ISSUE 2 - MAY 2016
EE your FR y monthl darts e zin a g a m e
n a i r d a s i w e l n a h t r e hungri
s s e c c u s r o ever f
PETER WRIGHT
PLUS
ready to pounce for that maiden major
Premier pics - equipment focus - JABBA’S JABBer
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CONTENTS 4-5 | NEWS FROM THE OCHE | Need to catch up with the latest developments from the darts world? Never fear, within two pages you’ll be up to speed with all the latest from a hectic month on the big stages. 6-9 | ADRIAN LEWIS | Two World Championships, two other majors and number four in the globe – there isn’t a lot Jackpot hasn’t done. But, in an exclusive interview with Down The Barrel, he tells us he’s hungrier than ever for success.
10-11 | PREMIER PICS | As the play-offs loom ever-larger on the horizon, recap on all of the action in the race to The O2 and relive just how we got this far. All the thrills and spills from three nights of action.
12-13 | PETER WRIGHT | One of the classiest and most colourful characters in the PDC, Snakebite requires little introduction. As he targets scaling even dizzier heights, indulge yourself with a fascinating insight into the Scot’s mindset. 14-15 | FLOOR FOCUS | It’s not just the big screen where Michael van Gerwen shines – he reached three Players Championship finals in an April weekend alone. However, he didn’t get it all his way. 16 | DEVELOPMENT TOUR | The PDC’s next big stars take their opportunity to shine. Find out just what happened when they went toe-to-toe across four events in Germany as part of the Unicornbacked tour. 17 | EUROPEAN TOUR | The big names hit the continent hard again in May as both Gibraltar and Germany host competitions. Find out who will (and won’t) be on the stage, as well as the outcome of the latest qualifiers. 18 | BDO FAN? | This is the page for you. It’s been another busy period for the BDO – catch up on the action here. 19 | EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT | Inspired by the big names in Down The Barrel? You’ll be after the best value to get you even nearer their mesmerisingly impressive standard. Take a look at the latest releases. 20 | TOP TWEETS | You can’t move on Twitter for darts-related tweets. But have you seen these? We bring you the funniest, most informative and downright crazy messages from players, pundits and fans alike. 21 | UNDER PRESSURE | Ever wondered who your favourite player rooms with? What they listen to in the car on the way to the venue? Or how they think you could improve your game? Ian White is the latest pro to face our quickfire grilling. 22 | DARTING DATES | Get ready to plan your next darts fix as we bring you the hottest events across the continent for the next month. Big tournaments, floor outings and selected exhibitions – you’ll find them all here. 24 | NEXT MONTH | Finished so soon? Hopefully you’re already craving more! The dust may have barely settled on this edition, but we’re already busy designing issue three. Make sure you subscribe and never miss a copy keep visiting www.downthebarrel.co.uk, following us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.
23 | JABBA’S JABBER | He’s back! After his first successful and hugely entertaining column, fans’ favourite Jamie Caven lifts the lid on another eventful month in the sport. Don’t miss a unique account of life on the tour.
welcome to issue two of down the barrel Hello and welcome to edition number two of Down The Barrel – what a month it’s been! Thank you for taking the time to download, open and peruse what we believe to be the freshest, brightest and biggest darts-related publication. We’ve been overwhelmed with the fantastic reaction to issue one and hope this raises that bar even higher. Having featured one back-to-back World Champion first up, there was only one way we could follow up – with a man who knows exactly how that achievement feels. Adrian Lewis is this month’s cover star and despite winning more than many of us can dream of with a dart, he’s got an insatiable appetite to land even more honours. Peter Wright rounds off a Premier League double for this month, takes time out from a bumper schedule to chat to us about how he plans on landing that illusive first major. Larger than life on the big stage and equally charismatic off it, it was fascinating to work out what makes Snakebite tick. How do you tame a beast like MvG? The interview subject of our 20 questions on page 21 knows exactly the answer following a blinding display in the Players Championship in April. Unfortunately for him, our other questions weren’t that straightforward. True to his nickname, Ian White is a diamond geezer and our quickfire grilling is certainly not the last you will have heard from him with Down The Barrel – watch this space! Don’t forget, our monthly instalment isn’t our only online presence. Don’t miss a dart thrown thanks to www.downthebarrel.co.uk, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @dtb180. Happy reading, and until next time… A Down the Barrel publication. For more information and to advertise email info@downthebarrel.co.uk Pictures: Lawrence Lustig/PDC unless otherwise stated Design and words copyright of Down the Barrel
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NEWS The latest news from the world of darts.
