2015/Halbergs

Virgil

Has there been a bigger, more exciting, interesting, tragic, successful sporting year before?
 
Highlanders vs Canes in S15 Final
Black Caps amazing run in the CWC (Guppy, Boult and Elliott, those amazing matches vs OZ in pool play and the Semi win vs SA)
Passing of Jonah and Jerry.
Lydia Ko winning fucken everything.
The All Blacks winning back to back and the fairy tale come back for DC, since capping it with World Player of the Year and BBC International Sports Personality of the Year.
Kane Williamson just been KW and blowing us away with his batting deeds. (record test runs for NZ, record number of test 100's and now within reach of scoring more International runs in a calendar year then anyone else)
 
Anything i missed ?

MN5

Norm Berryman..... 
I'm not a golf fan so I'm about as far from the Lydia Ko bandwagon as is humanly possible but the rest, yep it's been some year.... 
Woulda been amazing if we'd won the CWC too.

taniwharugby

Our Rowers and Kayakers dominating.

booboo

Netball final

pukunui

The Bledisloe win and last home game win for all the retiring ABs was pretty big too. Almost as important as the RWC for sealing the legacy of so many of those guys. 
I guess Ross Taylors innings vs Aust would also be up there.

Mokey

The Waikato kiddies somehow winning the Ranfurly Shield - Ben T being sent off for the umpteenth time.

taniwharugby

don't think these have been posted elsewhere, some are gonna be very tough!
 
The full list of nominations for the 53rd Halberg Awards:
 
New Zealand Sportsman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) 
Adam Ling (Rowing), Anton Cooper (Mountain Biking), Daniel Carter (Rugby), Danny Lee (Golf), Dexter Dunn (Harness Racing), Eddie Dawkins (Cycling), Kane Williamson (Cricket), Mahe Drysdale (Rowing), Matt Archibald (Cycling), Sam Gaze (Mountain Biking), Scott Dixon (Motorsport), Tomas Walsh (Athletics), Winston Reid (Football).
 
New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) 
Avalon Biddle (Motorcycling), Janina Kuzma (Skiing), Kimberley Chambers (Swimming), Lauren Boyle (Swimming), Linda Villumsen (Cycling), Lisa Carrington (Canoeing), Lydia Ko (Golf), Rachel Priest (Cricket), Sarah Walker (BMX), Zoe McBride (Rowing).
 
Disabled Sportsperson of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) 
Corey Peters (Para-Skiing), Emma Foy and Laura Thompson (Para-Cycling), Jessica Hamill (Para-Athletics), Michael Johnson (Para-Shooting), Nikita Howarth (Para-Swimming), Rory McSweeney (Para-Athletics), Sophie Pascoe (Para-Swimming).
 
Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) 
All Blacks (Rugby), BLACKCAPS (Cricket), Junior Women's Team Pursuit; Holly White, Bryony Botha, Madeleine Park and Michaela Drummond (Cycling), Men's Pair; Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Rowing), Men's Team Pursuit; Piet Bulling, Alex Frame, Dylan Kennett, Marc Ryan, Regan Gough (Cycling), Men's Team Sprint; Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster, Eddie Dawkins (Cycling), New Zealand Breakers (Basketball), Men's 49er Class; Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (Yachting), New Zealand Taekwon-Do Team (Taekwon-Do), Women's Double Scull; Zoe Stevenson and Eve MacFarlane (Rowing), Women's Eight; Rebecca Scown, Genevieve Behrent, Kerri Gowler, Grace Prendergast, Kelsey Bevan, Ruby Tew, Emma Dyke, Kayla Pratt, Francie Turner (Cox) (Rowing), Women's Light Weight Double Scull; Julia Edward And Sophie McKenzie (Rowing), Women's Pair; Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast (Rowing).
 
Emerging Talent 
Bobbi Gichard (Swimming), Campbell Stewart (Cycling), Carlos Garcia Knight (Snowboarding), Clayton Lewis (Football), Dylan Schmidt (Trampoline), Eliza McCartney (Athletics), Jesse Reynolds (Para-Swimming), Richard Rahardja (Karate), Tai Wynyard (Basketball).
 
