Double world champion adaptive ski racer Corey Peters capped off a memorable year when he was named Taranaki Daily News sportsperson of the year on Friday evening (20 November 2015).
At the awards function in New Plymouth, Peters claimed the overall title after earlier in the night winning the Taranaki senior sportsman of the year award. It's the second time Peters and won the senior sportsman of the year award having won the title in 2014.
"Winning the Taranaki Sports Awards two years running and also to take out the overall award this year has been an amazing way to top off two years of hard work and success following the World Championships earlier this year," said Corey. It's a really humbling experience to be recognised amongst such great athletes as current All Black Beauden Barrett. The support team I've had around has been instrumental in making it all possible."
In March, Peters won world titles in downhill and super-g as well as a silver medal in giant slalom at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) alpine skiing world championships in Panorama, Canada.
The world champs were the culmination of a highly successful northern hemisphere season for the 27-year-old which saw him win a world cup silver medal and finish third overall on IPC World Cup rankings in February.
Other results included bronze in slalom, silver in giant slalom at IPC races in Aspen, United States; bronze in slalom, silver in giant slalom at IPC North America Cup races; bronze and gold in downhill and gold in super-g at the US national champs.
During the 2015 New Zealand season, Peters won the giant slalom at the IPC Snow Sports New Zealand champs in August and finished second in the slalom at the IPCAS Southern Hemisphere Cup held as part of the Audi quattro Winter Games NZ later that month.
In October, Peters was named overall athlete of the year at the Snow Sports New Zealand awards night in Wanaka.
Corey, a former Taranaki age group and development squad rugby representative, was left paralysed after a motocross accident in September, 2009, when he sustained a crushed spinal cord.
Earlier in the night, Peters won the Taranaki senior sportsman of year award heading off a strong lineup including All Black Beauden Barrett, BMX rider Matt Cameron and indoor bowler Grant L'Ami.
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9 years ago