Finalists announced for 2026 NZ Sport and Recreation Awards

Sport NZ has announced the finalists for its 2026 New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards, celebrating individuals and organisations making a positive impact through sport and recreation. 

“These finalists reflect the positive difference sport and recreation makes in communities across Aotearoa,” says Sport New Zealand Group Chief Executive Raelene Castle.

“They range from organisations bringing people together locally, to initiatives creating more inclusive and welcoming opportunities, and projects helping protect and sustain the environments where activity happens.”

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the New Zealand International Conference Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on Monday 8 June, with 18 finalists shortlisted across 6 main categories. 

“This year we’ve seen a real lift in nominations, and the judges told us the quality made it incredibly hard to narrow down to our finalists,” says Raelene Castle.

“We’re grateful to everyone who put forward a nomination, and it’s been fantastic to see almost double the entries in Commercial Partnership – a good sign of the collaboration and innovation happening across the sector, even in tougher times.”

Also awarded on the night will be the C.K. Doig Leadership Award and Sir Eion and 
Jan, Lady Edgar Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The judging panel for 2026 was Mike Stanley CNZM (Chair), Fiona Allan ONZM, 
Dallas Seymour, Wayne Werder and Jacob Driver.

The Jim Maniapoto Memorial Taonga – Excellence in impacting Māori participation 
as Māori was judged independently by Te Miri Rangi, Wai Taumaunu ONZM MBE and Veronica Thompson MNZM.

The finalists by category (in alphabetical order) are:

Commercial Partnership 

Basketball New Zealand + BNZ 
North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust + MainPower 
Surf Life Saving New Zealand + AON

Community Impact 

āhei – Connecting Schools Sport and Communities for Inclusive Participation  
New Zealand Rugby – Contact Ready
North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust – Primary School Coaching Programme 

Environmental Sustainability 

REPLAY NZ
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited 
Yachting New Zealand

Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion

āhei
New Zealand Football
Whenua Iti Outdoors

Excellence in Impacting Māori Participation as Māori 

Māori Touch NZ
Rangataua o Aotearoa
Tuia Waitākere in partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki

Susie Simcock Future Leaders' Scholarship

Toby Doyle, New Zealand Cricket
Kerry McKenzie, New Zealand Rugby
Tarryn McKenzie, New Zealand Football
Belinda Randall, Gymnastics New Zealand