Gisborne players to fore

DARTS

GISBORNE darts players dominated the Hawke’s Bay-East Coast Regional Dart Tournament last weekend.

Local players won every category in the two-day event held at the 2NZEF clubrooms.

Gisborne players made up the biggest part of the field. About a dozen players and half a dozen officials from Hawke’s Bay travelled for the competition.

Mihi Awatere of Brezz’n Sports Club was a standout performer. She and Ripeka Te Kira won the women’s pairs, and Awatere was runner-up in the women’s singles behind Sha Hohipa (Gisborne Cosmopolitan Club).

Former New Zealand open champion Tahuna Irwin was in hot form, winning the men’s singles. Irwin is a past qualifier for the World Darts Championship.

Organisers estimated they had 65 players on each day of the competition, which was slightly less than expected.

They wanted to thank the players, particularly those who travelled from Hawke’s Bay. Without them, there would be no event, 2NZEF Club committee secretary Ruby Nepe said.

She also wanted to pay tribute to the work done behind the scenes by Bob Fraider, Ian Wood and Frank Hooper.

Gisborne RSA will be the next local club to hold the tournament, in 2023.

Mihimoana Waihape/Jennifer Waihape (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Mihi Awatere/Ripeka Te Kira (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Tyson Eyles/Kayne Arahanga (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Marcus Leach/Jono Griffiths (Gisborne RSA Club).

Jennifer Waihape (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Tania Kiri (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Lorna Wynyard (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Mihimoana Waihape (Gisborne 2NZEF).

Dave McLean (Hawkes Bay).

Ihaka Kaio-Wynyard (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Kayne Arahanga (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Tristan Reeves (Gisborne RSA).

Mihi Awatere (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Sha Hohipa (Gisborne Cossie Club).

Irie Eyles (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Tahuna Irwin (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Sha Hohipa.

Lorna Wynyard (Gisborne 2NZEF Club).

Sha Hohipa (Gisborne Cossie Club).

Manaia Kaio-Wynyard (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Bob McKenzie (Hawkes Bay).

Ihaka Kaio-Wynyard (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Jono Griffiths (Gisborne RSA).

Ihaka Kaio-Wynyard (Brezz’n Sports Club).

Lorna Wynyard, Pauline Haapu, Tania Kiri, Syndi Barbarich, Destiny Barbarich, Shannan Eyles, Ra Edwards, Monique Renata, Bobby Eyles (Gisborne 2NZEF Club); Mihi Awatere, Ripeka Te Kira, Manaia Kaio-Wynyard (Brezz’n Sports Club); Juanita Reeves, Shay Waikawa, Chiarn Waikawa (Gisborne RSA); Sha Hohipa (Gisborne Cossie Club), Jade Reid (Hawke’s Bay).

Tina Asphalter/Cris Kiri.

Irie Eyles, Thao Duncan, Hunter Eyles, Apanui Kaiwai, Jarrod Waikawa-Nepe and Lorenzo Kaa (Gisborne 2NZEF Club); Tahuna Irwin, Ihaka Kaio-Wynyard (Brezz’n Sports Club); Tristan Reeves, Toby Ratapu, Dudley Reeves (Gisborne RSA); Dave McLean, Craig Manning, Adrian White, Rewi Solomon, Johnny Smith (Hawke’s Bay).

Gordon Hughes/Willie Edwards.