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drian Lewis’s nine-dart finish shirt, dartboard and tickets for the Betway Premier League playoffs are up for grabs in a draw that will also boost a Sky Sports’ presenter’s charity bid. Jackpot fired in a stunning perfect leg at Belfast earlier this month, and has donated his shirt and signed match dartboard to Parkinson’s UK – the PDC’s official charity partner for 2016. Dave Clark – mainstay of Sky Sports’ coverage – will defy his Parkinson’s when he tackles a 200-mile coast-to-coast walk from St Bees on England’s Irish Sea coast to Robin Hood’s Bay at the North Sea in September. Fans can win the Lewis’s historic memorabilia as well as stand the chance of claiming a pair of tickets to the playoffs in London on May 19 by donating to the walk. Everyone who donates £2 or more will be entered into a draw, with winners to be decided on May 12 when the Premier League heads to Rotterdam in Holland. Head to www.justgiving.com/ClarkysC2C to make your dontation. Talking about his epic walk, Dave says: “Traversing some of the harshest terrain this land has to offer, my journey is made even tougher by the fact that I have Parkinson’s. “It’s an incurable degenerative neurological condition which makes walking increasingly difficult.
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Thanks for your support and helping me raise funds for Parkinson’s UK.” Through their partnership with the PDC in 2016, Parkinson’s UK are hoping to raise funds towards finding a cure for the condition, as well as raising awareness. Parkinson’s Awareness Week ran from April 1824, with social media users encouraged to use #Parkinsonsin1 to tell the story of the little things that make a difference to life with Parkinson’s.
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TICKETS FOR WORLD GRAND PRIX NOW ON SALE
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ickets for this year’s World Grand Prix are now on sale with the PDC releasing details on how fans can grab a slice of the action. Unibet – who already backs the European Championship, Masters, Champions League and World Series of Darts Finals – will support this year’s doubles-in major that will take place at Dublin’s Citywest Hotel from October 2-8. Annual subscribers of www.LIVEPDC.TV were able to buy tickets from Thursday, April 21, with admissions hitting general sale on Monday, April 25. First staged in 1998, the Sky Sports-televised tournament has taken place at the famous Irish venue for 15 years, with this autumn’s competition seeing Scottish ace Robert Thornton aiming to defend his title. The 32-player field that is likely to boast 11-time champion Phil Taylor, two-time winners Michael van Gerwen and James Wade as well as World Champion Gary Anderson is also guaranteed two home favourites. Leading players from Ireland and Northern Ireland will qualify alongside the world’s top 16 and 14 other players from the PDC ProTour Order of Merit.
The major’s first night will be split across two nights on October 2 and 3 before the second round is held on October 4 and 5. Quarter-finals have been scheduled for October 6, semi-finals a day later and the final on October 8. Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The Unibet World Grand Prix is a fantastic tournament and it’s great that Unibet have moved to extend their backing of the PDC by supporting this event. “The Unibet World Grand Prix is a great favourite for fans, especially those in Ireland who flock to the Citywest Hotel, and is both enjoyed and dreaded by our players for the double-start format.” Unibet UK marketing manager Chris Watson added: “The unpredictable format makes this event a real spectacle for darts fans and provides a unique challenge for those placing bets. This year’s tournament promises to be one of the most exciting in the competition’s history.”
