THE SHORTLIST of finalists for the 2013 Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards has been confirmed – and the British public have the opportunity to vote for their favourite female sports team from the past 11 months.

The Awards celebrate the outstanding contribution to sport made by elite performers, coaches, administrators, community volunteers and inspirational female figures – and 2013 promises to be the most spectacular in the event’s 26-year history.

On the evening of Thursday December 5, the star-studded awards ceremony will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

And, for the first time, readers of the Sunday Times and Sky Sports viewers can vote online for their favourite Team of the Year. A four-team shortlist has been drawn up to celebrate the achievements of Britain’s successful collective efforts.

To cast your vote, please visit
www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/swoty2013

Voting will close at midnight on Monday November 25. See the website for terms and conditions.

Team of the Year 2013 shortlist:

England cricket team
England won the women’s Ashes last summer. The team drew the one-off Test match before winning the ODI and Twenty20 matches 2-1 and 3-0 respectively to secure victory by 12 points to 4

England netball team
England lost only one Test match in 2013 and had series victories against Australia, Jamaica and South Africa. They beat Australia, ranked No 1 in the world, 3-0 in January

Europe’s Solheim Cup team
Thanks to contributions from British golfers Catriona Matthew, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Charley Hull, Europe lifted the Solheim Cup for the first time on American soil. They won 18-10 in Colorado

Great Britain team pursuit cycling squad
Olympic champions Laura Trott and Dani King and debutant Elinor Barker won the women’s 3km team pursuit at the world track championships in Minsk in February

After five weeks of public nominations, an independent panel of judges met on the morning of Wednesday November 6 to select the respective shortlists. Winners of the seven awards will be announced at the ceremony.

The shortlist of finalists for 2013:

THE SUNDAY TIMES & SKY SPORTS SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Charlotte Dujardin (equestrianism)
Heather Knight (cricket)
Becky James (track cycling)
Christine Ohuruogu (athletics)
Shelley Rudman (skeleton)
Non Stanford (triathlon)

YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
(21 years or younger)
Dina Asher-Smith (athletics)
Charley Hull (golf)
Becky James (track cycling)
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (athletics)

DISABILITY SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR
Hannah Cockcroft (athletics)
Sophie Hahn (athletics)
Amy Marren (swimming)
Eleanor Simmonds (swimming)

COMMUNITY AWARD
Rimla Akhtar (chair, Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation, Harrow)
Karen Edwards (chief executive, Bolton Lads & Girls Club)
Brenda Prescott (secretary, Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association)
Ros Spearing (director, Ebony Horse Club, Brixton, South London)

Winners of the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD and the HELEN ROLLASON AWARD FOR INSPIRATION will be announced on the evening.

Alex Butler, sports editor for the Sunday Times, commented: “The 2013 shortlist is incredibly strong, with a wide range of team and individual endeavours represented. With Sky Sports involved as co-sponsor and broadcaster of the awards ceremony, the awards have moved to a new level. For the first time, we are inviting the public to vote for their Team of Year via our website.”

Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: “Our unrivalled commitment to women’s sport continues this year with, for the first time, live coverage of the Sportswomen of the Year Awards on Sky Sports. 2013 has been an amazing year for women’s sport and on the 5th December we look forward to showcasing the talent of the shortlisted nominees and celebrating their success.”

The Sportswomen of the Year Awards are also supported by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, UK Sport, Sport England and the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation.