2000-2009
2000 Finalists
Sportsman: Michael Campbell (golf), Russell Coutts (yachting), Aaron McIntosh (boardsailing), Rob Waddell (rowing).
Sportswoman: Marlene Castle (bowls), Leilani Joyce (squash), Barbara Kendall (boardsailing), Sarah Ulmer (cycling).
Team: Clear White Ferns (women’s cricket), NZ Black Sox (softball), Team New Zealand (yachting), NZ Women’s Bowls - Triples & Fours.
Coach: Grant Beck (boardsailing), Gordon Tietjens (rugby), Richard Tonks (rowing), Don Tricker (softball).
Fair Play Award: Mark Sorenson (softball)
Service to Sport Award: Eric Tindill
2000 Halberg Award Winner - Rob Waddell (see 1999 Bio)
2001 Finalists
Sportsman: Cameron Brown (triathlon), Grant Dalton (yachting), Steve Gurney (multisports), Craig Watson (triathlon).
Sportswoman: Marlene Castle (bowls), Leilani Joyce (squash), Melissa Moon (athletics), Irene van Dyk (netball).
Team: New Zealand Sevens (rugby), Tall Blacks (basketball), Womens Double Scull (rowing), Womens Quadruple Scull (rowing).
Coach: Tab Baldwin (basketball), John Davies (athletics), Gordon Tietjens (sevens rugby), Richard Tonks (rowing).
Leadership: Stephen Fleming (cricket)
Service to Sport: Monica Leggat (netball)
2001 Halberg Award Winners - Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (2000s Decade Champion)
It seems barely a year goes by without rowing producing another
stunning performance and etching the name of their sport deeper into the national consciousness. Caroline and Georgina, as indistinguishable in appearance as they are in talent, finished a strong second in the womens double scull at the world championship regatta in Lucerne in Switzerland. But that wasn't all they did, though a world championship silver in any language is achievement indeed. They also doubled up in the quad scull with Paula Twining and Sonia Waddell for another championship silver. It was the first time in New Zealand rowing's illustrious history that it had won more than one medal at a world championship regatta. There was even more return on investment for New Zealand rowing because the twins were coached by the man who coached Rob Waddell to his heights, Richard Tonks.
2002 Finalists
Sportsman: Nathan Astle (cricket), Pero Cameron (basketball), Stacey Jones (rugby league), Craig Perks (golf).
Sportswoman: Rachael Battersby (alpine skiing), Li Chun Li (table tennis), Barbara Kendall (board sailing), Sarah Ulmer (cycling).
Team: Simon Cooke/Peter Nicholas (yachting), Crusaders (rugby), Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (rowing), Tall Blacks (basketball).
Coach: Tab Baldwin (basketball) , John Clinton (yachting) , Robbie Deans (rugby) , Richard Tonks (rowing).
2002 Halberg Award Winners - New Zealand Men's Basketball Team
The New Zealand basketballers, known as the Tall Blacks, stunned the Indianapolis crowd with their pre-match haka when they made their debut at the world championships in 2002. Then they stunned them with the quality of their play. Ranked 23rd in the world at the start, they were fourth at the finish - they beat higher ranked teams Russia, Venezuela and China in pool play and Puerto Rico in a quarterfinal. Coached by Tab Baldwin and captained by Pero Cameron, the New Zealanders were the talk of the tournament. They'd never been at a world championships before and no one expected much from them once they got there. Except themselves, that is. Though they'd beaten Australia to qualify, and beaten Hungary, China and Yugoslavia earlier in the year, New Zealand snuck up on the might of the basketball world. And the basketball world sat up and took notice.
2003 Finalists & Winners
Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Russell Coutts (yachting), Wade Cunningham (karting), Scott Dixon (motor racing), Ben Fouhy (canoeing). Winner: Ben Fouhy.
Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Temepara Clark (netball), Melissa Moon (athletics), Carol Owens (squash), Irene van Dyk (netball). Winner: Irene van Dyk.
Team of the Year Finalists: Madison Team (cycling), New Zealand Seven's Rugby Team, Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell (rowing), Silver Ferns (netball). Winners: Silver Ferns.
Coach of the Year Finalists: Ruth Aitken (netball), Ian Ferguson (canoeing), Gordon Tietjens (rugby), Richard Tonks (rowing). Winner: Ruth Aitken.
Leadership Winner: Ian Ferguson (canoeing)
Service to Sport Winner: Fred Allen (rugby)
2003 Halberg Award Winners - SILVER FERNS (netball)
It had been 16 years since the Silver Ferns had won the world title - all too often, it seemed, they had to settle for second behind
arch-rival Australia. But then, in the sultry heat of Jamaica in July of 2003, the Silver Ferns were back on top of the world: world champions and world No 1. In pool play, the Silver Ferns beat Niue 99-11, Barbados 84-45, the Cook Islands 107-17, England 60-41 and Fiji 79-24. They accounted for Samoa 81-28 in a quarterfinal, Jamaica 56-37 and then in the final, they they finally reversed the trend against Australia and won 49-47. It was a triumph for Coach Ruth Aitken and captain Anna Rowberry, a triumph too for each of the players - Temepara Clark, Belinda Colling, Tania Dalton, Vilimaina Davu, Leana du Plooy, Adine Harper, Lesley Nicol, Sheryl Scanlon, Anna Scarlett, Jodi Te Huna and Irene van Dyk.