TRIBUTES PAID TO MARTIN FITZMAURICE
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arts’ top names have led tributes to the man described as “the face of the BDO for more than two decades”. Martin Fitzmaurice passed away on April 14 and was known throughout the sport as the Fatman, starting every darts match where he was MC with his catchphrase “Let’s play darts”. A statement from the British Darts Organisation said: “The BDO send their heartfelt condolences to his four daughters and his grandchildren. “He was a big man with an even bigger heart who lived for the sport of darts. He will live on in all our memories. When he stood on the stage with a microphone in his hand he became a different person and loved nothing better than to connect with his audience. “Goodnight and God Bless, Martin as you join your friends in the darting family that will be waiting for
you up in the sky.” As players and fans took to Twitter to pay their respects, Raymond van Barneveld said: “Sad to hear that Martin Fitzmaurice passed away. He was a true icon in darts. The voice of darts for a long time. RIP Martin.” Ted Hankey said: “A sad goodbye to a great mate Martin Fitzmaurice. You were the man. Condolences to all the family. So long old friend.” Fellow MC George Noble said: “RIP Martin Fitzmaurice, the man who gave me my first chance on TV and the ‘Puppy’ tag.” Paul Nicholson added: “He left an indelible mark on the sport of darts. His legacy should be as a great referee and MC. RIP Martin Fitzmaurice.” Lisa Ashton tweeted: “Devastated! RIP Martin Fitzmaurice. You had faith in me from the start! Always helped me, thank you my great friend, you’ll be missed.” 5
ADRIAN LEWIS “I’ve been finishing really well, which is strange because my game is usually about the scoring.” 6
Words: Chris Sweet Pictures: Lawrence Lustig/PDC
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amiliar heavy hitting coupled with his recent ruthlessness on doubles can fire Adrian Lewis to further greatness, according to the man himself. Jackpot is no stranger to the business end of major tournaments. With two World Championships, a UK Open title and a European Championship victory to his name, the Stoke-on-Trent ace is a deserved permanent fixture at darts’ top table. However, he has so far had to be content with almost a back seat ride in this year’s Betway Premier League as Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor set the pace, with current global champ Gary Anderson close at their heels. But twelve points from the first half of a ninth
season in the competition represents a marked improvement on recent years and far from the form of someone just there to make up the numbers. Very much in the mix for a spot at May’s O2 playoffs, Lewis is confident of hitting higher heights and adding to an already jam-packed trophy cabinet – even if he knows he has to rectify an issue that has never usually been a problem for the traditional heavy-hitter. “My form has been fantastic, but in some games I haven’t scored very well until the later parts of the game,” said Lewis. “I’ve been finishing really well, which is strange because my game is usually about the scoring. 7
“But I’ve been hitting big doubles at the right time and it has put me in really good stead. I’m confident of kicking on. I know my scoring can be there, it’s just a matter of going up there and doing what I know I can do. “I got 12 points from the first half of the season and in comparison to previous years, that’s the best I’ve performed. This is where I want to be and where I want to stay. “I’ll be putting in the work and the effort over the coming days and weeks to make sure I’m there and to make sure I’m in the mix for the qualifiers.” Away from the big stage, Lewis – currently ranked fourth in the world – has taken significant measures to ensure he has an infrastructure that can provide a platform for success. The 31-year-old is managed by 1983 World Champion and Sky Sports spotter Keith Deller, the pair having worked together off and on for a number of years. As well as boasting proven experience in his corner, Lewis practises at least once a week – and preferably more if schedules allow – with fellow Stoke-based professional and four-time Players Championship victor Ian White. With his house very much in order away from the competitive arena, it is hardly any surprise that Lewis is ready to once more prove his sublime talent with silverware. “It’s all good, it’s been brilliant with Keith,” said Lewis. “Keith just says to me ‘go up there, do your job and make sure you’re doing everything right’. He knows that I have got to be strong mentally and have a strong mental attitude, and just tells me to go up there and do my job. “I started practising with Ian before the Worlds and it’s been absolutely fantastic. The only problem is that with the Premier League I only have time for one day a 8
“This is my ninth
” e iv ss a m n e e b ’s it d n a e u g a e L r ie h season in the Prem week with him, which is a Tuesday. “And I make sure I spend that on the practice board with Whitey. He’s one of the most underestimated players outside of the top ten players in the world – he’s one hell of a player.” Despite his relative tender years, Lewis is one of the more experienced players on the tour. With 12 years in the PDC under his belt, he has had a front row seat for the most exciting decade in the sport’s history. Whilst relishing every single moment of the journey and refusing to complain about the rigours of life on the tour, the two-time Players Championship Finals runner-up readily admits darts’ rapidly-expanding profile means motivations and priorities also have to be adjusted. Lewis said: “This is my ninth season in the Premier League and it’s been massive. Since Barry Hearn and Sky Sports took over and became involved, it’s just got massive and kept on growing. “Hopefully we can keep doing that with the tournaments, the venues and the fans. It’s unbelievable, it really is. “Before Cardiff for Judgement Night, I got back from Germany (from the European Tour) on the Tuesday, had a day off and then came to the Premier League. “But the sport is so big that your own motivation goes out of the window – you just want to make sure you do your best for the fans. They pay the money, they are the ones that travel to see you and you have to do your utmost for them.” Lewis plays Robert Thornton in the Premier League at Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena on Thursday, April 28 before locking horns with Taylor at Manchester (May 5) and Gary Anderson in Rotterdam (May 12). 9
The race for The O2 is well and truly on! Darts’ behemoths are battling it out for a place in the Play-Offs with Judgement Night, Phil Taylor has set the tone at the top of the table at Sheffield, Belfast and Bournemouth. How Adrian Lewis breathing down his neck. Just three nights remain before darts hits the capital
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the qualification fight heating up every week. With Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith bowing out after Cardiff’s wever, The Power knows he cannot rest on his laurels with Michael van Gerwen, James Wade, Gary Anderson and l – relive the action from an action-packed month with these pictures courtesy of the PDC.
