Sport Features

Cornwall's British Speedway Grand Prix winner Chris Harris has walked away with the top prize at the 2007 BBC South West Sports Awards.

The former Trelawney Tiger and Exeter Falcons rider won the public vote for the BBC South West Sports Personality of the Year.

He beat England rugby captain Phil Vickery into second place with round-the-world yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in third.

Chris Harris, 2007 Sports Personality of the Year

Harris travelled especially from a cancer fundraising event in Hertfordshire to collect his award at the awards ceremony, which was held at Sandy Park, Exeter on Sunday 25 November 2007.

He was also named winner in the motorsport category, beating three-time world touring car champion Andy Priaulx.

Plymouth Raiders coach Gary Stronach was presented with the BBC South West Lifetime Achievement Award. The judges said it was in recognition of the enormous contribution he has made to the sport in the city.

Athletics coach Tony White from Exeter was named Unsung Sporting Hero in an award supported by Robinsons.

Tony White, 2007 Unsung Sporting Hero

Tony, 68, has coached athletes in Exeter for three decades and has carried on despite losing 95 per cent of his sight. One of the people who nominated him was Commonwealth silver medalist Jo Pavey, from Honiton.

Veteran yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 68, from Ipplepen, was the winner of the International Achievement Award.

In 2007 he completed his second solo circumnavigation, finishing fourth in the Velux Five Oceans race.

He was unable to attend the awards ceremony, having set sail on a long standing engagement.

But in a recorded message he said: "I am very moved to have been given this award. I wanted to prove that just because you reach 65 your brain doesn't turn to porridge.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston with his award

"If I encouraged one person to get up and do something, then it was worthwhile."

Truro City won the battle for the Team of the Year award. The judges noted the difficulty in winning the FA Vase which runs through the entire season.

They beat Somerset's double promotion winning cricket team, the Plymouth Raiders who won the BBL National Trophy, the Cornish Pirates who won the EDF National Trophy and Mounts Bay who were promoted into the national leagues and won the National Intermediate Cup.

Exmouth based World 49er sailing champions Ben Rhodes and Stevie Morrison won the watersports awards, and Somerset's Andy Caddick was named Cricketer of the Year.

Plymouth's Olympic diving hope Tom Daley won the award for most promising youngster (under 16), with South Devon bowler Sam Tolchard picking up the 16-21 category.

The full list of 2007 BBC South West Sports Awards winners is:

BBC South West Sports Personality of the Year

Chris Harris

Unsung Hero
^{Supported by Robinsons}

Tony White (Exeter Harriers)

Team of the Year
^{Sponsored by Sport England}

Truro City

Coach
^{Sponsored by Sport England}

Jon Hill/Chris Brown (Cornish All Blacks)

Disabled Sports Person
^{Sponsored by The Edge UK}

Jonathan Fox (Newquay Cormorants)

Lifetime Achievement
^{Sponsored by BBC South West}

Gary Stronach (Plymouth Raiders)

Watersports
^{Sponsored by South West Water}

Ben Rhodes and Stevie Morrison (Exmouth)

Football
^{Sponsored by The Edge UK}

Steve Mildenhall (Yeovil Town)

Rugby
^{Sponsored by Western Morning News}

Nic Sestaret (Plymouth Albion)

Motorsport
^{Sponsored by BBC Radio Cornwall}

Chris Harris (Coventry Bees)

International Achievement
^{Sponsored by Team South West}

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

Cricketer
^{Sponsored by University of Exeter}

Andy Caddick (Somerset CCC)

Youngster (16-21)
^{Sponsored by South West Communications}

Sam Tolchard (Torquay United Bowling Club)

Youngster (under 16)
^{Sponsored by South West Communications}

Tom Daley (Plymouth Diving)

Judging process

BBC South West Sports staff nominated contenders in all awards categories except Unsung Hero. The shortlist of nominations was drawn up by a panel of judges.

• John Lilley – Head of BBC South West
• Natalie Cornah – presenter, BBC Spotlight
• Hamish Marshall – BBC South West Sports Awards coordinator
• Vanessa Martin – South West Audience Council
• Guy Lavender – South West Director, 2012 (Unsung Hero only)
• Nigel Walrond – Freelance sports writer (except Unsung Hero)
• Mark Stevens – Sports Editor, Western Morning News (except rugby)