In what came to some as the `Shock of the Year', last night's gala Sports Awards raised a few eyebrows with the announcement of bodybuilder Candy Lee Foggo as Bermuda's Female Athlete of the Year.

Indeed, while few in the packed Princess Louise Room at The Fairmount Princess expressed surprise in seeing top sailor Peter Bromby being named as the Island's top male athlete for the second time, the choice of Foggo may have seemed like something out of left field.

With bodybuilding viewed by many as a fringe sport at best, together with the fact that there appeared no real front-runner among the women, not many would have hedged bets on behalf of Foggo, however the panel of adjudicators obviously felt strongly in favour.

A long-time competitor on both domestic and international fronts, Foggo reached new heights in 2000, capturing first place in the Heavyweight category and placing second in the Masters Division of the locally hosted CAC Championships, while leading Bermuda to first place overall.

She has also been far and away the best local practitioner of the discipline for several years, being favoured whenever entered in any competition on home soil, and a contender whenever venturing south to the Caribbean.

A beaming Foggo afterward expressed gratitude on being named recipient of the top local honour.

"Right now I'm really honoured and I think that, by me winning this award, it does bring bodybuilding to the forefront,'' said Foggo, acknowledging the debate as to the activity's legitimacy in the sporting realm. "Apparently there's a lot of controversy surrounding bodybuilding, whether it's a sport or not.

"But I know the dedication and commitment that goes into it, it's definitely a sport, it's recognised everywhere else in the world, so I don't know what makes Bermuda an exception.'' Conversely, on the male side, from the moment Bromby flirted with winning a Star Class bronze medal -- and even gold -- at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, eventually finishing fourth, which was the best ever placing by a local yachtsman.

Compe mre Brenton (Tony) Roberts used a quote from the legendary football coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, to highlight the achievement of Bromby, which said: "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour.'' Alluded to was the fact that success had come both on and off the water for the Sandys resident, with his superior quality at the helm matched by success as a businessman, which he has used to help meet the huge expenses required to prepare and compete home and abroad.

Certainly the name `Bromby' has become synonymous with the local sport of sailing, with no less than former Americas Cup winning skipper Dennis Conner of the United States -- a living legend of world sailing -- calling on the Bermudian for advice during last year's Colorcraft Gold Cup.

Bromby is a multiple IOD World Champion and the reigning National Keelboat Champion among the Etchells Class.

Fittingly, long-time crew Lee White was called to join Bromby at the podium in acceptance of the award, with White handed a Special Recognition Award of his own.

"Certainly it's an honour, and I was glad that they included Lee, because we're a partnership in the boat, and have been for 10 years, with this year having our highlight as the fourth at the Games,'' said Bromby, who revealed there to have been an amicable parting of the ways between he and White, the later electing to `retire' from the partnership so that he could spend more time with his young family.

"I couldn't have asked for a better partner over the last 10 years than Lee, I certainly thank him for the service he has given, we've had a lot of good times and fond memories, we've competed hard and accounted ourselves well.'' While Bromby had been cited by the Sports Awards committee thrice before, with last night's his second time being named to the ultimate prize, for Foggo it was a first.

A year ago likewise saw a sailor honoured for his achievement, with Malcolm Smith waltzing away with male honours, as equestrian Mary Jane Tumbridge took the female title.