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South Island Tops in Darts
The South Island won both the men's and women's team matches and provided the men's singles champion in the recent National Darts Championships, held in Nelson.
Grey Fraser, 26 (Clinton) beat Dick Southorn (Taranaki), in a close final, to claim his first national title
Verbenia Mahuri comes from a darts playing family. The 17-year-old Hutt Valley girl won the national championship, for the first time, and has been one of the country's top players for a few years. She won the Australasian title last year. Her parents, Jim and Rosey, have also won national titles and Jim captained the last New Zealand team
The only Nelson competitor was South Island team member Pat Mahuika
The South Island men's team which won the national title. From left: Dave McBride (Canterbury), Grey Fraser (Clutha), Waka Moses (Southland), Iwi Macdonald (Southland), Barry Arthurs, captain (Canterbury), Ian Reeves (South Otago), Pat Mahuika (Nelson) and Peter Hawke (Marlborough)
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The South Island women's team also won its final against North. Front row: Elsa Smyth (East Southland), Greta Large, captain (Southland), and Wai Martin (Marlborough). Back row: Dawn Aitken (Canterbury), Avis Cayford (North Otago), Colleen Taylor (West Coast), Yvonne Berry (Otago) and Emma Pourau (Upper Waitaki)
Ian Fraser (left), the president of the Nelson Darts Association and secretary of the national body, receives the executive trophy from Terry Barrett, president of the Motueka association
Verbenia Mahuri and Mavis Stewart (Hutt Valley) won the women's pairs title
Mattie and John Wilkie (Hutt Valley) won the husband and wife championship
Bill Turner, vice-president of the National Darts Association, and Ian Fraser, secretary, prepare for the trophy presentations