2004 Finalists & Winners
Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Hamish Carter (triathlon), Bavan Docherty (triathlon), Ben Fouhy (canoeing), Greg Henderson (cycling). Winner: Hamis Carter.
Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Rachael Anderson (surf life saving), Angela McMillan (aerobics), Vanessa Quin (mountain biking), Sarah Ulmer (cycling). Winner: Sarah Ulmer.
Team of the Year Finalists: Black Sox (softball), Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell (rowing), Sharon Sims & Jo Edwards (bowls), New Zealand Sevens (rugby). Winners: Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell.
Coach of the Year Finalists: Brendon Cameron (cycling), Chris Pilone (triathlon), Dick Tonks (rowing), Don Tricker (softball). Winner: Dick Tonks.
Leadership Winner: Sir Brian Lochore (rugby).
Lifetime Achievement Winner: Heather & Jeff Robson (tennis & badminton).
2004 Halberg Award Winner - SARAH ULMER (cycling)
Cycling is usually a sport in which excellence and successes are measured by hundreths of a second. Then along came Sarah Ulmer. Likeable and down-to-earth off the bike, Ulmer is ferociously competitive on it. At a World cup meeting in Sydney in May of 2004, Ulmer rode to within 0.3 seconds of the world record for the 3000metres pursuit. A fortnight later, at the world championships in Melbourne , she set a new record of 3 minutes 30.604 secondsin qualifying and then won the world title. Three month later at the Olympic Games in Athens, Ulmer took the time down to a staggering 3 minutes 26.400 seconds and then, in the final, showed there were no limits to her ability to astound when she recorded 3 minutes 24.537 seconds. Before Sydney, women pusuiters had dreamed of breaking 3 minutes 30 seconds. After Athens, 3 minutes 20 secondssuddenly seemed possible. The world and Olympic titles were the culmination to Ulmer's track career that had included two world junior titles and two Commonwealth Games titles. No other New Zealand cyclist has known such international success; no other cyclist - and few in other sports - have so dominated their opposition.
2005 Finalists and Winners
Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Michael Campbell (golf), Daniel Carter (rugby), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Jonathan Wyatt (mountain running). Winner: Michael Campbell.
Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Irene van Dyk (netball), Kate McIlroy (mountain running), Valarie Vili (athletics), Sam Warriner (triathlon). Winner: Kate McIlroy.
Team of the Year Finalists: All Blacks (rugby), George Bridgewater & Nathan Twaddle (rowing men's pair), Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell (rowing women's double scull), Nicky Coles & Juliette Haigh (rowing women's pair). Winners: George Bridgewater & Nathan Twaddle.
Coach of the Year Finalists: Ruth Aitken (netball), Graham Henry (rugby), Brian McLennan (rugby league), Richard Tonks (rowing). Winner: Richard Tonks.
Leadership Winner: Don Rowlands (rowing).
Lifetime Achievement Winner: Fred Strachan (rowing).
2005 Halberg Award Winner - MICHAEL CAMPBELL (golf)
Only two New Zealanders know how it feels to walk up the fairway with a major golf championship within their grasp. The first was Bob Charles when he won the British Open in 1963, though he had to win a playoff to do so. Then 42 years later, came Michael Campbell when he won the 2005 US Open at Pinehurst in North Carolina, fulfilling the promise and the dream for a boy from Titahi Bay, outside Wellington, who had lived golf. He won the Halberg Award in 1993 as part of the Eisenhower Trophy team and more success seemed assured. There were some setbacks and worries along the way, but his reward for sticking to his course, for pursuing his dream, came to him on that 18th green on Sunday June 19, 2005. Ranked 80th in the world at the time, he kept at bay the best golfers in the world, including a late charge from the No. 1 Tiger Woods. Well done Cambo. Kia Kaha.
2006 Westpac Halberg Award Finalists and Winners
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Moss Burmester (swimming), Kalon Dobbin (speed Skating), Richie McCaw (rugby), Nick Willis (athletics). Winner: Mahe Drysdale.
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Farah Palmer (rugby), Hannah McLean (swimming), Valerie Vili (athletics), Sam Warriner (triathlon). Winner: Valerie Vili.
Westpac Team of the Year Finalists: All Blacks (rugby), Black Ferns (rugby), Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams (yachting), Silver Ferns (netball). Winners: All Blacks.
Westpac Coach of the Year Finalists: Ruth Aitken (netball), Jan Cameron (swimming), Kirsten Hellier (athletics), Graham Henry (rugby), Richard Tonks (rowing). Winner: Graham Henry.
The Lion Foundation Lifetime Achievement Winner: Ken Elliot (golf).
