A handful of Bay of Plenty athletes will have to wait until next month to see if their 2014 sporting accolades reign supreme at next month's Halberg Awards.

Valerie and Steven Adams, Lisa Carrington, Brodie Retallick and Peter Burling are all among the 27 finalists named for six categories at the 52nd edition of the prestigious sporting awards.

Olympic kayaker Lisa Carrington, Chiefs and All Black lock Brodie Retallick, shot-put star Valerie Adams, Tauranga sailor Peter Burling and Oklahoma City Thunder centre Steven Adams are all up for various Halberg Awards.

Organised by the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation, the awards honour the achievements of New Zealand athletes during the 2014 calendar year. This year, 14 different sports feature with cycling providing the most finalists with six shortlisted.

Of the 27 finalists, 18 are in line for the supreme Halberg Award - the country's highest accolade for sporting excellence. The winners of the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson and Team of the Year award categories will be eligible for the top honour.

In the High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year, Olympic and world champions Carrington and Adams are up against2013 Halberg Supreme Award-winning golfer Lydia and rower Emma Twigg.

Carrington defended her K1 200m world title in Moscow, and landed double gold in the 200m and 500m at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup in Milan.

Adams also had a busy year being named World Athlete of the Year, after winning 56 successive events, adding a senior global title to her collection when she successfully defended her world indoor crown and triumphed at the Commonwealth Games.

In the corresponding men's category, Valerie's younger sibling Steven lines up against Blackcap captain Brendon McCullum, cyclist Sam Webster and All Blacks Richie McCaw and Brodie Retallick.

The Oklahoma City Thunder centre makes the cut, while Chiefs lock Retallick comes in having scooped 2014 world player of the year ahead of his captain.

In the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation Team of the Year category, Tauranga sailor Peter Burling and teammate Blair Tuke will hope their success on the water will be enough to get past some stiff competition.

The pair had a stellar year on the water, winning both the House of Travel Sailor of the Year Award and 49er world title at the ISAF Sailing World Championships for the second straight year.

They come up against other world champion title winners in the Men's Team Sprint of Ethan Mitchell, Eddie Dawkins and Sam Webster, and rowing pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray.

The category will also be strongly contested by Four Nations victors the Kiwis and Auckland City FC who had a stunning third-place finish at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Halberg Disability Sport Foundation CEO, Geoff Burgess, says a bumper year of achievements makes the finalists list a line-up of some of the best athletes and teams in the world.

'The supreme Halberg Award will be hotly contested by a plethora of successful athletes who have reached great heights in their respective sports in 2014,” says Geoff.

The award winners will be announced at the 52nd Halberg Awards at Vector Arena, Auckland, on February 11, 2015.

List of finalists for the 52nd Halberg Awards:

High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman Of The Year: Emma Twigg (Rowing), Lisa Carrington (Canoeing), Lydia Ko (Golf), Valerie Adams (Athletics).

High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportsman of the Year: Brendon McCullum (Cricket), Brodie Retallick (Rugby), Richie McCaw (Rugby), Sam Webster (Cycling), Steven Adams (Basketball).

Halberg Disability Sport Foundation Disabled Sportsperson Of The Year: Corey Peters (Para-Skiing), Emma Foy and Laura Fairweather - pilot (Para-Cycling), Mary Fisher (Para-Swimming), Sophie Pascoe (Para-Swimming).

Halberg Disability Sport Foundation Team Of The Year: Auckland City FC (Football), Kiwis (Rugby League), Men's Pair – Hamish Bond, Eric Murray (Rowing), Men's Team Sprint - Ethan Mitchell, Eddie Dawkins and Sam Webster (Cycling), NZ Men's 49er Class Team - Peter Burling, Blair Tuke (Yachting).

Emerging Talent: Eliza McCartney (Athletics), Regan Gough (Cycling), Sam Gaze (Mountain Biking), Zoe McBride (Rowing).

Sky Sport Coach Of The Year: Anthony Peden (Cycling), Gary Hay (Rowing), Gordon Walker (Canoeing), Stephen Kearney (Rugby League), Steve Hansen (Rugby)