Grand Prix win sends Auckland player to London

Ben Robb lines up a throw during the New Zealand Grand Prix at the St Kilda Bowling Club in Dunedin yesterday. Photos: Gregor Richardson

Ally Pally is the dream.

That became a reality for Ben Robb yesterday when he won the New Zealand Grand Prix in Dunedin.

The top 16 players in the Dart Players New Zealand series qualified for the finals at the St Kilda Bowling Club — and the grand prize was a trip to famed Alexandra Palace, in London, the spiritual home of the sport, for a televised tournament appearance at the end of the year.

Robb, who is based in Auckland but plays most of his darts as a Canterbury representative, beat Haupai Puha 8-4 in the final yesterday.

Robb — better known as "Big Rig" — beat John Hurring in one semifinal, and Puha beat Darren Herewini in the other.

Dunedin hosted the seventh and eighth rounds — known as Pro Tour events — of the Grand Prix series at the weekend, after which the top 16 players on accumulated points qualified for the finals.

Jack Sheppard (16), who lives in Taupo but was originally from Southland, concentrates on his shot.

Fifty-one players entered the seventh round, the first Pro Tour event held in Dunedin for several years, and 30 qualified for knockout play.

Young star Kayden Milne, of Christchurch, continued his dramatic rise by reaching his first Pro Tour final.

Milne, who made a surprise run to the quarterfinals of the New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton in August, won the bull and threw first, and put up a staunch fight before falling 7-6 to Puha.

Puha, who has competed in both the PDC and WDF world championships in recent years, also made the final of the eighth round, which attracted 27 players, 26 of whom qualified for knockout play.

Robb showed his class to beat Puha 7-1.

Dunedin has been pencilled in for a round of the Grand Prix again next year.