Taranaki Maori Sportsperson of the Year Announced
Waitara’s Josephine Moore is this year’s Taranaki Maori Sportsperson of the Year.
The world champion kneeboard surfer received the prestigious Toki o Te Tau award at a special function in New Plymouth last night after earlier winning the Pahake Wahine senior sportswoman title. Moore’s biggest win in 2009 was in the open women’s division at the world knee-boarding championships in Opunake.
She also finished fourth in the open women’s longboard at the New Zealand surfing championships at Piha and second in the open women’s shortboard and longboard divisions at the New Zealand University Games in Taranaki.
Moore, a member of the Waitara Bar Board Riders’ Club, has been surfing since she was 10 and has taught surfing in England and competed overseas.
“There were 39 nominees for the awards, a number were performing at international level,” said Wharehoka Wano, one of the directors of Tihi Ltd, the event manager.
There’s a lot of young talent out there and one of the good things was the number of sports represented in the nominations. It wasn’t just your mainstream sports like rugby, rugby league and netball. Surfing and inline hockey are two sports that come to mind.”
THE WINNERS
- Kaiwhakahaere – volunteer/administrator/game official award: Murray Martin
- Toa Tautoko – contribution and service to Maori in sport and recreation: Aroaro Tamati
- Kaiako – coach: Jacob Rapira
- Taiohi Kotiro – junior sportswoman: Renee Nyman
- Taiohi Tama – junior sportsman: Daniel Fake
- Pahake Wahine – senior sportswoman: Josephine MoorePahake Tane – senior sportsman: Sam Rapira
- Toa Rongonui – Sports Call of Fame: Howie Tamati
- Toki o Te Tau – Taranaki Maori Sportsperson of the Year: Josephine Moore
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