Go time in Gibraltar

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Over the past three days it has been nothing but boards in front of Gisborne’s Toa Matarau Junior Darts Academy youth team in Gibraltar.

Continuing on from the Mediterranean Open, the academy players — representing New Zealand — competed in the World Darts Federation Gibraltar Open over two days. In the youth division, team captain Hunter Eyles made quick work of the opening board of the last 128, winning three legs to one  against Ireland’s Kyle Greene.

However, Mongolia’s Telmen Maidar was too strong for Eyles,  winning their last 64 clash  3-.0

Brayden Pokai-Giddens lost 3-0 to Scotland’s Sophie McKinlay in the first round. Apanui Kaiwai was also knocked out in the first round as were his New Zealand and academy teammates Apirana Taukamo-Pohio and Jadine Black. Joel Horua had a great 3-2 win in the first round to move into the last 64 where he fell 3-1 to the England’s Jayden Harper 3-1. Rising English star Luke Littler was the overall winner of the division.

The rise in standard was felt by  Horua, Pokai-Giddens, Taukamo-Pohio  in the men’s open section. They lost in the first round, as did team co-manager Matiu Hawea. Eyles confidently won his first match 4-2 but lost the next round 4-1.

Team co-manager Martin Black charged through to the last 128 with a 4-2 win but was pipped 4-3 in the round of 64.

Kaiwai had 4-1 and 4-3 wins to make the last 64, only to lose 4-1 to Maidar.

Littler was the overall winner again.

Jadine Black advanced to the last 16 of the women’s open where she met her match, losing 4-1.

Seventeen-year-old McKinlay won the title.

Following the Gibraltar Open, the New Zealand team competed in the  Michael van Gerwen Junior Masters tournament.

Kaiwai won his last 256 game 4-0, his 128 match 4-3 and his last 64 duel 4-1. He lost 4-3 in the last 32 to the Netherlands’ Cor Beukema 4-1.

Teammates Eyles, Taukamo-Pohio, Horua and Jadine had byes into the last 128.

Jadine was the only one of them to make the last 64 where she was beaten 4-1.

As The Herald went to print last night, Eyles, Kaiwai, Taukamo-Pohio and Black were preparing for the main competition on their tour —  the Junior Darts World Cup Team Event.