OF THE YEAR John Hanlon – Night Life See: 1976 in music Performing arts Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Merv Smith and Rusty Greaves. Radio and television Television Two is renamed South Pacific Television. All broadcasting services, including radio, are merged into the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand. 17–18 July: A power failure affecting the Blue Duck microwave station near Kaikoura causes both the TV One and TV Two networks to split into two. Most of the South Island misses the live opening ceremony of the 1976 Summer Olympics as a result. Feltex Television Awards: Best Programme: Pearse Best Personality: John Clarke and Dougal Stevenson Actor: Martyn Sanderson Actress: Ilona Rodgers Best Series: One Man's View Best Script: Ian Mune and Peter Hansard: Winners And Losers: The Woman at the Store See: 1976 in New Zealand television, 1976 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, :Category:Television in New Zealand, :Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand Film The God Boy See: :Category:1976 film awards, 1976 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1976 films Sport Athletics UK-born Jack Foster wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:16:27 on 6 March in Auckland. Chess The 83rd National Chess Championship is held in Upper Hutt. There is a three-way tie for the title between Lev Aptekar, Murray Chandler, and Ortvin Sarapu . Horse racing Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup: Stanley Rio Auckland Trotting Cup: Bolton Byrd Olympic Games Summer Olympics New Zealand sends a team of 80 competitors. Winter Olympics New Zealand sends a team of five alpine skiers. Paralympic Games Summer Paralympics New Zealand sends a team of 12 competitors. Soccer New Zealand National Soccer League won by Wellington Diamond United The Chatham Cup is won by Christchurch United who beat Eastern Suburbs (Auckland) 4–0 in the final. Births 1 January – Karl Burnett, actor 13 January – Bic Runga, singer, songwriter 12 February – Christian Cullen, rugby union footballer 14 March – Sarah Ulmer, cyclist 31 March – Anna Rowberry, netball player 6 April – Bruce Reihana, rugby player 10 April – Jason Richards, motor racing driver (d. 2011) 7 May – Stacey Jones, rugby league footballer 14 May – Jason Reeves, broadcaster 3 June – Miriama Smith, actress 7 July – Ron Cribb, rugby union footballer 3 August – Rachel Sutherland,