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OBAN Lorne ladies brought a touch of glamour to the fourth biennial Oban and Lorn Sports Awards on Saturday.
The team won two awards, including Sports Personality of the Year, the overall prize on the evening.
All 16 ladies took to the stage to collect their Team of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year prizes at the Argyllshire Gathering event and, in accepting the award, praised their coach Andy MacDougall for introducing many of them to the game.
Special guest, former Hearts Football Club manager Stephen Frail, quipped: ‘I’m glad I could present a prize to all the Oban Lorne ladies; that was the best two minutes I’ve had this week!’
Mr Frail’s arrival was delayed, owing to his radio commentary duties at the Kilmarnock versus Inverness Caledonian Thistle match.
But he did not hesitate to broadcast his fears about the way his former club is being run under current owner Valdimir Romanov, during a question and answer session with the Oban audience.
And in a year when the special guest was a footballer, Oban and Lorn Sports Festival committee member David Mitchell felt compelled to explain to the guests that the sport was alive and well in the area, despite none of the 27 final nominees being involved in football.
Instead, it was the minority sports of archery and shooting that were represented by the top sportsman and woman of the year. Archer Kyle Dods, who has recently been selected for the Scottish Commonwealth Games team was Sportsman of the Year and Catherine Fraser, who is captain of the Scottish women’s Down the Line shooting team, regained the ladies’ equivalent.
The coaching prize was the first presented and was won by Oban Netball Club’s Dee Bradbury who, as a team member of Oban Lorne Ladies rugby team was to have a successful evening. The ladies’ coach, Andy MacDougall, and Murray Hamilton, the men’s rugby coach, were also in the running for the award.
The unsung heroes, the sports administrators, were next and that category was won by Oban Otters’ Rebecca MacKinnon, ahead of Margaret MacLeod (shinty) and Maureen Evans (netball).
Emma MacDougall, who is close to achieving a spot on Great Britain’s Special Olympics team, won the Disabled Sportsperson category ahead of Andrew Kingsbury (swimming) and Sandy Galbraith (pool).
Junior Sportswoman of the Year featured nominees Briony Kincaid (orienteering), Julie Campbell (rugby) and athlete Daisy Williams, who had travelled from Mull to attend the event. In keeping with a good night for rugby Julie won the category.
Another guest on the evening, Argyll and Bute Council’s Principal Leisure Resources Officer Willie Young, was also part of the judging panel who chose the winners.
He said: ‘The nominees we considered this year were first class and I think this year is the best we’ve ever had. When you consider that athletes such as British Downhill Mountain Bike Champion Ben Cathro were not in the final, it tells you the standard we have tonight. The judges have had a difficult but rewarding job.’ Mr Young admitted the toughest category to judge was the Junior Sportsman of the Year. Winner Robert Macintyre (golf), edged out clay pigeon shooter Craig MacFadyen and swimmer Matthew Anderson.
The Outstanding Achievement Award is given to an athlete who has moved from the Oban and Lorn area to pursue an international career.
The names of runner Susan Partridge and racing driver Susie Stoddart have been present on the final nominee list since the awards began in 2002. This year was no different and the ladies were joined by Thai boxer Craig Sandilands.
Susan’s name was announced as the winner for the third time in four attempts and Colin MacKenzie was on hand to collect the trophy on her behalf.
Proceedings were brought to a close by Neil Matheson, chairman of Atlantis Leisure, in a vote of thanks.
