Writer Niamh McAnally has been shortlisted in the “new women’s sports writing” category in Britain’s 2023 Sports Book Awards.

McAnally is the author of Flares Up: A Story Bigger than the Atlantic, which documents how English firefighter Paul Hopkins (55), who had recovered from a brain haemorrhage, and entrepreneur Phil Pugh (65) rowed the Atlantic in February 2020.

McAnally, who was interviewed for Afloat’s Wavelengths last October, is the only Irish nominee on the shortlist for the inaugural Vikki Orvice Award for new women’s sports writing.

The shortlist for the inaugural Vikki Orvice Award for new women’s sports writing

The award is named after sports journalist Vikki Orvice who did much to champion female sports writing.

Other nominees in this category include Olympic gold medallist Beth Shriever for her book, The Power of Belief; cricket journalist Michéle Savidge for Between Overs; broadcast journalist Jen Offord for The Year of the Robin; Guardian newspaper football writer Suzanne Wrack for A Woman’s Game; and audio documentary maker Hannah Walker-Brown, for A Delicate Game: Brain Injury, Sport and Sacrifice.

McAnally is the author of Flares Up: A Story Bigger than the Atlantic, which documents how English firefighter Paul Hopkins (55), who had recovered from a brain haemorrhage, and entrepreneur Phil Pugh (65) rowed the Atlantic in February 2020

McAnally and her husband, Gary Krieger, will be attending the awards ceremony and gala dinner. The 2023 Sports Book Awards, in association with The Sunday Times, will be presented in London on May 24th.