Leeds Sports Awards: Time to vote for your favourite sports stars

Voting for the five Senior Achievers (over-18s) awards closes at midnight on December 17 with nominations for the Young Achievers and Special Contribution awards finishing at the same time.

Finalists for the Young Achievers and Special Contribution awards will then be announced on January 9 ahead of the event itself on Thursday, March 1.

The awards are once again being held at first direct arena for the second time after moving to the arena from New Dock Hall this year.

And Leeds United’s popular Swedish defender Jansson faces competition from six other Leeds sporting stars to be named Sportsman of the Year.

Jansson, who has made a huge impact since signing from Torino, has Leeds Rhinos Grand Final winner Stevie Ward among his competition, as well as the city’s featherweight boxing champion Josh Warrington.

Yorkshire CC star Jonny Bairstow, diving ace Matty Lee, gymnastic star Nile Wilson and triathlete talent Tom Bishop complete the list of finalists for the Sportsman of the Year award.

Seven of the city’s female sporting stars will do battle for the Sportswoman of the Year award, headed by former double Olympic boxing champion and now professional world title hopeful Nicola Adams.

Adams is up against 1500m star Laura Weightman, cricket ace Lauren Winfield, diving teen starlet Lois Toulson, rugby league star Lois Forsell, triathlete star Jess Learmonth and badminton ace Gabby Adcock.

Adam Duggleby MBE, Ryan Richardson, James Simpson are the three finalists for the Sportsman Disability award while Hannah Cockroft MBE, Kadeena Cox MBE and Jodie Boyd-Ward are in competition for the Sportswoman Disability award.

Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott is up against Malcolm Brown MBE and Jack Maitland as well as Dave Murray for the Coach – Performance award. The list of candidates has been selected by a panel representing Sport Leeds and the public vote of one person per category will account for 50 per cent of the voting.

A panel representing Sport Leeds will determine the other 50 per cent of voting.

The other awards work on a nominations process with nominations invited for six Special Contribution awards and three Young Achievers (under-18s) accolades.

In the former there are awards for Student Sport, Coach – Participation, Sports Volunteer, Outstanding Service to Sport, Service to PE and School Sport and Club/Team Performance.

In the Young Achievers (Under-18s) category, there are accolades for Young Sportsperson, Young Disability Sportsperson and Young Club/Team.

LeedsBID again return as the event’s title sponsor.

“LeedsBID was thrilled to be the Title Sponsor for the 2017 Leeds Sports Awards, and to help facilitate its relocation to a larger more central city centre venue,” said Leeds BID’s chief executive Andrew Cooper.

“It was an incredible evening, celebrating Leeds as a fantastic city for sport.

“We look forward to another exciting awards night at the city’s first direct arena, a fitting venue for our great sporting achievers.”

To vote and for more info visit http://leedssportsawards.co.uk/nominations/

Tickets are now available and can be brought online from the first direct arena.

Alternatively, group/table bookings can be made directly through [email protected]

Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

For more sponsorship information contact [email protected]