2019 Festival Held during the Easter School Holidays the 2019 Kia Orana Youth Football Festival kicked off on the 20thApril 2019 and ran till the 27thApril 2019. The one-week tournament saw the attendance of many supporters additional to the nine U16 Boys teams and nine U16 Girls teams from all over the Country. Five outer island member associations challenged Four Rarotonga based teams in a battle for the Kia Orana Youth Football Festival trophy this year. Entertaining the present crowd, the talented young players demonstrated their skills and represented their teams with pride throughout each day of the tournament. The festival provided an opportunity for the young players to develop and hone their skills, to make an abundance of new friends, to compete against their peers, and to have an active and fun holiday in paradise while creating memories to last a lifetime. Also, entertaining people and making lifelong memories were the enthusiastic supporters dancing and cheering on their teams in true island fashion. Taking home the trophy this year in the U16 Men’s division was the division dominators Puaikura FC. Puaikura flew through their pool rolling over all opponents they faced to make the semifinals where they faced pool B runner up’s Aitutaki. The outer island side put up a good fight against the tournaments top scorers but were unable to defeat the local team. Puaikura went on to the final where they challenged and beat their Pool A runner ups Takitumu to take the title. Also undefeated in their race to the trophy in the U16 Womens division, Aitutaki won the final against the Pool A winners and 2017 runners up Puaikura FC. Puaikura looked eager to do one better than the last festival but were shot down by the Aitutaki girls in their attempts. Puaikura dominated possession throughout the final and had many opportunities to score. However, the Aitutaki side held strong defending all attemps at goal, and when given the chance were quick on the counter attack. The Aitutaki girls came out on top in the end hoisting the trophy to celebrate their victory.