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SNAKEBITE
PETER WRIGHT “YOU’VE JUST GOT TO KNUCKLE DOWN AND TAKE IT OUT, WHOEVER YOU ARE PLAYING AGAINST. ”
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ormer World Championship finalist Peter Wright admits extra ruthlessness is what he needs to land that so-far elusive maiden major title. A fans’ favourite and mainstay in the quarterfinals and beyond the colourful Scot has just a 2014 European Darts Open title to show for his efforts on the big stage. However, Snakebite is rightly considered as one of the most dangerous figures in the game, with six ProTour event triumphs and three years in the Betway Premier League to back up that claim. He has twice already this year reached European Tour finals, only to be thwarted by world number one Michael van Gerwen in both. The Dutchman himself has backed Wright for imminent glory, with the 46-year-old focused on exactly what he believes he needs to have his name etched on a trophy. “I’ve won one European Tour event already but I played rubbish in the final against Michael and I let him off in the German Darts Masters,” said Wright. “He played rubbish, but he won it and I didn’t hit my doubles and if you don’t take the chances you don’t win. “I’ve definitely got to be more ruthless and decide on that set-up. I’m trying to find the perfect set up for me, personally. Different venues bring out different sets of darts. “Every time I play in a final then I know what I need to change or tweak. That’s the advantage of getting to these finals - I know what has to change and I know what I’ve got to do.”
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Although Premier League progression at the end of last month came with little alarm, defeating – and effectively eliminating – mate Dave Chisnall at Cardiff on Judgement Night did send home a stark reminder to Wright. Victory may have been bittersweet for Snakebite, but again it demonstrated to him just how cutthroat he needs to be to plough a furrow at the very top of the sport. Wright said: “I felt comfortable in my darts, but obviously I was feeling nervous playing Chizzy. We usually have good games. “It was really tough against Dave as he’s a good friend, but at the end of the day you’ve got to look after number one - that’s all you can do. At the end of this I want to be in the top four and hopefully get to the O2 to see what I can do from there. I’m definitely in this to win it. “It was my turn to go out a couple of years ago in this situation and it’s a horrible feeling. It’s doubly horrible because Chizzy is a lovely guy, but you’ve got to forget about that. “You’ve just got to knuckle down and take it out, whoever you are playing against. You’ve got to make out that they’re enemies on the stage, but afterwards you can go back to being friends.” And as for the hair?
Every venue brings a new style crafted around the almost trademark Mohawk and open-mouthed snake on the side of Wright’s head. Creative licence and credit goes to Peter’s hairdresser wife Jo, who has been by his side through thick and thin during a 21-year career with plenty of peaks and troughs. On the thought process behind the designs, Wright – who matches outlandish hair with outlandish
clothing – explained: “Sometimes we sit down and plan it, some days it’s just whatever pair of trousers I’ve got in the suitcase. “It’s crazy sometimes and can take about two and a half hours, but it washes out in just three minutes.” Wright plays Phil Taylor in the Premier League at Birmingham on Thursday, April 28, meeting James Wade in Manchester (May 5) and Raymond van Barneveld in Rotterdam (May 12).
