The Lonsdale Cup is awarded annually by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) to a New Zealand athlete (or team) who has demonstrated the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth sport during the previous year.
The cup is a scale replica of the original Queen Anne cup of the same design presented by Lord Lonsdale during the 1911 Festival of Empire meeting. Originally won by Canada, it was subsequently given to the British Empire Games Federation to ensure its best use as an Empire Games trophy.
Due to its impractical size and the Federation deciding not to award such a trophy for the Games, the original was melted down in 1934, and smaller scale cups were given to the British Empire Games Associations in existence at the time.
It is on permanent display at the NZOC's New Zealand Olympic Museum, with athletes receiving a scale replica.
Recipients New Zealand's Lonsdale Cup has been awarded annually since 1961. Year Winner Sport 1961 Athletics 1962 Athletics 1963 Athletics 1964 Athletics 1965 Weightlifting 1966 Athletics 1967 Athletics 1968 Shooting 1969 Athletics 1970 Cycling 1971 Athletics 1972 Athletics 1973 Athletics 1974 Athletics 1975 Athletics 1976 Athletics 1978 Swimming 1979 Canoeing 1980 Cycling 1981 Hamish Willcox Yachting 1982 Archery 1983 Hamish Willcox Yachting 1984 Canoeing 1985 Paul MacDonald Canoeing 1986 Swimming 1987 Canoeing 1988 Yachting 1989 Swimming 1990 Cycling 1991 Swimming 1992 Swimming 1993 Rowing 1994 Shooting 1995 Rowing 1996 Swimming 1997 Athletics 1998 Rowing 1999 Yachting 2000 Rowing 2001 Equestrian 2002 Cycling 2003 Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2004 Cycling 2005 Rowing 2006 Athletics 2007 Athletics 2008 Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2009 Rowing 2010 Silver Ferns Netball 2011 Athletics 2012 Eric Murray Rowing 2013 Athletics 2014 Athletics 2015 Golf 2016 Canoeing 2017 Canoeing 2018 Black Ferns sevens Rugby sevens 2019 Silver Ferns Netball 2020 Blair Tuke Sailing 2021 Canoeing 2022 Snowboarding 2023 Canoeing 2024 Golf 2025 Athletics
References