2013 Target Jersey Darts Festival; Open for Entries NOW!
Last year’s Jersey Darts festival was a big hit with those who went – but some top BDO players stayed away, some not realising that Howard Miller, the organiser, was deadly serious about this tournament and the huge prize money (and ranking points) on offer.
But after last year’s event was such a success, I know more big names will be going along to try and win some of that big prize money. There’s multiple events, for both men and women; singles, doubles, and even a ‘NO HOPERS AND CABBAGES’ event for those who never normally make it past the first round.
Check out the official webpage here for full info and how to enter; www.jerseysportsfestivals.co.uk
Jersey Darts Festival Promo Video
Last Year’s Event Write-up
As many of the biggest names in Darts will confirm, in years gone by the Jersey Festival of darts was one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the calendar with the list of winners reading like a genuine who’s who of darts with Phil Taylor, ‘I’m a celebrity get me out of here star’ Eric Bristow, Jockey Wilson, Keith Deller, Big Cliff Lazerenko all among the players boasting victories in the Channel Islands.
James Wilson, Mens Target Jersey Classic Winner 2012, with organiser Howard Miller
After a gap of some fifteen years and organised jointly under the auspices of the Jersey and English Darts Organisations, and co-sponsored by manufacturers Target Darts and the world’s leading on line darts retailers Darts Corner the Festival made a hugely successful return to the darts diary in November last year, a return to the event circuit in which players from all over Europe gathered at the superb Merton Hotel to compete for over £23,000 of prize money.
Whilst actual entries were lower than anticipated for this return, it was down not to the venue which was superb, nor the great prize money on offer which totalled more than £24,000 and nor the fact that it held two ranking events as its unique selling point.
Unfortunately numbers suffered as a direct consequence of major event in Belgium retrospectively changing its dates, a frustrating move but one in which the organisers of Jersey had no control over.
Thankfully though, however frustrating it was for the organisers it most certainly didn’t detract from the enjoyment of those who did attend who had, for four days a super time, leaving as they did, with widespread promises to return for this year.
A promise, an endorsement from the attendees that will no doubt have them flocking to the small island from all over Europe come November.
The Festival, largely unique for the fact that it held, for both men and ladies not one but two BDO ranking events witnessed some magnificent matches over the four days and more some truly exceptional dart averages a lot of which were thankfully streamed live throughout the world as and when they happened.
Cleveland’s Glen Durrant, darts very own ‘Mr nice guy’ proved himself to be not only a worthy of such an accolade but far more significantly for his career an oh so popular winner of the Darts Corner men’s classic event when in front of a large, very voicepherous but none the less certainly very educated crowd he defeated Jamie Wilson 4-1 to pick up the £2,400 first prize.
In the semi finals Durrant had beaten Sam Head 4-1 whilst Wilson chalked up a 4-2 victory against another huge darting figure and BDO ambassador Darryl Fitton, in what was a much closer game than the score may suggest and one in which the former notched up a truly memorable 110 average.
Then almost as though it was written, Wilson who undoubtedly over the four days proved himself to be the most consistent player at the Festival gained more than adequate compensation when returning to the stage some sixty minutes later he narrowly saw off the challenge from Irelands Paul Brown in a thrilling 4-3 victory to win the Target Darts Men’s Open and in doing so adding a further £2,000 to his Festival earnings.
Nice work if you can get it!
Losing semi finalists in the Target open were Michael Whitworth who lost out to Wilson and Darryl Fitton beaten at this stage for the second time in two ranking events beaten 4-2 by Brown.
Both Fitton and particularly Wilson also narrowly missed out on the chance of a “£1000 bonus” jackpot which up for grabs to any player who won both the Target Open and Darts classic, much no doubt to the financial relief of the organisers who had guaranteed added windfall!
2012 Ladies pairs winners Deta Hedman and Anastasia
The two ranking events carried a total combined prize fund of £11,400.00 with losers even in the last 16 picking up £100.00 each.
Rightly or wrongly the organisers felt strongly that prize money distribution should be evenly shared which appeared to please the vast majority of players in attendance, a stance that will be repeated come November.
In the Darts Corner Ladies Classic which whilst small, compared with the numbers in some events, was still none the less, as competitive as any tournament held anywhere, featuring as it did, half a dozen of the best players in the world, and it ultimately proved to be very much a case of the new guard triumphing over the old, with young eighteen year old star Fallon Sherrock, last year’s Ladies junior Winmau champion beating ‘umpteen’ times world ladies champion and BDO legend Trina Gulliver 3-0 in the final.
In the semi finals Fallon beat Deta Hedman 3-1 and Trina went one leg better by disposing of Sarah Thornbury 3-0.
In the second ladies ranking event, The Target Darts Open, the final featured two hugely experienced and iconic warriors in the shape of Lisa Aston and Deta Hedman with Lancashire star Ashton winning the day 3-1 against this year’s world championship runner up with averages from both ladies way into the eighties.
The event also witnessed what was surely one of the finest ladies matches ever staged -thankfully live streamed as well-when in a repeat of this year’s world championship epic tussle, Hedman got a bit of revenge over Anastasia Dobromylsova when squeaking through 3-2 in a match which saw Deta and Anastasia record a staggering 93.21 and 92.83 average respectively, what a game!
Both the ladies ranking events carried £2000.00 in prize money.
