The Caesarean duo will go up against Guernsey table tennis player Alice Loveridge and squash star Chris Simpson for the main accolade – the only honour voted for by the public – at the CI Sports Awards later this month.
Serena Guthrie: 0845 60655 01
Jonty Jenner: 0845 60655 02
Alice Loveridge: 0845 60655 03
Chris Simpson: 0845 60655 04
Lines open until Thursday 28 January 2016
Guthrie capped off a fine debut season in the ANZ Championship by being named the franchise’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ for 2015, and the 26-year-old followed that with a starring role at the Netball World Cup in August.
The Northern Mystics wing-defence helped England to bronze in Australia as they beat Jamaica in the third-place play-off – a result which would have felt like sweet revenge following their defeat to the Caribbean nation at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Those achievements themselves would be enough to mark any calendar year as a success, but the former Le Rocquier student wasn’t done there.
In November, Guthrie was named the best mid-court player on the planet, and third overall, by a panel of experts working for the Guardian newspaper, and just days later, she turned out for Team Jets, alongside her childhood friends, in the Islanders’ Premier League 2 battle with Telstars.
Having been selected to join the Sussex CCC Academy at the tail end of 2014, cricketer Jonty Jenner enjoyed a fine summer last year.
The teenager played a lead role as the Island won European Division I on home soil in May, and secured a place at the World Twenty20 Qualifier in the process. Jenner then made his first appearance for his county’s second XI in early June, just days before being called up as 12th man for the first team.
Scoring an impressive ton for Hurstpierpoint college in the same month, Jenner went on to star for his Island at the World Twenty20 Qualifier in Ireland in July. Despite Jersey not qualifying for the knock-out rounds, the Old Victorian finished the tournament as the fourth highest run scorer, smashing 210 runs in six innings.
In November, ICC Europe’s newsletter profiled Jenner as one of the continents ‘stars of the future’, and later the same month the Jerseyman was selected to attend the Tom Maynard Academy, which gives a dozen emerging county cricket professionals the chance to benefit from specialists technical and conditioning work.
Guernsey’s Loveridge was outstanding at the NatWest Island Games, winning gold in the singles, women’s doubles and team event. There was also a silver in the mixed doubles.
Before that the Sarnian won gold in the singles and doubles for Nottingham Trent at the British University Championships in February. Loveridge also won the Jersey Open and took a bronze medal at the Six Nations Championships.
Simpson made his England debut at the European Team Championships in Denmark in April – he was unbeaten in five matches as his country were beaten in a close final against France.
On the PSA World Tour, the Sarnian won the biggest tournament of his career as he beat England team-mate Daryl Selby to claim the St George’s Hill Classic title.
Voting is now open ahead of the annual awards ceremony, this year taking place on 28 January at Beau Séjour in Guernsey.
One of Jersey’s finest young rugby prospects Will Kaye has been nominated for the NatWest Rising Star award for the second year in succession, and he is joined by Jersey swimmer Harry Shalamon, Guernsey footballer Maya Le Tissier and Sarnian steeplechaser Ed Mason on the shortlist of four.
The Channel Islands’ cricket squads will go head-to-head for the LRD The Big Idea Team of the Year award, Guernsey for their performances in 50-over cricket, Jersey for their efforts in the shorter form of the game. The Jersey women’s football team, NatWest Island Games gold medallists, have also been shortlisted, along with Jersey’s Team Jets netballers and the Guernsey table tennis squad.
Jersey women’s football coach Simon Petulla and Island swimming coach Nathan Jégou have been shotlisted for the Ravenscroft Coach of the Year award, alongside Guernsey’s Paul Brehaut, of cycling, and former Sarnian cricket coach Nic Pothas.
The Michael Lucas Sporting Hero Award will also be awarded on the night.
