For the second year in row, international rugby star Risaleaana Pouri-Lane has emerged the big winner at the annual NBS Nelson Sport and Recreation Awards which were staged at the Rutherford Hotel.
The 25-year-old Blacks Ferns Sevens and test player won the Bowater Toyota Sportswoman of the Year accolade and then the supreme NBS Sportsperson of the Year Award.
Motueka-raised Risi was unable to attend the function as she was enroute to Dubai for the start of the World Rugby Seven Series.
She is captaining the Ferns this season after returning to sevens following the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup where she played at halfback for the New Zealand side.
Tasman Rugby Union Commercial and Marketing Manager Julie Bensemann accepted the awards on her behalf and in a video link from onboard a flight to Dubai, Risi says the awards were a huge honour.
"I am proud to represent my region and I would like to thank all the people who have supported me in rugby, touch, judo and athletics over the years," enthuses Risi.
Crusaders and Tasman Mako Captain David Havili, who played the last of his 30 All Blacks tests against Italy a year ago, was named the Golden Edge Sportsman of the Year.
The toughest competition came in the Emerging Talent section with 30 nominations for the judges to consider for the female and male categories.
Water sports were the big winners.
Underwater hockey player Chantal Brosnan, who helped New Zealand win the elite women's Asia Oceania Inter-Continental title in Kuala Lumpur, took out the JAS award.
"I have always been around the pool since I was a kid because the parents can't leave the kid at home," quips Chantal who has now left Richmond to study accounting and taxation at Victoria University.
Outstanding swimmer William Seymour, who has begun a scholarship at the University of California in San Diego, won the CNX award.
The 19-year-old New Zealand representative headed to the USA after winning all seven events he contested at the South Island Short Course Swimming Championships in Blenheim.
He has made a great start to his collegiate career.
There were special mentions for last year's emerging talent winner basketballer Hayden Jones, footballer Jayden Smith and Emelia Ainley who excels in basketball, netball and volleyball.
William's coach Glen Findlay was adjudged Rutherford Hotel Coach of the Year.
As well as guiding his Nelson South Swimming Club charges to multiple success, Glen was also head coach for New Zealand in an U18 tri-series against Australia and coached the national team at the Virtus Swimming World Championships in Thailand for athletes with intellectual impairments.
"What an amazing amount of talent across the region in all sports. It has been a huge year for swimming," says Glen.
Nelson Suburbs was rewarded with the Top South Media team award after a successful season where it reached the semi-finals of the Chatham Cup and finished fourth in Mainland Football's Southern Premier League.
The Motueka High School Senior Adventure Racing Team triumphed in the Tasman Pine Forests Ltd Junior Sports Team of the Year section.
MHS comfortably defended its Hillary Challenge title at Tongariro earlier this year despite most of its multisport athletes battling sickness.
"It's so cool to win because often adventure racing goes unrecognised," declares team member Luka Johnson.
Stoke Nayland batsman and wicketkeeper and Mason Robinson won the New World Stoke Masters Athlete of the Year award.
Mason was the leading New Zealand runscorer at the over 50's World Cup and also made the tournament team at the Australian T20 franchise tournament.
The Sport Tasman Community Impact Award went to Nicole Cooley from FC Nelson.
The Arizto Athlete with a Disability of the Year award winner was Alfie Linn from Table Tennis Nelson and the association's general manager Anna King was recognised with the NZCT Diversity & Inclusion Award for programmes she developed.
Triathlete and sea swimmer Dick Bennison was honoured with the Tony Thomas Lifetime Contribution to Sport award.
The Sport Tasman function was hosted by broadcaster Jason Pine with the keynote speaker Sky Television presenter Taylor Curtis, a former Waimea College girls' rugby MVP.
