Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards

Hello and welcome to live updates from Spark Arena as New Zealand's best athletes compete to take home the title of Supreme Halberg winner for 2017.

Team New Zealand or the Black Ferns? Sarah Goss or Portia Wodman? Tom Walsh or that rugby guy? So many burning questions set to be answered.

We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action.

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10:32pm - Time for the big one! The Supreme Halberg award

Sophie Pascoe, Lisa Carrington, Tim Walsh, Team New Zealand are your finalists.

And the winner is....Team New Zealand.

The America's Cup winners have jibed their way to the prestigious prize. Tune in for all the wash-up from the awards tomorrow morning on Newshub Sport.

10:27pm - Now the award voted for by all the punters at home - Best sporting moment.

The people (of Canterbury) have spoken, Mitchell Hunt's drop goal for the Crusaders to sink the Highlanders has beaten out the Black Ferns RWC final, Ross Taylor's record-breaking 100, and Lisa Carrington's golden sprint to the line.

"I think I have to credit my mum for that," jokes Hunt as he accepts the award.

10:07pm - Next up it's the Coach of the Year award.

Gary Hay (Rowing), Glenn Moore (Rugby Union), Gordon Walker (Canoe Racing), Mark Sorenson (Softball).

"Obviously I've been through a few coaches myself....not like that, calm down," opens presenter Dame Valerie Adams as she takes the stage to present the award. 

And the winner is.......Gordon Walker.

The canoeing mastermind joins an elite group of coaches to have won the award twice, going back-to-back after his win in 2016.

Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Photosport

9:58pm - Squeaky bum time for Sportsman of the Year finalists.

Beauden Barrett (Rugby Union), Brendon Hartley (Motorsport), Ross Taylor (Cricket), Tom Walsh (Athletics).

And the winner is....Tom Walsh. The shot-putting world champion's lucky kilt really paid dividends.

9:45pm - Team of the Year is next up. This could be the most contentious award of the evening.

Black Ferns (Rugby Union), Black Sox (Softball), Emirates Team NZ (Yachting), Women’s K2 – Lisa Carrington & Caitlin Ryan (Canoe Racing).

And the winner is.....Emirates Team NZ

9:37pm - Fittingly enough, PM Jacina Ardern takes the stage to present the Sportswoman of the Year award.

Lisa Carrington (Canoe Racing), Lydia Ko (Golf), Portia Woodman (Rugby Union), Sarah Goss (Rugby Union).

And the winner is....Lisa Carrington

**Cough**Called it**cough**

Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Photosport

9:21pm - Next main award of the evening - Disabled Sportsperson of the Year.

Corey Peters (Para alpine skiing), Holly Robinson (Para athletics), Sophie Pascoe (Para swimming), William Stedman (Para athletics).

And the winner is.....Sophie Pascoe. She accepts via satellite link. 

9:14pm - Former Olympic champion Rob Waddell is inducted into the NZ sports hall of fame. The gold-medallist at Sydney 2000 is now Chef de Mission for NZ's Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams, and can be regularly seen crushing it on the rowing machine at Jetts New Lynn.

8:58pm - All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen takes away the Sport NZ Leadership Award, whatever that is.

Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Photopsort

8:53pm - Morrie Chandler is given a lifetime achievement award for his sevices to motorsport.

8:41pm - First award of the night set to given away for Best Emerging Talent- Ellesse Andrews (Cycling), Josh Armit (Yachting), Matthew MacDonald (Rowing), Nico Porteous (Freeski).

And the winner is.....Ellesse Andrews - a hugely-promising track cyclist.

Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Photosport

8:18pm - Olympic canoeing champion Lisa Carrington and her beau Michael Buck make their arrival on the red carpet. Surely the favourite to take out the women's prize?

Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Photosport

8:30pm - We're underway! Can a New Zealand awards night ever really begin without the unofficial Dave Dobbyn opener? Of course not. The covers band launches into "Welcome Home".

8:13pm - Prime Minister Ardern reveals her personal sporting highlight as her reign as captain of the girl's basketball team in Morrinsville. Respect.

8:11pm - Host James McOnie takes us inside the venue for the first time, which is starting to really fill out. Speaking of filling out (or not), has Mr McOnie shed some pounds? The man is looking svelte.

8:07pm - Who's your dark horse for this evening? Perhaps Brendon Hartley could be in with a shot in the men's category? Glenn Moore for best coach? 

7:45pm - The Prime Minister is in the building with the first man of NZ in tow. Ms Ardern is clearly taken aback as Dame Valerie Adams updates her on her brother Steven's PER and offensive rebound rating through the first half of the NBA season.

Live updates: The 55th Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Photosport

7:33pm - Our own Kirstie Stanway had a quick chat with the favourite to take out the men's award - shot-putter Tom Walsh, who was proudly sporting a kilt of his mother's family's tartan. This is a strong look for Tom of which we wholeheartedly approve.

7:30pm - The red carpet is in full effect at Spark Arena as we build towards the ceremony, officially scheduled to kick-off at 8:30pm.

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Finalists:

High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Lisa Carrington (Canoe Racing), Lydia Ko (Golf), Portia Woodman (Rugby Union), Sarah Goss (Rugby Union).

Sportsman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Beauden Barrett (Rugby Union), Brendon Hartley (Motorsport), Ross Taylor (Cricket), Tom Walsh (Athletics).

Halberg Disabled Sportsperson of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Corey Peters (Para alpine skiing), Holly Robinson (Para athletics), Sophie Pascoe (Para swimming), William Stedman (Para athletics).

Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Black Ferns (Rugby Union), Black Sox (Softball), Emirates Team NZ (Yachting), Women’s K2 – Lisa Carrington & Caitlin Ryan (Canoe Racing).

Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year

Gary Hay (Rowing), Glenn Moore (Rugby Union), Gordon Walker (Canoe Racing), Mark Sorenson (Softball).

Emerging Talent:

Ellesse Andrews (Cycling), Josh Armit (Yachting), Matthew MacDonald (Rowing), Nico Porteous (Freeski).

Pre-match banter

OPINION: Everyone's a winner at the Halbergs

By Grant Chapman

Tomorrow morning, we'll all be debating the merits of tonight's Halberg Award winners - and lamenting the misfortunes of those that missed out.

Just don't get too emotionally caught up in that argument - the results really are a lottery.

By the time you've compared a dominant non-World Cup campaign for the All Blacks (maybe not so much this year) with an Olympic gold medal in kayaking/rowing/shot put (fill in the blank), a world title in netball/softball/cricket or just a creditable showing in a sport that actually means something on the world stage (namely football or basketball), you could drive yourself crazy trying to figure out who is most worthy.

So just relax - if they're in the room, they're already a winner.

If you've ever attended a Halbergs function, you'll understand the actual awards are only a very small part of the entertainment, albeit the one everyone talks about.

Every recipient - without exception - is genuinely in awe of the high-calibre of opposition they've beaten to their particular prize. They, better than anyone else, understand the sacrifices and preparation their rivals have put into achieving their goals.

And the dream of winning a Halberg gong had probably never entered their heads along the way.

Having attended a few of these awards ceremonies now, the real highlights have been the interaction between sporting legends, under the same roof for one night only each year.

It's two-time Olympic champion Valerie Adams approaching two-time World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw for a quick selfie.

A few years ago, when the Kiwis were finalists in a few award categories, NZ Rugby League took halfback Shaun Johnson to the Halbergs as the team representative. Sometime after dinner, an autograph hunter from the next table leaned over and asked for his scribble, and Shaun duly obliged.

He had no idea (and was shocked to learn) that his new fan had actually won 10 NZ Ironman titles and was 2001 NZ Sportsman of the Year - Cameron Brown.

There is usually no rhyme nor reason to how the awards are dished out.

When twins Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell captured the 2001 Supreme Award, they did so on the strength of finishing runners-up at the world rowing championships.

Yet, the following year, they won the world title and lost their Halberg crown to the Tall Blacks, who had 'only' reached the semi-finals of their world basketball championship.

To be sure, both were great achievements, but obviously the judges had decided basketball was a truly international code and harder to crack than a sport where the talent was spread over several different events.

Still, you had to scratch your head.

They obviously felt the same about the All Whites and their 'unbeaten' pool record at the 2010 World Cup, as opposed to the All Blacks' unbeaten 15 tests and 10th Tri Nations crown, and Adams' second Commonwealth Games gold medal that same year.

At the end of the day, the Halbergs are simply a marketing gimmick for NZ sport - a chance to reflect on our achievements over the year and rejoice, once more, in our small nation punching above its weight.

So, in the spirit of celebrating David against Goliath, if you like, here are some fearless predictions for tonight's proceedings.

Sportswoman - Lisa Carrington (kayaking)

It stands to reason that last year's Supreme Winner should at least retain her women's mantle, after adding two world titles to her extensive CV.

But this was also a breakout year for women's rugby, and Sarah Goss has played a part in both the Black Ferns World Cup triumph and Sevens World Series success. 

Sportsman - Tom Walsh (athletics)

The world indoor shot champion added the outdoor crown in an upset, but there's a sense that this was no fluke and his best is yet to come.

Motor racer Brendon Hartley is making a late run, with victory in the iconic Le Mans 24-hour race and promotion to Formula One ranks.

Disabled Sportsperson - Sophie Pascoe (swimming)

In a year when her closest rivals were silver medalists at their respective world para championships, Pascoe set six world records at the NZ short course championship.

You could argue short course records are not worth as much as long course marks, but Pascoe is simply dominant in the pool and in this category.

Team - Team New Zealand (yachting)

Yes, we love us some Black Ferns and the Black Sox epitomise the fighting spirit of Kiwi sport, but Team NZ's tale of redemption, after the bitter disappointment of San Francisco four years ago, is just too good to resist.

No-one really cares about the America's Cup - until New Zealand flexes its ingenuity (who can forget the cycle grinders) to vanquish the American-Aussies.

Coach - Gordon Walker (kayaking)

Maybe he's lucky to have Carrington in his squad, but guiding four different boats to two gold, one silver and a bronze medal at world championships still sounds pretty impressive.

But also beware Glenn Moore and the Black Ferns factor in the 'Year of the Woman'.

Emerging Talent - Ellesse Andrews (cycling)

Always a difficult category to judge, since these athletes largely fly under the radar of media coverage, but Andrews' individual pursuit world title and world record trumps Josh Armit's Laser Radial world sailing title.

Favourite Sporting Moment - Mitchell Hunt (rugby)

OK, I know it was only a glorified provincial rugby game, pitted against so many international highlights...

But for sheer drama, Hunt's long-distance injury-time dropped goal for the Crusaders to snatch victory over their arch-rivals, the Highlanders, captured what's great and unpredictable about sports.

So many great moments and great memories.

Supreme Winner - Team New Zealand 

Grant Chapman is senior online producer for Newshub.