In March, waterskier Josh Briant made it a family double.

Ten years after his sister Michale won the award for the Border’s brightest young sporting star, the 18-year-old was announced as this year’s winner at the Commercial Club in front of more than 300 people.

Organiser Rob McDonald is hoping for a continuation of the outstanding athletes awarded the title since its inception.

“Norske Skog has announced they are naming sponsors of the event for another year, which helps confirm the future of the event,” he said.

“The award helps showcase the young athletes achieving in our local area and the quality of last year’s nominees made for a very tough decision.”

Briant’s stellar year included winning the tricks section and overall title in the world juniors, the tricks at the world under-21 titles in Florida and finishing seventh overall at the open worlds in Chile, all with a badly damaged ankle that kept him out of the water for almost four months.

The US College-bound waterskier beat an outstanding field in 10 separate sports.

Golfers Zach Murray and Casey Wild, along with hockey’s Jocelyn Bartram and Ben Hooppell, were the only multiple nominees for a sport.

The other finalists included Nick Dempsey (water polo), Matthew Ward (swimming), Mahalah Mullins (snowboard slopestyle), William McIntosh (cricket), James Willett (clay target shooting), Nathan Rodgers (triathlon) and Jordan Boys (kart racing).

Next year’s awards presentation will take place in the Commercial Club auditorium on Friday, March 20.