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pro tour M
ichael van Gerwen made it eight tournament victories for 2016 when he kicked off a bumper weekend in Barnsley by winning Players Championship Three. The world number one pipped Benito van de Pas to the top prize with a 6-3 triumph in the final, as he won through the 128-player field in Barnsley in the third of the year’s £75,000 Players Championship tournaments. Van Gerwen followed up early wins over Paul Nicholson, Mark Walsh and Jeffrey de Graaf with defeats of Simon Whitlock, Mark Webster - with a whitewash - and Robbie Green to reach the final. He then raced into a four-leg lead in the final, landing an 11-darter, a 13dart finish and two 14-dart legs in the process, before van de Pas hit back by winning three of his own to reduce the gap to 4-3, including a 121 checkout and legs of 13 and 12 darts. Van Gerwen, though, denied his rival the chance to level in leg eight with a brilliant ten-darter before taking the next in 13 darts to secure victory and the £10,000 first prize, averaging 111.29 and landing three 180s to his compatriot’s 99.89 average and two maximums. Van de Pas saw off Alan Tabern, Lee Evans, Ricky Evans, Chris Dobey, Peter Wright and Alan Norris during his run to the decider, which saw him pick up £6,000 as he fell short of his first senior PDC title. Green reacheda maiden PDC final by defeating James Richardson, Dave Chisnall, Darren Johnson, James Wilson and Jamie Robinson. Green was joined in the last four by Alan Norris, who landed a nine-dart finish - his third since joining the PDC circuit in January 2015 - during his run to the semi-finals. Norris saw off Wayne Jones, Terry Temple, Andrew Gilding, Steve Beaton and Michael Smith on the day as he picked up £3,000 in prize money, while Mark Webster and Peter Wright joined Robinson and Smith in the quarter-finals. Adrian Lewis had earlier preceded Norris in achieving a nine-dart finish, scoring 180, 174 and 147 during his first round win over Ray Campbell, although he was later defeated by PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Max Hopp.
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B
enito van de Pas bounced back from final disappointment and defeat to Michael van Gerwen to not only avenge the Players Championship reversal at the first available opportunity but also land his maiden senior PDC title. The talented youngster edged out fellow Dutchman van Gerwen 6-5 in Players Championship Four at Barnsley. Van de Pas had also lost out to van Gerwen in last year’s International Darts Open event on the PDC European Tour, but he finally went all the way to claim the £10,000 first prize and pick up his first ProTour triumph. After the pair traded 13-darters to kick off the game, van Gerwen produced legs of 12, 13 and 14 darts to pull into a 4-1 lead in a high-quality contest. Van de Pas hit back with an 11-darter before van Gerwen took the seventh leg to move to the brink of victory at 5-2, but the youngster hit back with three successive legs to level the contest before a 12-darter in the deciding leg gave him victory. Van de Pas ended the final with a brilliant 110.24 average after landing seven 180s and a 106 checkout, with van Gerwen averaging 111.72 in defeat as he hit four maximums and a 134 finish. Van de Pas’ route to the final began with a 6-2 win over Nigel Heydon before he then defeated Jason Wilson and Mark Webster. The Dutchman then whitewashed Chris Dobey in the last 16, dropped only one leg in the quarter-finals against Alan Norris and overcame Gerwyn Price 6-2 in the semis. Van Gerwen saw off Mark Frost, Stephen Willard, Matthew Dennant, Simon Whitlock and Jelle Klaasen during his run before knocking out World Champion Gary Anderson 6-4 in the semi-finals. Benito van de Pas
