The judging panel for the bankmecu-sponsored awards will meet tonight to decide the final nominee/s for 2012-13.

Highlights in January included Ravenswood teenager Lucas Herbert being equal second in his first professional golf tournament at the Heritage Classic.

Herbert finished at 14-under and was in a three-way play-off to decide the winner.

Yachtsman Adam Hawkins won the National Flying Fifteen title contested at Davey’s Bay.

Bendigo sailor Corvan Hughes and the crew aboard Deja Vu won the three-race Salamanca Series.

Kyneton’s motorcycling ace Matt Fish was third in the Dakar Rally’s second stage raced in Peru.

On the kayaking front, Maddie Batters and Kristy Packham were in hot form at the Australian Wildwater Championships. Batters won the under-18 classic, and Packham the classic and rapid sprint.

Both have been selected in Australia’s team to contest the wildwater sprint world titles in Slovakia in June.

Another kayaking star, Rebecca Mann won silver in the K1 200m sprint at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney.

Knowsley’s Eliza Long made it back-to-back appearances at the Australian Open junior tennis championships.

Maika Ruyter-Hooley and her Melbourne Victory team-mates were runner-up to Sydney in the W-League soccer grand final.

Josh Davies was named in Australia’s provisional squad of 28 to contest the World Baseball Championships in early March.

Braeden Dean won silver in the under-19s 1000m time trial and team sprint at the national track cycling titles.

Louise Findlay and Tess Swift represented Victoria in the under-19 division at the national beach volleyball championships in St Kilda.

On the cricket field, Bendigo United’s Heath Behrens struck the 24th century of his career and joined BDCA legend Wayne Walsh for most tons in league history.

Joint winner for April, 2012, Glenn O’Shea won gold in the 1km time trial at the teams pursuit at the national track cycling titles in Sydney.

A guard for the Boomers at the London Olympics, Maryborough’s Matt Dellavedova became the record-holder, 239, for three-pointers  in college basketball for St Mary’s Gaels in the US. 

December finalists include cyclists Imogen Jelbart and George Tansley and race walker Zoe Boldiston.

Now based at the South Australia Sports Institute, Mandurang’s George Tansley won the national madison championship.

Tansley teamed with SA’s Miles Scotson to be second overall and the highest-placed Australian team in an event where Belgium’s Kenny de Ketele and Geelong’s Leigh Howard reigned supreme.

Later in the month, Tansley won the Lindsay Harrington Memorial Wheelrace (2000m) at the Tom Flood Sports Centre track in Bendigo.

Jelbart’s medal-winning spree at state titles rolled on as she won gold in the 80-lap points score and silver in the 3000m pursuit.

A national junior champion in race walking, Boldiston is the August, 2012 winner in Sports Star.

The Kialla-based athlete ended the year by earning selection in Australia’s team for the Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney. 

Reigning world track cycling champion in the omnium, Glenn O’Shea ruled the track in the duel for the national title.