The Hurricanes have scooped the top prize at the Wellington Hospitality Group Sportsperson of the Year Awards.
The 2017 Wellington Hospitality Group Supreme Sports Award capped a night that saw the Hurricanes take home three other major awards including Sportsman, Coach and Team of the Year at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington.
Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd was recognised as NZCT Coach of the Year on a night that recognised the region's top performers and performances in sport between April 2016 and April 2017.
Boyd led the Hurricanes to the club's inaugural Investec Super Rugby title in 2016 after a season that saw his team win 14 of 18 matches including beating the Lions in the final at a sold out Westpac Stadium.
CAPTION: Chris Boyd was named NZCT Coach of the Year at the 2017 Wellington Hospitality Group Sportsperson of the Year Awards. PHOTO: Getty Sport
He headed off exceptional finalists Kevin Braswell (Basketball), Mark Watson (Canoe Polo) and Jose Manuel-Figueira (Football).
Boyd's team were also named as the Hiremaster Team of the Year. In winning the club's first title in 20 years under the leadership of captain Dane Coles, the 2016 Hurricanes scored 72 tries, won three home playoff matches, and attracted more than 187,000 fans to Westpac Stadium.
The other finalists for Team of the Year were the Firebirds (cricket), Saints (basketball), Team Wellington (football) and the Wellington men's golf team.
At the forefront of the championship winning Hurricanes team was first five Beauden Barrett and his exceptional performances were recognised with the Sportsman of the Year Award.
Barrett started in all 18 of the Hurricanes matches in 2016, scoring 223 points, and was named as World Rugby Player of the Year. He has again been a star turn during the Hurricanes 2017 Investec Super Rugby campaign.
CAPTION: Beauden Barrett was named Sportsman of the Year at the Wellington Hospitality Group Sportsperson of the Year Awards. PHOTO: Getty Sport
Barrett was unable to attend the awards dinner due to his commitments with the All Blacks, but said via video message that he was honoured to be a finalist in the company of Nick Willis (athletics), Blake Signal (lawn bowls), Steve Adams (basketball) and Marty McDowell (Canoe Sprint).
"I'm pretty stoked to win this award tonight. Firstly I want to congratulate the others nominated, there are some pretty elite athletes in there and I'm thrilled to be in the mix to start with," Barrett said.
"I'm a proud Taranaki boy, but it's awesome to win this award. Obviously Wellington is my second home. I love living there and it's given me loads of opportunities, mostly with the Hurricanes.
"I want to say thank you to Sport Wellington for putting on this great night and putting my name forward and to Wellington Hospitality Group for making sure everyone is looked after."
The 2017 Wellington Hospitality Group Sports Award winners were:
Wellington Hospitality Group Supreme Sports Award - Hurricanes
Hiremaster Team of the Year - Hurricanes
NZCT Coach of the Year - Chris Boyd
Wellington Sportsman of the Year - Beauden Barrett
CAPTION: The Hurricanes were named Hiremaster Team of the Year at the Wellington Hospitality Group Sportsperson of the Year Awards. PHOTO: Getty Sport