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an White capped an action-packed darting long weekend in Barnsley by producing his best darts of the three days to stun Michael van Gerwen 6-0 in Players Championship Five’s final. In an emphatic performance, Diamond averaged 106.2 and landed four 180s as he swept past the world number one, with the pinnacle of his performance coming with an 11-darter in the fifth leg. He also registered a 108 checkout as he powered to the title. The victory was White’s first for six months as he eased past Ronnie Baxter, Steve Hine and Scott Dale to reach the last 32, before beating Jermaine Wattimena, Josh Payne and Robbie Green to reach the final. Friday’s winner van Gerwen, who was hunting his ninth tournament title of 2016, continued his scintillating form to reach his fourth Players Championship final in succession and third of the weekend. However, the Dutchman would suffer a second successive defeat in the final after losing to compatriot Benito van de Pas in Saturday’s decider. On his way to the final, he defeated Nathan Derry in his opening game before squeezing past Paul Nicholson and Kevin Painter to reach the last 32. There, van Gerwen made light work of the in-form Daryl Gurney in a 6-0 thumping before comfortably beating Keegan Brown and Dave Chisnall to reach the set-up the final showdown with White. Elsewhere, the run to the semi-finals capped a wonderful weekend for 41-yearold Green, having reached the same stage in Players Championship Three on Friday before losing out to van Gerwen. Following his recent elimination from the Betway Premier League, it was a confidence-boosting weekend for Dave Chisnall as he reached the final four on Sunday after making the quarter-finals in Players Championship Four on Saturday. 15
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enny Neyens and Dean Reynolds tasted Unicorn Development Tour glory by winning events seven and eight in Muelheim, Germany. The first event of the day saw Kenny Neyens claim victory and pocket the £2000 prize money after beating Callum Loose 4-1 in the final. The Belgian, who made the last 16 of the World Youth Championship at the end of last year only dropped 13 legs throughout the entire event and gained some more vital experience. Neyens recieved a bye through the first round before beating Dennis Scholz 4-2 in the next round. A 4-3 victory over Charlie Beaumont was arguably Neyens toughest match of event seven as he needed a final leg to beat his oppoenent. 4-2 wins over Justin Webers and Rob Hewson booked the 21 year-old a place in the quarter-final. Neyens followed this with impressive performances against Dean Reynolds and Jimmy Hendriks, beating them 4-1 and 4-2 respectively. A very controlled win over Loose, who had beaten Jeffrey de Zwaan earlier in the day confirmed the win for Kenny Neyens. Event Eight ended with Dean Reynolds taking the title, winning a last leg decider against Rowby-John Rodriguez. Reynolds, who had been a quarter-finalist earlier in the day started the event with comfortbale 4-1 and 4-0 victories over Jack Todd and then Matthew Dicken. The Cardiff born player battled his way past Ryan Meikle (4-3), Reece Robinson (4-1), Jeffrey de Zwaan (4-3) and Berry van Peer (4-1) to set up a meeting with world number 39 Rowby-John Rodriguez in the final. A fantastic final saw the 23 year old overcome
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the Austrian in the last leg of the contest and claim the £2000 prize. A day earlier, Max Hopp (pictured below) and Ross Twell each claimed the £10,000 prize from events five and six. Reigning World Youth Champion Hopp beat Steve Lennon 4-2 in the final of event five, whilst Twell was triumphant over Adam Hunt by the same scoreline. Playing in his first Development Tour of the year, Hopp set out his stall early with a 4-0 thumping of David Day in his opening game. He then beat Nico Ziemann, Derk Telnekes and Aiden Kirk to reach the last 16. There, he quickly whitewashed Kurt Parry and Fabien Herz before overcoming Dutch ace Jeffrey De Zwaan to reach the last four. In the semi-finals, he narrowly edged out world number 39 Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-3 to set up the final clash with event two winner Lennon, which he comfortably won 4-2 to claim his second Development Tour title. In event six, Twell kicked off his route to the final with a 4-0 victory over Domenique Wendler, before beating Daniel Jensen, Sam Carter and Sven Groen to reach the last 16. He then pulled off a string of impressive victories against former Development Tour winners to claim his £10,000 prize. In the last 16, he beat Aden Kirk 4-2, before overcoming five time winner Dimitri van den Bergh by the same scoreline in the quarter-finals. It was another semi-final defeat for Rodriguez, this time at the hands of Twell as the Englishman emerged with a 4-1 victory to reach the final, where he beat compatriot Hunt to claim his first career title.