Coach of the Year Award 
Anthony Peden (Cycling), David Plew (Mountain Biking), Gary Hay (Rowing), Gordon Walker (Canoeing), Hamish Wilcox (Yachting), Mike Hesson (Cricket), Raylene Bates (Para-Athletics), Ross Machejefski (Cycling), Steve Hansen (Rugby), Tim Carswell (Cycling), Tom Willmott (Snowsports).

booboo

Any list of their achievements TR? ie / eg I think the women's 8 finished 2nd. Kind of rules them out in my book. 
Sportswomen looks a shit fight between at least 3 of them

Gunner

My picks:
 
New Zealand Sportsman of the Year: Kane Williamson
New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year: Lydia Ko
Disabled Sportsperson of the Year: Sophie Pascoe
Team of the Year: All Blacks
Emerging Talent: Tai Wynyard (the only one I've heard of to be fair)
Coach of the Year Award: Steve Hansen
 
Supreme Halberg: Lydia Ko

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="548662" data-time="1450728908">
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Any list of their achievements TR? ie / eg I think the women's 8 finished 2nd. Kind of rules them out in my book. 
Sportswomen looks a shit fight between at least 3 of them
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</blockquote>
 
whaddya think this is?
 
I think you would need to ask Mr. Google what he thinks of each of them.
 
The Halberg site only shows the list also.

booboo

What? Do my own "research"?

Crucial

to add to the list of cool moments, this one was just last week.
 
Beau-James Wells (number 3 of the Wells brothers) scoring Silver in the the Freeski Halfpipe at the Dew Tour.
 
Big Brother Jossi also scored a second in the Slopestyle. Other Big Brother Byron got a 5th in the pipe.
 
Event wise this is the equivalent of a golf or tennis major with the biggest comps being the Dew Tour and X-Games. You can put up a good argument that Dew Tour is the highest as X-Games rewards 'show' factor a bit more over skill to create a TV event.
 
Beau-James has previously won the Junior Olympics in this discipline but this is his first result among the big players.
Jossi has previous medalled at Dew Tour Events, but in a sport where progression is everything and you are considered a veteran past age 21, to get back into the top is a great result.
 
For a short while the slopestyle was moving toward winners being the guys that pulled off one big hit for a triple on the last jump but thankfully the courses and judging have adjusted and you get better value for variety and skill right through the length of the course. When Jossi is on fire no one skis with style like he does.
 
As an aside, I would guess that this one family has added millions of $ of earnings for NZ through overseas skiers taking NZ seriously as a destination for both training and holidays. The NZ Winter Games now attracts the world's best freestyle skiers and boarders in part from the good work these guys do around the circuit. Their coach and father Bruce, is a legend and the TV coverage will often dedicate more time chatting to him than to the athletes.
 
In a minority sport they are like a family of Richie McCaws with another Richie as coach.

Bovidae

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gunner" data-cid="548665" data-time="1450730803">
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My picks:
 
Emerging Talent: Tai Wynyard (the only one I've heard of to be fair)
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Eliza McCartney broke the junior women's pole vault world record last Saturday.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/athletics/news/article.cfm?c_id=19&objectid=11564039'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/athletics/news/article.cfm?c_id=19&objectid=11564039</a>
 
I'd also include the U20 football WC in NZ. The Kiwis put in a credible performance by making it out of their pool.

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="548674" data-time="1450733470">
<div>
to add to the list of cool moments, this one was just last week.
 
Beau-James Wells (number 3 of the Wells brothers) scoring Silver in the the Freeski Halfpipe at the Dew Tour.
 
Big Brother Jossi also scored a second in the Slopestyle. Other Big Brother Byron got a 5th in the pipe.
 
Event wise this is the equivalent of a golf or tennis major with the biggest comps being the Dew Tour and X-Games. You can put up a good argument that Dew Tour is the highest as X-Games rewards 'show' factor a bit more over skill to create a TV event.
 
Beau-James has previously won the Junior Olympics in this discipline but this is his first result among the big players.
Jossi has previous medalled at Dew Tour Events, but in a sport where progression is everything and you are considered a veteran past age 21, to get back into the top is a great result.
 
For a short while the slopestyle was moving toward winners being the guys that pulled off one big hit for a triple on the last jump but thankfully the courses and judging have adjusted and you get better value for variety and skill right through the length of the course. When Jossi is on fire no one skis with style like he does.
 
