Priaulx wins your vote

THE Channel Islands public have crowned Andy Priaulx the Total Oil CI Sports Personality of the Year for the second time running. The Guernseyman has been nominated every year since the award began in 2002.

Having won it last year on the back of his 2004 European Touring Car Championship success, it was no real surprise that he retained his title after his stunning victory in the 2005 World TCC.

The 31-year-old was up against fellow Sarnians Dale Garland and Lee Merrien and Jersey's England badminton player Elizabeth Cann and up-and-coming national hockey star Becky Herbert.

Priaulx was delighted to have won the award.

'It's nice to win it as it was just not Guernsey but Jersey as well who voted,' said Priaulx.

'It's amazing when you look at the talent that has come out of the islands and what the other guys who were nominated have achieved. It's a shame that there's only one winner.

'At the end of the day it is nice to be recognised by the Channel Islands.'

After a close campaign in the WTCC, the BMW Team UK driver found himself at the top of the table going into the last meeting in November in Macau and needing just to beat title rivals Dirk Muller and Fabrizio Giovinardi to take the honours.

Priaulx managed a second-place finish in each of the two races at the east Asian city and in both he crossed the line before Muller and Giovinardi to claim the world title.

'Going into the last race, three guys could have won it,' said Priaulx.

'It's the place to be for a driver outside F1 and people really realised that last year. It's a tough championship'

Outside the WTCC, Priaulx was also part of the team which won the prestigious Nurburgring 24-hour race championship in May.

He will probably have to build a new cabinet at his home to fit in alongside his European and World Championship trophies all the accolades he has picked up for his 2005 heroics.

In December he won the BBC South-West motorsport award and he also received a Gold Star from British Racing Drivers' Club, the president of which is legend Sir Jackie Stewart.

Another huge achievement was being nominated the ninth-best driver in the world by Autosport magazine ahead of such Formula One stars as Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld and Ralf Schumacher.

'Getting the BRDC Gold Star was special,' said Priaulx.

'Jackie Stewart was one of the first people to ring me to congratulate me after winning the world championship and that shows what he thinks about the touring cars. Another big thing was being seeded in the top 10 in the world.

'That's a perception of where I am. To be spoken about in the same breath as the top drivers is great.'

Next week, Priaulx travels to Belgium to start training for the 2006 WTCC that begins on 1 April with the first round in Monza, Italy.

'It's going to be a tough year,' he said.

'I'll have to keep winning to be the Michael Schumacher of the touring car championships. The aim is to stay as manufacturer's driver and also to win the Championship.'

Guernsey enjoyed just one other category win with the coach-of-the-year prize going to table tennis development officer Becky O'Keefe.

Jersey scooped the rest.

The 6ft 7in rugby player Matt Banahan claimed the NatWest Rising Star prize and £1,000 bursary that goes with it after breaking into the London Irish squad.

And after a golden year for them, Jersey's badminton players won the team-of-the-year award.

In addition to winning the Island Games gold, they ended nearly 30 years of Gilson Cup inter-insular misery.

Long-distance swimmer Sally Minty-Gravett won the sporting hero prize.