Rio Bound Kayaker Wins Top Hawke’s Bay Sportsperson Of The Year Award
Rio Olympic bound kayaker Aimee Fisher is Hawke’s Bay’s top sportsperson for 2016.
Fisher won gold in the K4 500m at the World Cup round in Portugal in 2015 and then qualified for Rio in the same event
by making the finals at the World Championships in Milan.
Along with Jaimee Lovett, Caitlin Ryan and Kayla Imrie, the four will be the first crew to qualify for New Zealand in
the K4 in 24 years.
The former Karamu High School student first represented New Zealand as a teenager and is still the youngest in the kayak
team at 21 years of age. She is one of five New Zealand kayakers making her debut in Rio.
Aimee won the overall Hawke’s Bay Today / Radio Sport Hawke’s Bay Sportsperson of the Year award ahead of the other
favourites Hawke’s Bay Magpies and alpine ski racer Piera Hudson.
The Magpies won the Tremains Senior Team of the Year, while Hudson won the Lion Foundation Junior Sportsperson of the
Year in a hotly contested category at the gala dinner held at Pettigrew.Green Arena last night in front of 445 guests.
Sport Hawke’s Bay chief executive Mark Aspden said the judges had a tough time selecting all the category winners and
Aimee as the overall winner.
“Hawke’s Bay has plenty of sporting talent both in teams and individuals. The Magpies and Piera Hudson have had stella
performances over the year, but Aimee’s record was very impressive.”
Six people were recognised for their service to sport including former Napier Boys High School headmaster Ross Brown and
his wife Anne for services to school sport. The other recipients of the Spark Digital Service to Sport were Waka Leonard
(rugby league), Craig Waterhouse (softball), Yvonne Gardiner (netball) and Vicky Lassen.
In a new category NZME People’s Choice Award, Magpie prop and stock car racer Jason Long recevied the most votes, ahead
of William Trubridge, Bill Robertson, football; Emma Twigg, rowing; Shea McAleese, hockey; and Doug Bracewell, cricket.
For a full list of winners please see below.
Full list of winners
Sportsground.co.nz Adminsitrator of the Year
Ivan Aplin – Cycling
Nimon and Sons RSO/Club of the Year
Hawke’s Bay Netball
SBS Bank Innovation in Sport and Recreation
Patu Aotearoa
Brebner Print Official of the Year
Chris Pollock – Rugby Union
Kennedy Park Resort Napier Master Sportsperon of the Year
Myka Nuku – Water water rafting
Sileni Estate Coach of the Year
Paul Henare – Basketball
NZME People’s Choice Award
Jason Long – Speedway and Rugby Union
Spark Digital Service to Sport
Waka Leonard – Rugby League
Vicky Lassen – Netball
Yvonne Gardiner – Netball
Craig Waterhouse – Softball
Ross and Anne Brown – School Sport
Konica Minolta Junior Team of the Year
Havelock North High School Junior Orienteering team
Lion Foundation Junior Sportsperson of the Year
Piera Hudson – Alpine Ski Racing
Tremains Senior Team of the Year
Hawke’s Bay Magpies
Conroy Removals Senior Sportsperson of the Year
Aimee Fisher – Kayak
Hawke’s Bay Today/Radio Sport Hawke’s Bay Sportsperson of the Year
Aimee Fisher - Kayak
ENDS