Zara Phillips on Sportswoman of the Year short-list

Zara Phillips has been short-listed for The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year Award. The 24-year-old European eventing gold medallist joins Paula Radcliffe and Dame Ellen McArthur in the six-person line up.

Alex Butler, Sports Editor of The Sunday Times said: “Selecting the shortlist is no easy task for our judges and this year there were plenty of sporting successes from which to choose”. Now it is up to the public to decide whether the Queen’s grand daughter will be crowned Sportswoman of the Year.

Zara’s foot-perfect cross-country round amid a tumultuous rainstorm at the European Championships will go down in eventing history. And if she becomes Sportswoman of the Year 2005, she will be the second equestrian heroine to take home the prize in its 18-year history — Pippa Funnell won the accolade in 2003, the year of her momentous grand slam victory.

Equestrian wins in the Sunday Times competition are particular inspirational for sportswomen around Britain as it is the only Olympic sport where women and men compete on an even footing. The winners will be announced at a dinner at Old Billingsgate Market on November 16, 2005.

Register your vote now on www.timesonline.co.uk or text 5 to 86122 (calls cost: 25p plus standard network charges. All UK networks included, deadline 6th November). Alternatively, you can call 09015 000 064 and vote by following instructions. Calls cost 25p per minute. Please see www.zamano.com for terms and conditions.

Nominations for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year open on 19 November, visit www.bbc.co.uk for more information.

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