Winners of the 2013 British Sports Book Awards announced

Sports stars, authors, commentators, journalists and publishers all gathered for the 11th annual British Sports Book Awards last night where the winners were announced at a prestigous ceremony held at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London.

The British Sports Book Awards is a celebration of the very best in sports writing and, following a seminal year for British sport, the 2013 shortlist featured one of the strongest nominee lists in the Awards’ history.

In arguably the most competitive and eagerly anticipated category, David Walsh scooped the best Autobiography/Biography Award for his Lance Armstrong tome Seven Deadly Sins, pipping the likes of Seb Coe (Running My Life), Ian Thorpe (This is Me) and Bradley Wiggins (My Time).

A fitting posthumous tribute was made to Christopher Martin-Jenkins (‘CMJ’), the legendary journalist, sports writer and commentator whose wife, Judy Martin-Jenkins, was there to receive his Outstanding Contribution to Sports Writing award.

Other winners included: Gideon Haigh (On Warne) for Best Cricket Book of the Year; Graham Hunter (Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World) for Best Football Book of the Year; Rick Broadbent (That Near-Death Thing) for Best Motorsports Book of the Year; and Julian Muscat (Her Majesty’s Pleasure) for Best Horseracing Book of the Year.

2013 British Sports Book Awards Winners

Best New Writer– Running with the Kenyans: Discovering the secrets of the fastest people on earth by Adharanand Finn (Faber and Faber)

Best Autobiography/Biography in association with The Times – Seven Deadly Sins by David Walsh (Simon & Schuster)

Best Cricket Book in association with Littlehampton Book Services– On Warne by Gideon Haigh (Simon & Schuster)

Best Football Book in association with – Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World by Graham Hunter (BackPage Press)

Best Golf Book in association with St Andrews – Bobby’s Open: Mr Jones and the Golf Shot that Defined a Legend by Steven Reid (Icon Books)

Best Horseracing Book in association with Ladbrokes – Her Majesty’s Pleasure by Julian Muscat (Racing Post Books)

Best Rugby Book in association with BT Sport – The Final Whistle: The Great War in Fifteen Players by Stephen Cooper (The History Press)

Best Motorsports Book in association with Arbuthnot Latham – That Near Death Thing by Rick Broadbent (Orion)

Best Illustrated Book in association with Getty Images – 21 Days to Glory by Team Sky and Dave Brailsford (HarperCollins)

Outstanding Contribution to Sports Writing – CMJ: A Cricketing Life by Christopher Martin -Jenkins (Simon & Schuster)

Best Publicity Award in association with PPC – Be Careful What You Wish For by Simon Jordan – Bethan Jones (Yellow Jersey Press)

Sports Book Retailer of the Year Award in association with Simon & Schuster –Foyles

All winning books will now be entered into a public online vote to find The Times Sports Book of the Year. The vote opens on 22 May 2013 and closes at midnight 7 June 2013. The winner will be announced on 10 June, 2013. To vote go to: www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk.

Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.