eur pean t ur
A closer look at the recent happenings on the European Tour
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owby-John Rodriguez and Cristo Reyes will compete in both May’s Gibraltar Darts Trophy and the Happy Bet European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg as they enjoyed double qualifying success. In April’s opening qualifier, Rodriguez (pictured) narrowly edged past Rene Eidams 6-5, before beating his brother Roxy-James convincingly 6-1 to reach the board final, where he squeezed past Vincent van der Meer to secure his qualification spot. Meanwhile Reyes dropped just four legs on his route to qualification. In his opening game he saw off Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3, before a strong 6-1 victory over Jyhan Artut and a 6-0 demolition of Marko Kantele. The pair were joined by Max Hopp, Jermiane Wattimena, Michael Rasztovits, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Christian Kist and Antonio Alcinas in qualifying as the field was completed for the
Gibraltar event on 6-8 May. In the European Tour 4 qualifier, Rodriguez was made to work hard for his spot. After entering in the second round, he squeezed past Dutch ace Jerry Hendriks 6-5 and followed that by beating Jerry van den Ven by the same narrow scoreline. Also entering in the second round, Reyes stuffed Mariusz Paul 6-0 before toppling Dutch giant Vincent Kamphuis 6-4 to book his place in Hamburg. Michel van der Horst, Mike De Decker, Vincent van Der Voort (pictured) Ron Meulenkamp, Magnus Caris and Remco van Eijden were the six other winners to join Rodriguez and Reyes for the Happy Bet European Darts Matchplay. The Gibraltar Darts Trophy will be held from May 6-8 at the Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar. Tickets are available through www.buytickets.gi. Fans attending the Gibraltar Darts Trophy can find out further information of activities to enjoy during their stay in Gibraltar, or discover more about the destination, through www. visitgibraltar.gi. The Happy Bet European Darts Matchplay will take place from May 13-15 at the Inselparkhalle in Hamburg. 17
BDO NEWS W
ales and England had to share bragging rights in the 2016 British International as both nations tasted success in the men’s and women’s events at Glenrothes. The Welsh men’s team scooped 77 legs and 14 sets on the way to their title, with the host nation in second on 68 legs and 12 sets. England propped up the table with ten sets and 64 legs. However, the English women’s side returned south with silverware thanks to landing 29 legs and nine sets. Wales took second on 25 legs and six sets, with Scotland bottom having earned 13 legs and three sets. Wales’s Mark Layton scooped man of the match with a 31.92 average in his nation’s
clash with Scotland. Glen Durrant, (pictured), (32.64) landed the accolade for England against Wales, with Jamie Hughes (32.75) following suit for the thirdplaced nation against Scotland. Frances Lawson (23.24) stood out for Scotland against Wales, Lisa Ashton (24.64) shining for England versus Wales. England’s Lorraine Winstanley (25.90) took the honours against Scotland. England won both the boys and girls competitions, Callan Rydz (24.89) in outstanding form for the victors against Scotland and Owen Maiden (27.23) impressing against Wales. Beau Graves was girl of the match for England in both of their clashes with Scotland, registering 17.48 and 20 averages respectively.
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EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT Unicorn Darts has announced the launch date for its Book of Darts 2017, giving a lucky fan the chance to attend the starstudded event. The supplier to the likes of World Champion Gary Anderson and fans’ favourite Raymond van Barneveld will unveil its latest range on Wednesday, June 8. The book – an annual publication – gives a fascinating insight into the company’s involvement in the sport, revealing new lines and designs for next year. Unicorn is offering supporters the chance to be amongst the first to see the range with its competition at goldenticket.unicorn-darts.com/ with more top prizes also up for grabs. Target Darts believes it now conjures a Perfect Storm thanks to its latest range of 90 per cent tungsten arrows. Coated in black titanium nitride with nano grip technology and grooved storm point, the 22g and 23g darts hit shelves on April 15. The firm that backs Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis to name but two also released its Coolplay 2 shirt collection, available in black/orange and blue/orange designs sized small to XXXXXL. New oche-mat and oche-tape aim to allow you to play anywhere at anytime, whilst Target’s new Vision Ultra range claims to prevent flights falling out with extra grip for your stem. Winmau has this month celebrated 70 years at the forefront of darts. Now based in Bridgend, South Wales, the company was started in 1946 when Harry Kicks used his demob money to set up Kicks Bros in London’s bomb-damaged East End, manufacturing elm dartboards. In the 1970s, the business moved into the production of bristle boards, carrying the name Winmau – an amalgamation of the first three letters of Harry’s wife’s first two names Winifred and Maud. With Winmau also boasting a 40-plus year relationship with the BDO, Winmau sales and marketing director Ian Flack said: “Darts has become a worldwide phenomenon and we are proud that, with 70 years of heritage, we have been a major part of that history.” 19
ON THE
SOCIAL A selection of tweets from the world of darts.
www.downthebarrel.co.uk 20
twitter.com/DTB180
facebook.com/DownTheBarrel180
1 3
Ian White
45
Darts?
4
Unicorn
5 World
20
2 Age?
Name?
