New Zealand Coach and Crews Announced as 57th ISPS Handa Halberg Awards Finalists
The Halberg Foundation has announced 26 finalists for six categories at the 57th ISPS Handa Halberg Awards – New Zealand’s pre-eminent event to celebrate and honour sporting achievements from 2019.
Congratulations to New Zealand's Women's Eight and Women's Double who make up two of the five teams up for the hotly contested Team of the Year Award.
The New Zealand women’s eight crew of Ella Greenslade, Emma Dyke, Lucy Spoors, Kelsey Bevan, Grace Prendergast, Kerri Gowler, Beth Ross, Jackie Gowler and coxswain Caleb Shepherd won gold at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. The win marked the first occasion that New Zealand has won the women’s eight event at a World Rowing Championships. Earlier in the season the women’s eight crew also won gold at World Rowing Cup III, and the Remenham Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta.
New Zealand’s Olivia Loe and Brooke Donoghue were also crowned world champions at the 2019 World Rowing Championships after taking gold in the women’s double event. Olivia and Brooke remained unbeaten during the 2019 season, winning gold at the World Rowing Cup II and taking the Stonor Challenge Trophy at Henley Royal Regatta.
Five outstanding coaches are also in line for the Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year award, including Gary Hay. Gary achieved remarkable success in the 2019 season with both his women's eight and women's pair crews being crowned world champions. Gary was later awarded the 2019 FISA (World Rowing) Coach of the Year Award.
Winners will be announced at the 57th ISPS Handa Halberg Awards ceremony on Thursday 13 February 2020 at Spark Arena in Auckland, and televised live on Sky Sports and free to air on Prime TV.