"Even though she wasn't there, Fiona says she's a CHB-bred person and extremely proud of that," a member of the audience said, after Bourke's father also earlier picked up the Female Sportsperson of the Year Award on her behalf.
Bourke won gold with Zoe Stevenson in the New Zealand women's double scull crew at this year's world championship in Amsterdam, after the pair got on the podium for gold at the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne.
Admittedly not very sporty when growing up in CHB, the former CHB College dux took to rowing because "no other sport would have her".
"After picking up an oar in 2007 at Otago University as a very merry and plump university student, I have steadily made my way to where I am today," she has posted on her website.
"Initially rowing was a way to make friends and become fully immersed in the university lifestyle but before long I had developed a passion for the sport and a desire to see where the sport could lead me."
At a national level, Bourke clinched two golds in the women's eights and double scull as well as bronze in the women's quadruple scull.
Last night she was went into a peloton of other winners - Regan Gough and Luke Mudgway, Ongaonga Golf Club Greenwood Cup team, Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year Amanda Jamieson and Senior Male Sportsperson of the Year Award winner Dominic Bird - to prevail as overall winner.
Gough also missed the awards because he has been competing in the SBS Tour of Southland in Invercargill for the past week. The CHB College seventh-former was named the HB Secondary Schools Sportsperson of the Year in Napier on Monday.
Olympic gold medal-winning rower Hamish Bond, who is also based in Cambridge, was the guest speaker at the CHB awards.
Former Magpies, Hurricanes and All Black hooker Norm Hewitt was inducted into the CDP Sports Hall of Fame.
CHB College SADD students and Roadsafe HB served non-alcoholic Mocktails.
CHB sixth-former Jamieson was delighted to have picked her first regional award after a couple at primary school.
"I didn't think I was going to win it so I had a bit of a shock," said the 17-year-old champion cyclist who was a finalist with Sarah Morton at the secondary schools' award and was mindful it was going to be between the two of them.
Jamieson thanked her coach, Dylan Stewart, and her parents, Wayne and Glennis, for their support.
In June, Jamieson missed out on the Australian nationals because of glandular fever so she has been recovering since.
"My main goal right now is to make a comeback in cycling after getting sick."
The teenager hopes to take her cycling career to the highest level she can and also harbours ambitions of becoming a professional rider someday.
2014 AWARD WINNERS
Hall of Fame: Norm Hewitt (All Black No 938; 1993-1998).
Junior female sportsperson of the year: Amanda Jamieson (cycling).
Junior male sportsperson of the year: Regan Gough (cycling).
Senior female sportsperson of the year: Fiona Bourke (rowing).
Senior male sportsperson of the year: Dominic Bird (rugby).
Masters sportsperson of the year: Steffan Hepburn (golf).
Junior team of the year: Regan Gough & Luke Mudgway (cycling).
Senior team of the year: Ongaonga Golf Club Greenwood Cup team.
Coach of the year: Wayne Marsh (trampolining).
Administrator of the year: Jo-Ann Reidy (swimming).
Official of the year: Serena Spencer (netball).
Service to sport (recognised for acheivements - not winners' category):Meg Brown (netball), Graeme Dudley (rugby), Penny Gough (cycling), Mike Lewis (cricket/Onga 7s), Jo-Ann Reidy (swimming).
Club of the year: Cycling CHB.
Premier sportsperson of the year: Fiona Bourke.