As an aside, I would guess that this one family has added millions of $ of earnings for NZ through overseas skiers taking NZ seriously as a destination for both training and holidays. The NZ Winter Games now attracts the world's best freestyle skiers and boarders in part from the good work these guys do around the circuit. Their coach and father Bruce, is a legend and the TV coverage will often dedicate more time chatting to him than to the athletes.
 
In a minority sport they are like a family of Richie McCaws with another Richie as coach.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
You really love the X games/ Wells brothers don't you mate.
 
I wouldn't go as far to say that it's a family of Richies.. in fact the best free skiers don't really compete in stuff like this, they are too busy filming video parts.
 
Competitive free skiing/ snowboarding is basically gymnastics on snow, they completely disregard style in favour of maximum spins/ inverted airs etc. In fact many athletes (particularly in snowboarding, but also skiing) have spoken out against the Olympics and what it has done to freestyle skiing.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="548680" data-time="1450735344">
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You really love the X games/ Wells brothers don't you mate.
 
I wouldn't go as far to say that it's a family of Richies.. in fact the best free skiers don't really compete in stuff like this, they are too busy filming video parts.
 
Competitive free skiing/ snowboarding is basically gymnastics on snow, they completely disregard style in favour of maximum spins/ inverted airs etc. In fact many athletes (particularly in snowboarding, but also skiing) have spoken out against the Olympics and what it has done to freestyle skiing.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Disagree. There is plenty of recent evidence that they have made a big effort to get away from 'spin and win', when the likes of Bobby Brown would do SFA down the course and hit the last jump for a big triple and take home the gold. In this last Dew Tour event he was marked down because he didn't have the variety on the rails, when he used to barely touch them and get away with it. Now it is important to be able to execute off both sides and you get better value from a perfectly executed double than a wobbly triple. The sport has quickly reacted to the concerns of the participants.
 
Agree that there are a group that concentrate more on filming than competing but most of these competition guys earn their $ from filming as well. You can only really judge the best in any sport from a comp. NZ also has top ranked Freeride skiers suck as Sam Smoothy (and Janina Kuzma who competes both Freeride and Freestyle)
 
Yep, the points come from gymnastic moves, but it is hardly like you can take a gymnast and put them on skis or a board and they would compete. Gymnasts don't perform their 'tricks' 20 feet in the air then have to have the handling skills to land with perfect control to set up the next jump.
 
Yeah, I do love watching the Wells family. Have followed them from the days of Jossi breaking into the circuit. They are so incredibly talented and dedicated in more than just their sport as well and have a really interesting backstory

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="548682" data-time="1450736408">
<div>
Disagree. There is plenty of recent evidence that they have made a big effort to get away from 'spin and win', when the likes of Bobby Brown would do SFA down the course and hit the last jump for a big triple and take home the gold. In this last Dew Tour event he was marked down because he didn't have the variety on the rails, when he used to barely touch them and get away with it. Now it is important to be able to execute off both sides and you get better value from a perfectly executed double than a wobbly triple. The sport has quickly reacted to the concerns of the participants.
 
Agree that there are a group that concentrate more on filming than competing but most of these competition guys earn their $ from filming as well. You can only really judge the best in any sport from a comp. NZ also has top ranked Freeride skiers suck as Sam Smoothy (and Janina Kuzma who competes both Freeride and Freestyle)
 
Yep, the points come from gymnastic moves, but it is hardly like you can take a gymnast and put them on skis or a board and they would compete. Gymnasts don't perform their 'tricks' 20 feet in the air then have to have the handling skills to land with perfect control to set up the next jump.
 
Yeah, I do love watching the Wells family. Have followed them from the days of Jossi breaking into the circuit. They are so incredibly talented and dedicated in more than just their sport as well and have a really interesting backstory
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</blockquote>
 
Love the passion Crucial
 
I suppose if you ask the kids on the mountains who they respect, generally it's the guys with sweet video parts. Not the guys taking out the Olympics/ X Games etc.
 
I work in the ski industry here, and there was very little discussion of the Wells brothers feats. Contrast that with the huge talk when a NZer scores a video part in big overseas film which doesn't happen regularly.

