City's hat-trick of honours (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

City's hat-trick of honours

Top team. Salisbury City players take a bow on stage at City Hall after being presented with the Journal Sport's Team of the Year accolade by Phil Moody and Paul Newman of awards sponsors HSBC. Staff picture by ROGER ELLIOTT. DA4952P70.AS expected, following their spectacular FA Cup run which took them to the first round proper of the famous competition, Salisbury City were the big winners at the 2003 Journal Sports Awards presentation ceremony.

As well as winning the Team of the Year accolade, Nick Holmes was named Manager of the Year, while captain Scott Bartlett picked up the Footballer of the Year honour to complete a memorable hat-trick of trophies for the club.

Almost 400 people were at City Hall for the annual event, which has become one of the highlights in the local sporting calendar.

The 2003 poll attracted more than 6,000 votes - easily smashing the previous year's tally. The Journal's sports editor, Mike Turner, who co-hosted the event with reporter Sarah McQuillen, said the reaction from Journal Sport readers was "simply staggering" and "a testament to how proud the area is of the achievements of its talented sportsmen and women."

Many familiar sporting figures again won their categories, but there are now new names engraved on the top two individual trophies.

Tisbury motor racing ace Alan Blencowe crossed the line first in the race for the Sportsman of the Year award, while world powerlifting champion Lee Steggles raised the Sportswoman of the Year cup for the first time.

There were special awards for England rugby star Richard Hill commemorating last year's World Cup victory in Australia, and for racehorse trainer David Elsworth in recognition of his outstanding service to horse racing.

Shrewton United stalwart Stuart Withers was another picking up a special award, celebrating many years' dedication to the club recently promoted to Division One of the Screwfix Direct Western League.

The junior categories saw St Edmund's School & Sports College's triumphant basketball team net the Young Team of the Year award, with their England international Alice Walton taking the Young Sports-woman award for the second time in three years.

Karting champion-turned motor racer Ross Curnow was named Young Sportsman of the Year for the second year running. The award capped a remarkable day for the 16-year-old who is about to embark on his first season as a single-seater BMW driver.

That afternoon he had been at Thruxton for his first BMW UK championship test session, where he finished sixth out of 16, in spite of it being only his second time in the car.

Salisbury Racecourse's record-breaking season was recognised by readers in two categories - Top Local Sporting Venue and Groundsman of the Year (Richard Hayter).

Wrestler Clive Cannell won the Lifetime Achievement award while world powerlifting champion Bill West was handed the Salisbury Journal's Sports Personality of the Year honour.

Golfer Sam Elkins had the honour of winning both Golfer and Young Golfer of the Year shields. Unfortun-ately, the youngster was unable to attend the ceremony due to golfing commitments in Spain under the watchful eye of Wiltshire coach Mark Lawrence, who was named winner of the Outstanding Service to Young Sportsmen/women award.

Before the 50 awards were dished out, The Journal's Lesley Bates and Joanna Snell joined their colleagues on stage for the event's now traditional review of the sporting year.

See this week's Journal to find out all the winners.