On November 10th and 11th 2016, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association is presenting the second edition of its ITA Tunnelling Awards. This international competition recognizes and rewards the most ground-breaking achievements and innovations in underground infrastructure worldwide. Following a very successful 2015 edition, participation has been highly competitive this year, with 98 entries from 25 countries competing for awards in nine categories. The 17-strong expert judging panel, chaired by the ITA President Tarcisio Celestino, concluded the review of entries last week. Based on their detailed evaluation, 33 entries have been selected as finalists and will participate in the second evaluation stage to determine winners.