The Gibsons Legion was host to over 70 dart players from the Sunshine Coast and around the province over the Aug. 23 weekend. This was the seventh annual tournament, which is now in honour of Mark Dove, who passed in 2017. As an avid dart enthusiast and supporter for Coast Darts, Dove would have been ecstatic with how well our local players did in this tournament.
Friday night was a blind draw in which Steve Baker (Roberts Creek) and Esmarch Ayugat (Gibsons) placed second, with Nelson Bacus (Prince Rupert) and Scott (Vernon) taking first. Sunshine Coast players Alex O’Neill, Jade Dancy, Ritchie Gibb and John Chartrand placed joint fifth and Aaron Urquhart was in joint third.
Day two was women’s singles and men’s doubles. Suzie Letrud (Sooke) won over Selina August (Sechelt) with Thea Mahar (Sechelt) and Kari Roberts (Chilliwack) sharing joint third. Sean Smyth and Perry Agis won over Esmarch Ayugat (Gibsons) and Alwyn (Sechelt). Joint third and fifth were shared with players from off Coast. Saturday evening was mixed doubles with Thea Mahar (Sechelt) placing joint fifth and Ritchie Gibb and Selina August taking first place.
On Sunday the women’s doubles were very exciting, with Coast players Claudia Ferris and Petra Petersen placing first over Selina August and Thea Mahar. The final game went seven legs with the last game going down to a double one finish for the final win. Joint third was shared by Linda Bale and Joyce Jackson (Sechelt), Tamara Kuntsi and Tamara McPhee (both from Powell River). Men’s singles was also exciting with Sean Smyth winning over Nelson Bacus. Joint third was shared with Ken Hwang and Warren Nipahoy. Joint fifth was shared with Ryan Scwartz, Bob Lewi, Heath Hazen and Mike Brenton.
This tournament would not have been successful without the support of Gibsons Legion as well as our biggest sponsor (Sunshine Coast Welding) along with many local sponsors.
Coast Darts will be starting the regular season with a local tournament at 10 a.m., Sept. 7 at the Gibsons Legion. This is an opportunity for new players to compete in a mixed doubles event for prize money. New teams are encouraged to join the Coast Dart League, Monday nights. Start times are around 7:30 p.m. with team, doubles and singles games going to around 10:30 p.m. Registration for players and teams is Sept. 9. Regular Monday night darts is planned to start on Sept. 16 or 23.
Sechelt Legion continues the Thursday night fun darts along with Gibsons Legion’s Wednesday Night Fun Darts that restarted Sept. 4.
– Submitted by Steve Baker, president, Coast Dart League
