Veronica Wall, pictured in action on the water last year, took out the major award. Photo supplied.A legend was unveiled, and sporting stars crowned at the Mid Canterbury Sports Awards last night at the Hotel Ashburton.

A good crowd turned up for the Sport Mid Canterbury evening, with the sports of rowing and shooting featuring prominently throughout the night’s proceedings.

Rowing superstar, Veronica Wall emerged on top of a hotly contested Senior Sportsperson of the Year award, fending off the strong challenges of John Snowden, Lucinda Askin and Devaun Thompson to claim the prize – a year after winning the Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award.

Wall’s meteoric rise in rowing continued over the past 12 months, including more Maadi Cup success with her dominant display in the single sculls culminating in her rowing the fastest time in a single sculls race in the world – and her selection into a national side, a sure-fire stepping stone toward the elite team in the future.

Young shooting prodigy, Lanelle Millar McArthur was awarded the title of Junior Sportsperson of the Year for an incredible 12 months staring down the barrel.

Millar McArthur has been in devastating form in the past year winning not just age group events, but also open events against both men and women to see her sitting right up the top of the tree in terms of her ability across the country.

The Junior title was a tight-knit affair with runner-up prizes given to rowing’s Mollie Gibson for her outstanding season on the water and multisport star Matthew Clough.

Rowing took out the Junior Sports Team of the Year award with the Ashburton College Girls’ Coxed Quadruple Sculls of Wall, Gibson, Lara Biggs, Emma Stagg and Harriet Leverton taking home the trophy.

Although Wall was entered in the senior category, she was allowed to be a part of the junior sports team award due to the fact she was competing as part of a school team.

The Methven Men’s Fours Bowls team won the Senior Sports Team of the Year for their effort of getting through to the national final.

Shooting’s Steve McArthur took a tight race for Coach of the Year while Jacob Gray and Kevin Opele took home the respective Official of the Year Awards.

Matthew Clough and Brea Roderick won the Sporting All rounder titles for their efforts in multisport events.

The Special Olympics Swimming team went home with awards too as the winners of the Athlete’s With A Disability division, the team comprised of Emma Woods, Trevor Nish, Peter Testa.

A new category this year was the Masters Award for achievement in Masters events.

Croquet’s Sue Lamb, a South Island and New Zealand champion took out the award.

Michael Baker, Daniel Baker, Erin Connelly-Whyte, Helen Harnett, Rachel Law and Sally Rhodes were all recognised for their efforts as volunteers.

One of the real highlights of the night was the induction of former national hockey player, Stacey McKircher (nee Carr) as a Mid Canterbury sporting legend for her services to the region through her time at the top level of her sport.

Sport Mid Canterbury’s Jan Cochrane said that the idea to introduce the Legends Awards, which saw a banner unveiled was an easy one.

“It’s a nice way to recognise those who have been hugely successful and done this region proud,” she said.

The other major award for the night, the coveted Robilliard Trophy was awarded to Phil Crozier for his years of service and dedication to the sport of tennis in Mid Canterbury.

An active senior A Grade player still, Crozier has given plenty of his time over the years to the continued growth of the sport and the judging panel was unanimous in their decision to make him the 2018 recipient.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 14 May 2018