Bahamas Darts Team Wins Caribbean Cup for 4th Time
By Malcolm Spicer

The Bahamas National Darts Team returned from the Cayman Islands this last week having defended their Caribbean Title with great success and came out winners for the 4th time for the 4th time in the Caribbean Championships. Twelve countries participated in this, the 14th Caribbean Cup. From The Bahamas, Bermuda, Florida, Cayman, British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Guyana, Turks and Caicos, St. Lucia and Barbados, they all came to battle for this the most prestigious tournament in this region.

From the outset the Bahamas team took control by beating the Florida squad 7-5 and the Belize team 11-1. Florida was one of the favourites and in beating them on the opening day, the Bahamas gained much confidence and sent out that all important message that they were there to win.

Points and positions for the top four in the team event were as follows:
99 Bahamas 1
84 St. Lucia 2
81 Barbados 3
78 Florida 4

The Bahamas team was made up of a powerful squad from Abaco, Nassau and Grand Bahama, chosen following many national tournaments here in the Bahamas. From Nassau there was Tony Moree, Steve Harris, Howard Hepburn, Ken Brathwaite, Barry Payne, Harry Brown, Trudy Johnson, Helen Sweeting and Congette Green. From Grand Bahama was Prescott Minnis, Judy Pepper Sweeting, Valerie George and Wayne Fish Copeland. President of the Bahamas Darts Federation and Secretary-General of the Caribbean Darts Organisation, Malcolm Spicer, from Abaco, accompanied the team as did Manager Byron Johnson from Grand Bahama, Captain Donald Burrows from Abaco and Coach Peter Duncombe from Grand Bahama.

The final positions in the Caribbean Cup were as follows.
187 Bahamas 1
139 St. Lucia 2
134 Florida 3
131 Jamaica 4
109 Barbados 5
10 Cayman 6
89 Guyana 7
84 T & T 8
83 Bermuda 9
73 Belize 10
60 BVI 11
10 Turks & C 12

The tournament itself goes on for nine days, nine hours a day and is not for the faint or weary! The Bahamas team are very professional and thorough in their preparation and how they organized themselves with Manger Byron Johnson, Coach Peter Duncombe and Captain Donald Burrows always alert to the needs of the players and ensuring that we have the demeanour and capability to produce our best at every opportunity. Much thanks need to go to them for their adherence to their duties.

One of the highlights for the Bahamas team was to play against former Caribbean Champion Earl Smith, a mainstay of the Bahamas National team for many years, a Bahamian, but now residing in the Caymans and eligible to play for the Cayman team which he did. His old form was still there but in this tournament one man doesnt a winner make. The Bahamas team, strong right through, came away once again with the spoils. Well done, Team! The next Caribbean tournament is to be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in June 2004.