THE GMB Mail South Cumbria Sports Awards are returning for their second year to recognise the top performances of 2018 and nominations are now open.

This year’s event will be held at Hawcoat Park on March 21 with nominations already open and closing on January 31.

The award organisers will then whittle down the nominations to a shortlist, with the winners being announced at the awards ceremony.

Last year’s event proved to be a superb celebration of sporting excellence in the area, where prizes were handed out for Senior Sportsperson of the Year, Junior Sportsperson of the Year, Senior Team of the Year and Junior Team of the Year, along with Services to Sport accolades to recognise those who have made a longstanding contribution to teams and organisations.

Liam Conroy picked up the senior individual prize after becoming the first boxer from Barrow to win the English professional title, edging out jockey Charlotte Jones and cricketer Liam Livingstone.

The junior accolade went to Ulverston’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Curtis Anderson, with the Manchester City stopper having been part of the England Under-17s team which won the tournament in India.

The runners-up in this category were another young football star in Aimee Everett and judoka Harvey Burns.

In the team awards, Croftlands Park were given the senior prize after crowning back-to-back promotions after joining the Furness Premier League by lifting the Premier League title at their first attempt.

Barrow Raiders’ League One Cup and play-off winning team, and Black Combe Ladies – who finished second in the English Fell Running Championship – were the other nominees.

Ulverston Victoria High School’s orienteering team beat off competition from the school’s table cricket side and the Dalton under-16s rugby league team to take the junior team prize, having won the British Championship and a world silver medal.

Service to sport awards went to football referee Joe Gardner, Millom rugby league members Gary Kelly and Paul Roskell, Hawcoat Park rugby union’s Terry Burns, Barrow & District Junior Football League servant Dennis Boyd, North Lancs & Cumbria Cricket League stalwart Terry Atkinson, and Furness Gymnastics Club pair Ian and Lyn Fraser.

The Mail’s Sports Performance of the Month awards for January and February, sponsored by Furness Heating Components, will be presented on the night this year as well.

Send nominations via email to sport.em@cnmedia.co.uk.