Gordon Allpress

Allpress played rugby and rugby league before he started playing darts in a Saturday league team for the Woolston Working Men's Club in 1970 at the age of 21. His Mother and Aunty played darts and they were who introduced him to the game. The very first season he played he never won a singles match and was ribbed much by his teammates. In those days you played a round robin of pairs and then one game of singles. In 1972 he watched the Australasian Darts Championships when they were held in Lower Hutt. That was an annual competition which no longer exists between the Australian states and New Zealand. He decided he wanted to be part of that and by 1973 he was in the New Zealand team.[2]

Allpress made his debut of the 1979 WDF World Cup are Murray Smith, John Wilkie and Bill Rose to New Zealand.

Allpress played second majors of the 1981 WDF World Cup are Dale Frampton, Alan Hill and Barry Templeton to New Zealand.

Allpress his third majors of the 1985 WDF World Cup are Brent Bartholmew, Alfred Moses and Barry Whittker.

Allpress his forth majors of the 1987 WDF World Cup are Timothy McCoy, Neville Moss and Barry Whittaker.

Allpress has won the New Zealand men's singles title 6 times (1978,1985,1986,1987,1992, 2003) and is the only player in history to win the New Zealand singles three years in a row.[3] Allpress has also won the New Zealand Men's Open (1986), the New Zealand Men's Pairs twice with partner Barry Whittaker (1986, 1991), the New Zealand Mixed Pairs twice (1980,1987) and the New Zealand Husband and Wife (1973)[4] He has won every NZ title at least once. He has also represented New Zealand in 4 World Cups and 4 Pacific Cup Tournaments, and he was a part of the first ever New Zealand team to win the Pacific Cup in Hawaii in 1984. Allpress competed in the 1980 and 1981 Embassy BDO World Darts Championships but was defeated by Scotland's Jocky Wilson in 1981 and by the American darts player Dave Miller in the first round in 1982.[5] Allpress was also a New Zealand Darts Council Director for 5 years.

Allpress has played in various parts of the World. Australia, England and Hawaii representing NZ. He played in the Embassy World Championships twice. He was part of a NZ team of himself, Rob Furmage, Lilian Barnett and Janie Karena who were the first NZ team to win the Asia Pacific Cup. He played in World Cups in Copenhagen, Nelson and Brisbane. He has played in Pacific Cups in Melbourne and Auckland. Won a men's pairs in those competitions with Barry Whittaker and mixed pairs with Lottie Chalcraft. Domestically he has been involved in many Canterbury Region teams, South island teams and won many titles. So many he has probably forgotten many of them. One highlight for him was winning the NZ singles the year he retired in 1992 and then after being absent from darts for 11 years coming out of retirement and winning the NZ singles in 2003. Players that he respected were Murray Smith and Barry Whittaker. Internationally John Lowe and Eric Bristow both of whom he got to play and win legs against. Older Canterbury players who have known Allpress for a long time hugely admired him in that part of the darting world and has the greatest respect. He has been a mentor to many.[6]

• Gordon Allpress profile and stats on Darts Database