Torbay’s sporting stars were honoured on Friday 21 October 2011 at the EUROPLAS Torbay Sports Awards held at Torquay’s Riviera International Conference Centre.

The 2011 Europlas Sports Personality of the Year winner was local gymnast Jay Thompson, who was also named the EUROPLAS Junior Sports Personality of the Year. 15 year old Jay, is the Under-14 All-Round British Champion and has delivered in excess of 40 medals for Team GB, 31 of these being Gold. A fantastic ambassador for sport, Jay is also a Lloyds TSB Local Hero. The other Junior Sports Personalities of the Year were BMX-rider Natasha Bradley and Newton Abbot swimmer Jessica Sanders-Wyatt.

The EUROPLAS Senior Sports Personality of the Year Award was highly contested with two of the Awards winners unable to attend the Awards Night due to their commitments to the relevant Team GB squads. Kings Bowls Club bowler Natalie Melmore came out on top closely followed by Paignton Rowing Club rowers Elliot Barton and Shaun Pedley.

The EUROPLAS Disabled Sports Personality of the Year Award went to Football For All Coach James Lyon, a volunteer football coach who dedicates a great deal of time to Torquay United Inspirations. In second place was Torbay Olympic Gymnast Michelle Treadaway.

The YMCA Torbay Tigers U14s Team was crowned the EUROPLAS Junior Team of the Year after remaining unbeaten on home turf to become South West Champions. 21 Down Table Tennis Team were a close second after this all-junior team outshone most senior teams in the South Devon League, winning two trophies. In third place was Stoodley Knowle Girls Cricket Team who earlier this year were crowned National Indoor Girls Cricket Champions.

The EUROPLAS Senior Team of the Year crown went to Team TYGA South West, a team of three men who have represented Team GB and finished 3^rd in the World Championships earlier in the year. Second place went to YMCA Torbay Tigers Senior Basketball Team.

Following a short intermission, local sporting record-breaker Suzy Madge, inspired her audience to dare to dream. Suzy has represented Great Britain in tennis and adventure racing, completed the gruelling Saharan Ultra Marathon the ‘Marathon of the Sands’, founded the first ever all female adventure racing team the ‘lipstickblondes’, summated the highest mountains in Africa, Europe, North America and South America, and was the first British female to climb and ski an 8,000metre peak.

Local basketball coach Troy Culley was then named the EUROPLAS Coach of the Year. Troy has led the YMCA Torbay Tigers U14s Team to South West success this last season and continues to ignite enjoyment and a love of basketball into all he coaches. Torquay Lawn Tennis Club coach Tracey Brown and Torre Table Tennis Coach George Breyley picked up the second and third place trophies respectively.

Laura Tucker from Paignton Rowing Club was named the EUROPLAS Young Volunteer of the Year Award after becoming the youngest-ever person in the Bay to qualify as a Level I Swim Instructor. Laura is also currently pursuing her Assistant Coach Award in Rowing. South Devon School of Gymnastics volunteers Lauren Perkin and Tallulah Bird and basketball coaches Katie and Heidi Tranter were also awarded for their selfless commitment to Torbay sport.

Saviour of Cary Park Lawn Tennis Club, Sheila Thomas was awarded the EUROPLAS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sport after virtually running Cary Park Tennis Club single-handedly. Awarded for her hard work and dedication, Sheila announced that receiving her EUROPLAS Award was her proudest moment to date in Tennis. Marathon-runner Amelia Hall and YMCA Torbay Tigers Basketball husband and wife duo, Chris and Pam Mackey also picked up awards.

The EUROPLAS Torbay Club of the Year went to Torbay Olympic Gymnastics Club whose facility benefits the entire community, promoting healthy lifestyles to all. After picking up Awards in 5 of the other categories, the YMCA Torbay Tigers Basketball Club were awarded second place in the EUROPLAS Torbay Club of the Year category whilst TYGA Martial Arts won third place.

Many thanks goes to the Awards title sponsors EUROPLAS, whose commitment to the Awards for the third year running cannot go unthanked. Other category sponsors to be thanked were the Herald Express, Robert Excell Photography, Pyramid Torbay, the Riviera International Conference Centre, ESW Solutions and Active Devon.

To view and/or purchase any photos of the Awards evening please visit the Pyramid Torbay  website.