Baron Silas Greenback

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="548677" data-time="1450734601">
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Eliza McCartney broke the junior women's pole vault world record last Saturday.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/athletics/news/article.cfm?c_id=19&objectid=11564039'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/athletics/news/article.cfm?c_id=19&objectid=11564039</a>
 
I'd also include the U20 football WC in NZ. The Kiwis put in a credible performance by making it out of their pool.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
 
Nah.. had enough of NZ football teams getting Halbergs for just being mostly hopeless and not completely hopeless on the world stage.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="548686" data-time="1450737371">
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Love the passion Crucial
 
I suppose if you ask the kids on the mountains who they respect, generally it's the guys with sweet video parts. Not the guys taking out the Olympics/ X Games etc.
 
I work in the ski industry here, and there was very little discussion of the Wells brothers feats. Contrast that with the huge talk when a NZer scores a video part in big overseas film which doesn't happen regularly.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Cheers. That's an interesting perspective. I do wonder though how much the age/background of those working in the industry colours their interests. Filming used to be the only thing pre Xgames type comps. You can't tell me that the explosion in numbers of kids demanding and using park setups on skifields aren't interested in the comps.
As you will be well aware there are plenty of 'factions' around skiing and boarding, with all them thinking they are the best. I bet if you polled people at TC on what interests them in winter activities you would get completely different results to Cardrona (same between Whaka and Turoa). 
I became interested in watching the park events mainly because it was my son's interest and having taken up snowsports at a very late age had no preconceptions or old school ways to think was better.
 
I do agree that there has been a disconnect between the comps and the fans which is why I am pleased to see the recent subtle change in emphasis. 
 
It's not like the judges weren't getting the message loud and clear when you'd see the biggest cheer for the day for Jossi doing 3 zero spins in a row after a bail on the rails. The crowd loves style more than 'tricks' (unless someone does something new and cool).

Smudge

One in those sportsmen awards who most won't have heard of is harness driver Dexter Dunn.
 
I respect those people who say the horses do all the work, but Dexter just has an ability to get an extra two to three lengths out of a horse, and not with the whip. He is, in fact, one of the drivers who uses his soft hands to coax a horse for that extra 5%, and just seems to have an innate connection with them.
 
He won the World Driving Champs in Aussie this year. No mean feat taking on the likes of Tim Tetrick, who once drove almost 1200 winners in a year. Dexter is no stranger to setting records himself. Before he launched in to his best years, the previous record for wins in a season in New Zealand was 161 set by Maurice McKendry around 1990 or so. After winning 146 in the 2007/08 season, he has won 204, 168, 220, 199, 199, 206, 216 and is already up to 71 wins this season after missing the first month or so of the new season (starts in August) due to being on holiday.
 
As mentioned, he can get outsiders home. His winners at the World Driving Champs paid:
- $39.80
- $3.10
- $1.50
- $3.70
- $4.90
 
Bear in mind harness racing is a sport where almost 40% of favourites pay under $2.
 
As I say, I don't expect him to make the final cut-off, but it's nice he's made the shortlist.

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="548702" data-time="1450740340">
<div>
Cheers. That's an interesting perspective. I do wonder though how much the age/background of those working in the industry colours their interests. Filming used to be the only thing pre Xgames type comps. You can't tell me that the explosion in numbers of kids demanding and using park setups on skifields aren't interested in the comps.
As you will be well aware there are plenty of 'factions' around skiing and boarding, with all them thinking they are the best. I bet if you polled people at TC on what interests them in winter activities you would get completely different results to Cardrona (same between Whaka and Turoa). 
I became interested in watching the park events mainly because it was my son's interest and having taken up snowsports at a very late age had no preconceptions or old school ways to think was better.
 
I do agree that there has been a disconnect between the comps and the fans which is why I am pleased to see the recent subtle change in emphasis. 
 
It's not like the judges weren't getting the message loud and clear when you'd see the biggest cheer for the day for Jossi doing 3 zero spins in a row after a bail on the rails. The crowd loves style more than 'tricks' (unless someone does something new and cool).
</div>
</blockquote>
 
haha, I am 35 these days, so perhaps I'm a bit old to indentify with all the kids :)
 
But I am a ski and snowboard video addict, between myself and a few friends we own all the major releases from the last 15 years or so.
 
I'm not sure that the parks etc being built are done to mimic what is happening in the X Games. I think the X Games etc is actually evolving to mimic what is happening in the videos.. the "real snow" competition has been the best viewing of all X games events in the last few years imo.
 
anyway ....plenty of video parts are filmed in the park or on the streets as well.

The Silver Fern

2015/Halbergs