TAHUNA IRWIN: Won the 170 Start Trophy at the NZRSA Victory Tournament.
WITH so many humdinger performances involving Gisborne dart players home and away, Tutu is at a bit of a loss as to where to start.
On the local scene, Marlene Pohio’s 2NZ (3) had a close-fought 9-6 win against Kehu Beauchamp’s RSA (4).
The anchoring hosts, Heni Pewhairangi and Hups Haapu, did not win a pairs game but saved their best for last.
They defused the threat of a loss to the visitors by winning their singles games against RSA’s Tena Baker and Sarah Brown.
Although Tuesday competition comes down to a team effort, the player-of-the-match accolade should go to 2NZ’s Ryan Atkins. A relative newcomer to the sport, Ryan and partner Faenza Hewitt took their three pairs points and Ryan won his singles game against RSA’s Andre Grant.
As always, RSA top man Rowe Mason put in a sterling effort, scoring three of his team’s six points.
The 2NZ Diamonds would have to be the unluckiest of the unlucky. They lost 15-0 to the relentless Cossie DONE & Dusted.
Diamonds point player Paul Seymour found it a lot easier hitting three maximum scores than a single winning double.
Not so Roseland Tavern’s captain, Nigel Higham. He had two 180s away against Cossie 4 PHL and went home with a 12-3 victory.
The NZRSA Victory Tournament
Sixteen players represented the Gisborne RSA at the annual RSA Victory Tournament, hosted this year by the Napier RSA.
Over 260 entries were registered across three categories — fours, pairs and singles.
Gisborne’s outstanding performer was Karlia Waikawa, winner of the consolation singles title and envelope. Karlia competed against 35 players, only three of whom were women.
Being new to the out-of-town circuit, young Tahuna Irwin continues to catch the eye and draw “who’s that” whispers from higher-ranked players at the tournaments. He had the only 170 start of the tournament, so brought home the 170 Start Trophy.
Tom Irwin made the quarterfinals in the singles event, which was won by Dion Toki of Mt Wellington RSA.
Canterbury Open
Farther south, at the Canterbury Open in Christchurch, Gisborne’s Sha Hohipa had a good weekend, too.
On Saturday, she and Wairarapa’s Greg Moss took out the mixed pairs.
Sunday was the big day, with the singles being played in a World Darts Federation/British Darts Organisation/New Zealand Darts Council-ranked tournament.
In the men’s and women’s finals, Moss beat Bernie Smith (Canterbury) 6-4 and Hohipa beat Tina Osborne (West City) 5-3.
With this win, Sha Hohipa rose to the top of the NZDC women’s rankings with 48 points, one more than Osborne.
A couple of exciting duels could be in store at the Puma New Zealand Masters in Porirua on June 18 and the New Zealand Open in Rotorua on August 10.
KISS Tri-Series Tournament
This Queen’s Birthday Weekend the Gisborne Cosmopolitan Club hosted the 30th anniversary of the KISS Tournament.
A handful of enthusiastic dart players from the Gisborne Cossie Club, New Lynn RSA and the South Wairarapa Working Men’s Club (SWWMC) Greytown introduced this tournament in 1986.
The KISS tournament takes its name from the initials of the founding members — Kevin, Ivan (this name is uncertain), Stumpy and Sandy. More information — including the missing surnames — is being sought on the KISS tournament, and will be included in a future Gisborne darts column.
The three clubs take it in turns to host this tournament, the focus of which is to create opportunities for dart players to compete annually against players from other regions, while promoting friendships, camaraderie and support for local charities.
On Saturday, the three clubs met in round-robin pairs and singles.
New Lynn RSA started convincingly, beating SWWMC Greytown. But they lost to the Gisborne Cossie Club afterwards.
The Gisborne Cossie team lost to Greytown, and so each team had one win.
New Lynn were third overall on “legs difference”. Greytown and Gisborne had to go through a 12-player team game because they had won the same number of legs.
Greytown convincingly defeated a one-man-short Cossie team and became the overall winner of this 30th KISS tournament.
On Sunday in the Great Fun Drawn Pairs, 40 players took part in a round-robin and one-life knock-out.
In the best-of-five final, Hemi (New Lynn) and Rene (Greytown) faced Gisborne pair Puna McRoberts and Pete Kirwan.
With caller Mike Kawana and brother Dal doing the chalking, the atmosphere was professional-like with plenty of cheering, as seen at Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace — The People’s Palace).
Young Hemi and Rene started furiously, scoring high and finishing quickly, and were 2-0 up in no time.
Then either Pete and Puna changed up or Hemi and Rene encountered some technical mishap . . . the match turned around and with three legs in a row, Pete and Puna won 3-2. What a nail-biter!
After that thriller of a final, the Kangaroo Kourt was announced. Kangaroo Kourt is the “last judgement” of the KISS tournament, where all your sins and silliness of the weekend are made public. One can get salvation and forgiveness, though, by donating a few coins to the charity of the weekend. This year it was the Gisborne Cancer Society.
Fingers were pointed at many, but in an amiable spirit with witty speeches and peals of laughter.
The Kangaroo Kourt, apart from being good entertainment, raised over $1200 for the Cancer Society.
The weekend was topped off with a classic Kiwi barbecue, complete with KISS 30th anniversary cake and more entertainment. Great stuff.