Westpac Emerging Talent Finalists: Nathan Cohen (rowing), Graham Oberlin-Brown (rowing), Katherine Prumm (motorcycling), Rebecca Spence (multi-sport). Winner: Rebecca Spence.
Leadership Winner: Tana Umaga (rugby).
2006 Halberg Award Finalists: All Blacks (rugby), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Valerie Vili (Athletics).
2006 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: MAHE DRYSDALE (ROWING).
The single is the race for the big, hard scullers, the event in which nothing is left out on the water. Every muscle, every sinew; the heart, the mind and the body are totally expended over the 2000 metres of the single sculls course. New Zealand has a tradition of excellence in this most classic of events. A hundred years ago three New Zealanders won the world professional title. Now New Zealanders dominate it again. After Rob Waddell’s two world titles and then Olympic gold in 2000, along came Mahe Drysdale. He first won the world title in Japan in 2005 and in 2006 he defended it, winning in the last couple of strokes on Dorney Lake at Eton in England. He won by just nine-tenths of a second and his time of 6 minutes 35.40 seconds was the fastest recorded by a single sculler. The excellence continues.
2007 Westpac Halberg Award Finalists
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Duncan Grant (rowing), Jonathan Wyatt (athletics), Brad Butterworth (yachting)
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Winner: Mahe Drysdale
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Nicole Begg (in line skating), Katherine Prumm (motocross), Valerie Vili (athletics), Sarah Walker (BMX class cycling)
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Winner: Valerie Vili
Westpac Team of the Year Finalists: Men's Coxless Four (rowing), Women's Double Scull (rowing), Men's Pair (rowing), Emirates Team New Zealand (yachting)
Westpac Team of the Year Winner: Men's Coxless Four
Westpac Coach of the Year Finalists: Gordon Tietjens (Rugby), Calvin Ferguson (rowing), Chris Nilsson (rowing), Kirsten Hellier (athletics)
Westpac Coach of the Year Winner: Kirsten Hellier
Westpac Emerging Talent Finalists: Emma Twigg (rowing), Danny Lee (golf), Edward Dawkins (cycling) and Brendan Hartley (motor sport)Westpac Emerging Talent Winner: Emma Twigg
The Lion Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award: Merv Wallace
SPARC Leadership Award: John Graham
2007 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: VALERIE VILI (ATHLETICS).
2008 Westpac Halberg Award Finalists
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Tom Ashley (wind surfing), Scott Dixon (motorsport), Hayden Roulston (cycling), Danny Lee (golf), Nick Willis (athletics)
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Winner: Scott Dixon
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Sam Warriner (triathlon), Val Smith (bowls), Valerie Vili (athletics), Sophie Pascoe (swimming)
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Winner: Valerie Vili
Westpac Team of the Year Finalists: Women's Double Scull (rowing), All Blacks (rugby), Kiwis (rugby league), Men's Team Pursuit (cycling).
Westpac Team of the Year Winner: Women's Double Scull
Westpac Coach of the Year Finalists: Stephen Kearney (Rugby League), Richard Tonks (rowing), Grant Beck (wind surfing), Kirsten Hellier (athletics)
Westpac Coach of the Year Winner: Kirsten Hellier
Westpac Emerging Talent Finalists: Graham Oberlin-Brown (rowing), Chris Rahardja (Karate), Jossi Wells (Skiing) and Paige Hareb (surfing)
Westpac Emerging Talent Winner: Jossi Wells
The Lion Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award: Ron Shakespeare
SPARC Leadership Award: Susie Simcock
2008 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: VALERIE VILI (ATHLETICS).
2009 Westpac Halberg Award Finalists
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Finalists: Scott Dixon (motorsport), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Duncan Grant (rowing), Richie McCaw (rugby), Daniel Vettori (cricket)
Westpac Sportsman of the Year Winner: Mahe Drysdale (rowing)
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Finalists: Sophie Pascoe (swimming), Alison Shanks (cycling), Valerie Vili (athletics), Sarah Walker (BMX cycling)
Westpac Sportswoman of the Year Winner: Valerie Vili (athletics)
Westpac Team of the Year Finalists: All Whites (football), Men's Senior Pair (rowing), Men's Lightwieght Double Scull (rowing), Women's 420 (sailing).
Westpac Team of the Year Winner: Men's Senior Pair (rowing)
Westpac Coach of the Year Finalists: Tim Carswell (cycling), Kirsten Hellier (athletics), Ricki Herbert (football), Richard Tonks (rowing),
Westpac Coach of the Year Winner: Dick Tonks (rowing)
Westpac Emerging Talent Finalists: Aaron Cruden (rugby), Robbie Manson (rowing), Sam Meech (sailing), Sam Webster (cycling)Westpac Emerging Talent Winner: Sam Webster (cycling
The Lion Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award: Kenny Smith
SPARC Leadership Award: Sir John Anderson
2000s Decade Champion: Caroline & Georgina E
2009 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: VALERIE VILI (ATHLETICS).
"Every New Zealander no matter what their ability has the right to participate in the sport or active recreation pursuit of their choice - there are no exceptions!"
