It was Hamish Bond's night. But he was not there to enjoy the accolades at the 23rd annual Otago sports awards at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
He left Auckland with the New Zealand Olympic rowing squad yesterday and was on his way to Europe when he was announced the winner of the supreme award for the third time.
Bond, who also claimed top honours in 2008 and last year after winning world titles, sent a video message that was heard by guests at the dinner.
A third supreme award puts Bond third on the all-time list behind cyclist Greg Henderson, who won five times between 2001 and 2005, and double Olympic swimming champion Danyon Loader, who won four awards between 1993 and 1997.
Bond won the sportsman of the year award earlier in the night.
Bond and pairs partner Eric Murray won gold medals at two rounds of the World Cup before winning their third successive world title in Slovenia last year.
The pair have been unbeaten in international events for the past two years and have an excellent chance of winning their dream gold medal at the London Olympics.
Cyclist Alison Shanks' dominance of the sportswoman of the year award continued when she beat off a challenge from fellow Olympians Fiona Bourke (rowing) and Nicky Samuels (triathlon).
Shanks was forced to switch to the team pursuit when her specialist 3km individual pursuit was removed from the Olympic cycling programme.
The New Zealand pursuit team won a World Cup gold medal and Shanks won an Oceania title and a World Cup gold medal in the individual pursuit.
Shanks' coach, Craig Palmer, who was the coach of the year for the past three years, surrendered that honour to the head coach of the New Zealand snowboard team, Tom Willmott, of Wanaka.
Six of Willmott's athletes were placed in the top 16 at FIS events, and Shelly Gotlieb achieved a New Zealand first for snow sports when she reached the podium at the world championships in Oslo this year.
Willmott's abilities have been recognised with his appointment as the head coach of the New Zealand park and pipe programme, which aims to increase New Zealand's success internationally in those disciplines.
The Otago Goldrush women's basketball team, the first senior Otago team to win a national title since 2000, was named the team of the year.
Team member Casey Lockwood was named the most valuable player at the national tournament and was named in the all-star tournament team with Samara Gallaher and coach Brent Matehaere.
Because of the strength of Otago's young athletes, the former junior sportsperson award was divided into sportsman and sportswoman categories this year.
The junior sportsman award was won by freeskier Byron Wells, whose brother Jossi won the award five times in the past.
Byron won bronze medals in his specialist halfpipe events at major international competitions, had a top 10 placing at the Winter X-Games and was fifth at the world championships.
The junior sportswoman category produced a first for the ASB-sponsored Otago sports awards when Courtney Kerin, of Papakaio, was the first individual from North Otago to win a major award.
She was named the top junior sportswoman for her deeds in kayaking and canoeing. She was second overall at the Whitewater Junior Olympics, where she won four gold and four silver medals.
The work of the Caversham Harrier and Athletic Club in developing and growing the Moro Marathon was recognised with the innovation in sport award.
In more than 30 years of managing the event, the club has made many changes and improvements and has turned it from a race for a small dedicated group of runners to an iconic event that attracts almost 3000 participants.
There were 330 guests at the dinner, which raised funds to assist Sport Otago with its work in getting children across the region involved in sport and recreation.
