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The Ashes LIVE from 12Year in Review: Most outstanding Kiwi sportswoman of 2025
Sport Nation • December 26th, 2025 8:07 am
Alice Robinson battled challenging conditions on her way to victory at Mont Tremblant | Photo: AP
With a blockbuster 12 months of sports in the rear-view mirror, what better way to wind up than by reflecting on some of the stellar achievements of a memorable year of Kiwi excellence.
Today, the Sport Nation crew cast their vote for the best sportswoman of 2025.
Alice Robinson
Robbie McFarlane, Scotty & Izzy producer: Over the past season, she stood on the World Cup podium four times, winning three races, and finished the year sitting at the top of the giant slalom standings. It was a breakthrough not just in results, but in belief, as she learned to trust her skiing even when everything didn’t feel perfect.
Her year reached historic territory when she switched focus to Super-G and produced a stunning, unexpected win - the first Super-G World Cup victory by a New Zealander, and the first time a Kiwi had ever stood on the podium in the event. With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy just months away, she now heads into the biggest event of the four-year cycle in outstanding form.
If 2025 was about dominance and confidence, 2026 shapes as an opportunity for Alice Robinson to reach even greater heights.
Riccardo Ball, Mornings co-host: Robinson is tearing up the slopes all over Europe and North America at the moment. She has specialised in the Giant Slalom in the Alpine Ski World Cup and achieved eight podiums in 2025, reaching the top step on three occasions.
She recently added the Super G title at St Moritiz to her CV made all the more sweet by beating American legend Lindsey Vonn in the process.
Braxton Sorensen-McGee
Jacob Scott, Afternoons producer: Winning the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year says it all.
Sorenson-McGee topped the try scoring chart at this year's Women's Rugby World Cup with 11 meat pies and in doing so cemented herself as a stalwart in the Black Ferns 15s side for years to come.
Watch out, sevens world.
Henry Lee, Millsy & Guy producer: Sorensen-McGee's display at the World Cup was unbelievable at her age, and to back it up, she's now playing sevens too.
An incredible talent who could go on to become one of the greats.
Teenage fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored an incredible double on debut for the Black Ferns | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Karin Burger
Mark Stafford, Afternoons host: On the court Karin never has a bad game. She was a major part of the Tactix, who became ANZ Premiership winners for the first time this season.
While the first half of the year was full of thrilling games and the emergence of exciting young athletes, no one could have predicted the collapse of the much loved sport over the following months. The players were subject to horrendous inaccurate accusations, as the netball walls crumbled.
After the Silver Ferns dispatched South Africa 3-0, Karin was entrusted with the captaincy for the Constellation Cup (2-2) and the Northern Tour (4-1). She maintained her high standard of play but more importantly led our national team with poise, professionalism and much needed calm, allowing the team to excel under a massive storm cloud.
Her leadership and brilliance made this an easy selection for me.
Staffy signs off with a heartfelt tribute to the Sport Nation whanau | Afternoons
Sammie Maxwell
Sam Ackerman, Scotty & Izzy producer: I've settled on someone who has taken the long, hard fought road to success. Sammie Maxwell has been put through the ringer in her career but never threw in the towel and fought her own corner when no one else did.
Her drive and talent was on display for the world to see as the mountain biker became the first New Zealander to win a UCI World Series title with a thrilling finish. She’s taken her own battles public and been prepared to shine a light on her own issues so others can benefit.
A dead-set legend.
Jorja Miller
Alex Chapman, Mornings co-host: Really intriguing category this one, as it often is the year after an Olympics.
I’m going to go Jorja Miller here. She’s a walking/running highlight reel, while her ability as a versatile weapon could become a new prototype for players. She’s at times in another stratosphere in both sevens and 15s.
Stephen Foote, digital producer: Should be classified as a WMD. Ridiculous amounts of potential.
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Grace Nweke
Finn James, Millsy & Guy producer: I think it’s very hard to look past what Nweke was able to achieve this year in netball - from making a huge statement in the Super Netball competition in Australia, where she was arguably the best player, to creating a movement inside Netball NZ that allowed Silver Ferns players to keep their eligibility while also playing overseas.
We also can’t forget the debacle that Dame Noeline and the Silver Ferns this year and for Nweke to be a key part of the Silver Ferns success despite the drama goes to show her value to the sport.
Oliva McTaggart
Logan Swinkels, digital lead: The Kiwi pole vaulter made history in July as the first New Zealander to win a Diamond League event in the discipline. The 25-year-old soared high in London to clear 4.73m for a new personal best.
If you follow her on Instagram, it’s clear to see what representing the country at the elite level means to McTaggart, and if you’re like me, you’ll get the impression that everything is building nicely towards the LA 2028 Olympics.
Staffy's surprise gift for Kiwi pole vaulter Olivia McTaggart | Sport Nation
