"Aimee is hard on herself because she doesn't want to let her supporters down," Ross said.
"Just like when Aimee won the supreme award in 2016 she wouldn't want to accept this one without thanking coaches Pip Pearse and Ben Bennett who has such a huge influence on her during her early kayaking years here in the Bay."
When canoe polo was her main sport Fisher was involved in Karamu High School teams which won three gold medals and two silvers at national level.
Fisher, who was nicknamed "Fish" her teachers, beat masters award winner, New Zealand senior golf champion Stu Duff, disabled award winner, world ranked para athlete Guy Harrison, junior team award winner, national secondary schools rugby champions Hastings Boys' High School, senior team award winner, national cricket club champions Napier Technical, and junior award winner, Commonwealth Games cyclist Regan Gough, in the tussle for the supreme award.
Olympian Gough, who won the supreme award in 2015, collected the junior award for the fourth time in five years.
"Hawke's Bay is a very rich sporting region and I'm very fortunate to be brought up in this region," Gough said.
Hawke's Bay Netball won the Sports Organisation award for the fifth consecutive year.
This recognised the fact it is the largest participation sport among Hawke's Bay secondary schools and the organisation's ability to upskill 259 coaches and 433 officials.
Cycling dynamo Ivan Aplin won the administrator award for the fourth time in the wake of his role as chief organiser and race director for the national elite and under-23 men's and women's national championships in the Bay in January.
Four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy and New Zealand softball legend Thomas Makea jnr were both inducted into the Hawke's Bay Hall of Fame. Earlier in the evening Makea's father and long-time softball coach Thomas Makea snr and a Bay netball umpire for the past 60 years, Judy Sutherland, received lifetime contribution awards.
Alpine skier Piera Hudson won the People's Choice award. Despite making nomination criteria and being New Zealand's best world ranked slalom racer, Hudson, 22, wasn't nominated by Snow Sport New Zealand for this year's Winter Olympics.
Despite this snub she went on to peak and achieve two first place podiums in Austria and two personal bests on the same day of the Giant Slalom event in PyeongChang and lowered her world ranking by 102 positions.
"I worked so hard for so long and the amount of support I received after missing out was overwhelming. The Olympics are only once every four years and this award makes all the work I have done worth it. It makes me want to keep going and give it another shot.
"I will make sure I am the first Winter Olympics athlete from Hawke's Bay," Hudson said to a huge ovation.
Hawke's Bay's Tall Blacks basketball coach Paul Henare won the coach award after guiding the national team to a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. Waka Ama's Julie Tangaere took home the impact on Maori Sport award following another massive year which included an event manager role for the successful Napier-hosted long distance nationals.
Napier Old Boys Marist rugby won the grassroots club award for the second consecutive year after being judged Hawke's Bay's top rugby club for the third consecutive year, the club's premier team retaining the Maddison Trophy, Nash Cup and Challenge Shield in the Bay and the New Zealand Marist Spillane Cup.
The same side also won the Bali 10s title.
Central Football took home the Innovation in Sport and Recreation award after embarking on several new initiatives including Tiny Tots which have been adopted nationally.
