Take 93 nominees across 32 sports, add a new major partner and 9 committed category sponsors, plus an international sporting legend, and you have all the ingredients for Nelson’s most highly- anticipated sporting event of the year.
The 51st ASB Nelson Sports Awards evening will take place at Annesbrook Community Centre on Saturday, November 24, and tickets are selling fast.
ASB Bank has got right behind the event in 2018, making a three-year commitment to the awards. That includes sponsoring the ASB Sportsperson of the Year award, the supreme trophy on offer.
Sponsors have also been confirmed for the other categories – the Nelson Pine Industries Sportsman of the Year, the Bowater Motor Group Sportswoman of the Year, the More FM Nelson Sports Team of the Year, the Sport Tasman Junior Sportsman of the Year, the Continental Event Hire Junior Sportswoman of the Year, the Stuff Junior Sports Team of the Year, the Monaco Resort Masters Sportsperson of the Year and the ASB Coach of the Year.
As well as those awards, the ever-popular Rata Foundation Lifetime Contribution to Sport awards will be presented to those who has given long-term service in their chosen field.
Another attraction will be the presence of guest speaker, Wyatt Crockett, the most-capped player in the history of Super Rugby.
The popular All Blacks, Canterbury and Tasman Mako prop, who grew up in Golden Bay and attended Nelson College from 1994-2000 before embarking on a record-setting rugby career, is sure to regale the Awards audience with highlights from his life as a war horse of New Zealand rugby.
Joining him on stage at the awards will be highly-respected sports broadcaster John McBeth, who will ensure the evening is a memorable and enjoyable one.
For all ticket and event information please head to the Sport Tasman website at www.sporttasman.org.nz/asbnel sonsportsawards.