The mixed doubles was won by Deta Hedman and Glen Durrant who beat Darryl Fitton and Chrissie Hailliday winning £300 and £150 respectively. The £1000 men’s doubles by Michael Waterworth and that man again Darryl Fitton and in the ladies doubles no surprise to see the quite awesome pairing of Anastasia Dobromyslova and Deta Hedman pick up the £250 first prize when beating Sue Gulliver and Fallon Sherrock.
There was also a CI Open event held on the Wednesday night with a guaranteed prize fund of £2000.00 and the winner was Holland’s Jimmy Hendriks who beat Clevelands Tony Eccles 3-1 in the final to collect the £800.00 first prize, with Glenn Durrant and Paul Brown adding another £200.00 each to their weeks earnings.
One mustn’t forget either the rather originally named No Hopers and Cabbages singles event, the last tournament of the week.
Whilst it carried a very healthy £1500.00 in prize money, to ensure as many players as possible left Jersey with cash in their hands, it was only open to those players who had not picked up any prize money in any of the ranking events and after a really hard fought few hours on the Saturday afternoon. The honour of being officially crowned the darts world’s first ‘cabbage’ not to mention official ‘No Hoper’ was bestowed upon Gary Thompson who beat Kevin Burness in the fianle.
Gassa picked up a very healthy £500.00 with Kevin half that amount. Losing semi finalists were Mark James and Nasim Maderick who both picked up £250 each
It was great few days of darts and proving the BDO’s decision and faith shown in awarding the festival CAT B status, to a man-and of course lady-players and supporters alike left for the airport shouting the praises of not just the facilities at the Merton which were truly first class, but the layout of the darts, courtesy it has to be said of the hard working EDO and their officials, particularly Vic Sexton (and what a start he was) and more the ease in which everything including the extension of matches shown by the live screening ran, with nearly everyone promising to return in 2013 when the Festival promises to be bigger and better.
RESULTS
Darts Corner Men’s Open
Final; Glen Durrant bt R/U Jamie Wilson 4-1; S/F Wilson bt Darryl Fitton 4-2, Durrant bt Sam Head 4-1; Q/F Fitton bt Scotty Mitchell 4-2, Wilson bt Paul Brown 4-1, Durrant bt David Wilson 4-0, Head bt Tony Martin 4-1; L16 Fitton bt Willy Van de Wiel 4-1, Mitchell bt Steve Eusebini 4-2, Brown bt Graham Platt 4-0, Wilson bt Gary Robson 4-0, Durrant bt Gary Stafford 4-1, Wilson bt Beniton van de Pas 4-1, Martin bt Simon Roberts 4-2, Head by Jono Nolan 4-2,
Winner£2400.00, R/U £1000.00, LS/F £500.00 each, LQ/F £250.00 each, L L16 £100.00 each
Darts Corner Ladies Open
Final ; Fallon Sharrock bt Trina Gulliver 3-0, S/F Sherrock bt Deta Hedman 3-1, Trina Gulliver bt Dee Bateman 3-0, Q/F Sherrock bt Zoe Jones 3-0, Hedman bt Sarah Thornbury 3-1, Trina Gulliver bt Sue Gulliver 3-0, Bateman bt Mandy Smith 3-0, L16 Sherrock bt Lisa Ashton 3-1, Jones bt Rachel Brooks 3-0, Hedman bt Margaret Sutton 3-1, Thornbury bt Julie Thompson 3-2, Sue Gulliver bt Gemma Bowen 3-1, Trina Guliver bt Donna Rainsley 3-1, Bateman bt Paula Jacklin 3-1, Smith bt Becky De Sousa 3-0
Winner £800.00, R/U £400.00, LS/F £200.00 each, LQ/F £100.00 each
TARGET DARTS Mens Classic
Final; Jamie Wilson bt Paul Brown 4-3; S/F Brown bt Darryl Fitton 4-2, Wilson bt Michael Waterworth 4-2; Q/F Fitton bt Tony Eccles 4-2, Brown bt Gary Robson 4-3, Waterworth bt Raymond Kennedy 4-1, Wilson bt Tony Martin 4-2; L16 Fitton bt Scotty Mitchell 4-2, Eccles bt Paul Harvey 4-0, Robson bt Jimmy Hendriks 4-0, Brown bt Willy Van de Wiel 4-1, Waterworth bt Benito Van de Pas 4-1, Kennedy bt Eddie Le Bailley 4-1, Martin bt Ron Meulenkamp 4-3, Wilson bt Phil Speak 4-0
Winner £2000.00, R/U £800.00, L S/F £400 each, L Q/F £200.00 each, L L16 £100.00 each
TARGET DARTS Ladies Classic
Final; Lisa Ashton bt Deta Hedman 3-1, S/F Hedman bt Maggie Sutton 3-1, Ashton bt Rachel Brooks 3-1, Q/F Ashton bt Angie Le Bailley 3-1, Brooks bt Julie Thompson 3-1, Hedman bt Anastasia Dobromyslova 3-2, Sutton bt Julie Lambie 3-1, L16Ashton bt Dee Bateman 3-0, Le Bailley bt Elaine Kearns 3-0, Thompson bt Paula Jacklin 3-1, Brooks bt Sarah Thornbury 3-2, Dobromyslova bt Jenna Avril 3-1, Hedman bt Becky De Sousa 3-0, Lambie bt Tina Carver 3-1, Sutton bt Donna Rainsley 3-1
Winner £800.00, R/U £400.00, LS/F £200.00 each, LQ/F £100.00 each
