. The 28-year-old mixed martial
arts exponent brought a world title back to
Blenheim this year when she claimed the
lightweight (70kg) crown at the world champs
in Bahrain, an event boasting 250 entrants
from 48 nations.
Gase underlined her skills and durability by
downing Kaycee Blake from the UK in the final.
The 1.54m preschool teacher from St Mary’s,
who fights out of Marcelo Lopes’ stable,
claimed an amateur world title and was named
best female athlete at the championships,
all this coming after just three years in the
demanding sport. She also holds a national title
for advanced women’s open, as well as winning
gold in her own division at both purple and
brown belt levels.
The same weekend of the awards, Gase
went back-to-back at the worlds, adding a
second lightweight title. Her nomination was
sponsored by the Marlborough App.
The Marlborough smallbore shooting team
are the WK Advisors & Accountants Team of
the Year. They brought home the prestigious
Andrew and Faulkner Shield contested by all
South Island Associations from the match held
in Nelson in July.
This event is the pinnacle of South Island
team shooting and it is only the seventh time
that Marlborough have won the trophy in
its 60-year history. In addition to this, the
Marlborough team successfully defeated
Nelson in its other two representative matches
of the season - the DB Seddon Shield and the
Hadfield Shield.
The Marlborough smallbore team comprised:
Regan Cowe, David Dick, Richard Sampey
(captain), Richard Evans, Bill Stevenson, Kim
Bishell, Bradley Palatchie, Glenn Harris, Rex
Schroder, Simon Senior, Jason Henry, Val
Wadsworth. Peter Webster was the manager.
Their nomination was sponsored by Smart
Alliances Ltd.
Two sprinters ran away with the junior sport
awards. Lucy Sheat, a rising sprint star, who
represented New Zealand at the IAAF World
Robbie Manson receiving Sports Person Of The Year award
from sponsors, Marlborough App, Sport Tasman and Blenheim Round Table
Under-20 champs in Finland, came out on top
of the House of Travel Junior Sportswoman of
the Year category.
Alex Dawson has been named winner of the
Redwood Trust Junior Sportsman of the Year
category. Her nomination was sponsored by
Davidson Group. Marlborough Boys' College
athlete Alex was third in the New Zealand
secondary schools 100m champs, then
followed up with top results at the three
summer classic events - a first in Nelson, then
a fourth and second respectively among the
senior men in Hastings and Whanganui. His
nomination was sponsored by Save A Watt Ltd.
The Marlborough Medal, awarded for a lengthy
contribution to Marlborough sport, went to
gymnastics stalwart Tony Quirk.
Special guest speaker Eliza McCartney
The crowd were treated to a highly-
entertaining and motivational speech from
Olympic medallist Eliza McCartney, who then
indulged in a question-and-answer session with
Master of Ceremonies Tony Johnson.
The Marlborough Sports Awards are organised
by Sport Tasman, Blenheim Round Table and
the Marlborough App.
Major category sponsors are House of Travel,
Redwood Trust, WK Advisors and Accountants,
MoreFM, Scenic Hotel Group and Craigs
Investment Partners.
Associate sponsors are Misty Cove Wines and
NZ King Salmon.
All nominees and winners were incredibly
deserving of their acknowledgements and
lead the way for future sporting achievers in
Marlborough.
Marlborough Medal winner Tony Quirk
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