The shortlist for the 2017 Isle of Man Sports Awards sponsored by Microgaming Play It Forward, has been announced today (18 January). The event will take place on Thursday 1 March 2018 at the Royal Hall, Villa Marina.
The Sportsman of the Year award category will be hotly contested by World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea, FIM Enduro World Championship rider Jamie McCanney, Celtic FC and Scotland national team footballer Kieran Tierney, athletics record breaker Joe Reid, motorcyclists Dan Kneen and sidecar passenger Lee Cain, Parish Walk winner Liam Parker and European under-23 track cycling champion Matthew Bostock.
The Sportswoman of the Year category boasts British swimming champion Charlotte Atkinson, professional cyclist Anna Christian, multi-medal winning Island Games gymnast Tara Donnelly, international triathlete Hannah Howitt, England race walking medallist Erika Kelly and Island Games athletics team captain, Hannah Riley.
Other categories contested are under-21 sportsman, under-21 sportswoman, team, coach, sports administrator, Isle of Man ambassador, veteran sportsperson and disability sportsperson.
The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award is selected by the Sports Awards committee and there is no shortlist for this category.
The event’s headline sponsor Microgaming, through its PlayItForward programme, will present the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards, and each of the other categories is sponsored by an Island company or organisation.
Gary Corkhill, Isle of Man Sport’s Executive Chairman, commented:
‘Nominations opened in December and the Manx public have shown their support for the event with fantastic number of nominations. The shortlisting process is always a difficult task for the committee, with the Isle of Man having so many sporting success stories throughout last year.
‘The Sports Awards are a highlight of the sporting year and a chance to celebrate the achievements of our sporting stars in 2017. This year’s nominees are an inspiration to others in their respective sports. The awards recognise the Island’s high-level performers and highlight their success on the world stage.’
The event also includes the presentation of the 2017 Sure Sports Leader of the Year Award and Sports Aid scholarships to athletes who will be supported by Isle of Man Sport Aid in 2018/2019.
Guest of honour at the awards is five-time Paralympic swimming champion, Ellie Simmonds OBE.
The event starts at 8.15pm. Tickets are available to book online via the Villa Gaiety box office www.villagaiety.com
The full list of nominations:
2017 Sportsman of the Year, sponsored by Microgaming Play It Forward
Matthew Bostock (cycling)
Lee Cain (motorcycling)
Dan Kneen (motorcycling)
Jamie McCanney (enduro)
Liam Parker (athletics)
Jonathan Rea (motorcycling)
Joe Reid (athletics)
Kieran Tierney (football)
2017 Sportswoman of the Year, sponsored by Microgaming Play It Forward
Charlotte Atkinson (swimming)
Anna Christian (cycling)
Tara Donnelly (gymnastics)
Hannah Howitt (triathlon)
Erika Kelly (athletics)
Hannah Riley (athletics)
2017 Under 21 Sportsman of the Year, sponsored by Newfield
Thomas Bostock (cycling)
Matthew Bostock (cycling)
Ben Grainger (swimming)
Joe Harris (athletics)
Nick Harvey (gymnastics)
Adam Long (football)
Kieran Tierney (football)
2017 Under 21 Sportswoman of the Year, sponsored by SMP Partners
Anna Dawson (golf)
Tara Donnelly (gymnastics)
Tara Ferguson (cycling)
Jessica Li (badminton)
Olivia Marshall (swimming)
Amelia Sharpe (cycling)
2017 Disability Sportsperson of the Year, sponsored by Isle of Man Newspapers
Lawrence Dyer (athletics)
Letisha Ellis (swimming)
Ben Grainger (swimming)
David Hudson (football)
Sean Jackson (football)
Duncan Watterson (Special Olympics)
2017 Team of the Year, sponsored by Crowe Clark Whitehill
Douglas Rugby Club
IOM Disability Football Team
IOM Men’s Football Team
IOM Women’s Football Team
IOM Men’s Hockey Team
Manx Harriers Senior Ladies Team
2017 Administrator of the Year, sponsored by Manx Radio
Ray Cox (athletics)
Richard Fletcher (cycling)
Tony Jones (football)
Tim Leeming (hockey)
Clive Parrish (swimming)
Baillie Watterson (badminton)
2017 IOM Ambassador, sponsored by the Department of Enterprise
Charlotte Atkinson (swimming)
Mark Cavendish (cycling)
Mark Christian (cycling)
Philip Cringle (rugby)
Tom Gandy (golf)
Peter Kennaugh (cycling)
Tim Kneale (shooting)
2017 Coach of the Year, sponsor Conister Bank
Andy Fox (athletics)
Tim Kennaugh (cycling)
Brian Laing (swimming)
Valery Molchanov (gymnastics)
Carl Murray (rugby)
Jon Whiting (hockey)
2017 Veteran Sportsperson of the Year, sponsored by Mylchreests Group
Julie Canipa (motorcycling)
Karen Chiarello (athletics)
Gianni Epifani (athletics and cycling)
Gail Griffiths (athletics)
Dave Molyneux (motorcycling)
Lesley Sleight (field archery)
2017 Lifetime Achievement, sponsored by Keystone Law
The recipient of this award is selected by the Sports Awards committee.
