Times Colonist reporter Louise Dickson is a finalist for a National Newspaper Award in the short feature category.
Finalists for the awards, which are in their 71st year, were announced Wednesday in Toronto. The NNAs were established in 1949 by the Toronto Press Club.
Dickson’s submission tells the story of the last journey of Hugh Robert Nisbet, known as Biker Bob, who died at the age of 71 on Aug. 10, 2013, as the result of injuries suffered in a Saanich motorcycle crash.
The colourful tale begins with an anecdote about Biker Bob’s request to have his ashes floated away in a canoe — along with a twenty-sixer of Crown Royal — in Kootenay Lake.
His ashes ended up going on a wild ride that stretched all the way to the East Coast, before the story came to a conclusion three years later.
Dave Obee, editor and publisher of the Times Colonist, called the nomination an honour. “This newspaper is consistently ranked with the top newspapers in the country, and we will continue to strive to deliver the best possible newspaper for our readers,” he said.
Sixty-three finalists representing 19 organizations are vying for awards in 21 categories. Winners will be announced next month.
Other nominees in the short feature category include Caroline Alphonso of the Globe and Mail and Josh Rubin of the Toronto Star.
The Globe and Mail has the most finalists with 19, including all three in the International category, two in the Politics category and two in the Explanatory Work category. Other organizations with multiple finalists include the Canadian Press, the Ottawa Citizen and La Presse.
The 2019 Journalist of the Year will be chosen from among this year’s award winners