Nickname?
questions
Diamond
Ranking?
12
6 Walk-on
with ian white
music?
Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry 15
7 Best
mate on tour?
I’m going to have to say two Adrian Lewis and Jamie Caven
8 Biggest
Peter Wright dressed on tour?
if 17 I don’t know, I couldn’t possibly say
11
most satisfying achievement as a pro?
Playing for England. Putting on the shirt for my country was one of the best feelings in my life
12
Favourite venue?
The Winter Gardens in Blackpool. It’s just a lovely atmosphere
13 Favourite
band/artist?
14 Favourite
food?
Bon Jovi
Chinese. I love loads of dishes, but I do like something sweet and sour
other
Fishing. I try to get out every week on a Wednesday, but only when the summer’s here - it’s too cold otherwise
dressed on tour?
10 Worst
Only Fools and Horses. I will laugh at every single one
sport 16 Favourite than darts?
joker on tour?
Wes Newton - He’s always joking around when practising on tour
9 Best
Favourite tv programme?
i wasn't a darts player...
I wanted to work on the railways. A lot of my family used to work on the railways, like my father. I was always interested in the maintenance
my house 18 if save...
was on fire i'd
The missus
tip for a 19 one professional
budding
Concentrate and keep it straight
thing 20 one about me
nobody knows
My name’s not really Ian 21
MAY
CALENDAR Players Championship 7, Barnsley
1st
19TH
Winmau Denmark Masters
Betway Premier League 14, Manchester ET3 Host Nation Qualifier, Gibraltar
Newfoundland & Labrador Spring Open, Canada
Betway Premier League Play-Offs, London
ET5-6 UK Qualifier, Coventry
5TH
European Tour 3, Gibraltar
6TH
MAY 2016
21ST
20TH
Players Championship 8, Coventry Winmau Polish Open, Police, Poland Sunshine State Classic, Australia Cloughmor Cup, Cloughmor Inn, Rostrevor. 2pm registration, over -18’s only Players Championship 8, Coventry
European Tour 3, Gibraltar Newfoundland & Labrador Spring Open, Canada
Winmau Polish Open, Police, Poland
7th
Sunshine State Classic, Australia
22ND
European Tour 3, Gibraltar
8th
Newfoundland & Labrador Spring Open, Canada Jamie Caven in Skegness. Follow @jabba180 for more details Jamie Caven in Enderby. Follow @jabba180 for more details
26th
Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters
9th
BDO World Trophy, Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
Betway Premier League 15, Rotterdam
12th
ET4 Host Nation Qualifier, Hamburg, Germany Welsh Open, Prestatyn
Welsh Open, Prestatyn Bulls Muensterland Classic and Trophy Mill Rythe Spring Festival, Hayling Island European Tour Event 4, Hamburg
14th
Unicorn Development Tour 11-12, Wigan 22
13th
Welsh Open, Prestatyn Bulls Muensterland Classic and Trophy Mill Rythe Spring Festival, Hayling Island European Tour Event 4, Hamburg Unicorn Development Tour 9-10, Wigan Lithuanian Open
Welsh Open, Prestatyn Bulls Muensterland Classic and Trophy Mill Rythe Spring Festival, Hayling Island European Tour Event 4, Hamburg
Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters
15th
28th
BDO World Trophy, Victoria Warehouse, Manchester Unicorn Challenge Tour 5-6, Wigan Finnish Open. Vantaa, Finland
BDO World Trophy, Victoria Warehouse, Manchester Unicorn Challenge Tour 7-8, Wigan Jamie Caven in Ireland. Follow @jabba180 for more
30th
27th
29th
BDO World Trophy, Victoria Warehouse, Manchester Jamie Caven in Ireland. Follow @jabba180 for more Jamie Caven in Ireland. Follow @jabba180 for more
31ST
s ’ a b Jab r e b b Ja S
pitting the dummy out of the pram – it’s not normally something I do, but was exactly what happened after a disappointing weekend in Barnsley in April. I didn’t have the best of weekends in the Players Championship, taking home £1,000 from April 9-10. I was frustrated and my reaction was part and parcel of what I do and showed how unhappy I was with my performance. My preparation was fine but I was occasionally throwing a bad shot or fluffing a dart. Instead of moving on, I was letting them stick in my head. I think I was more annoyed because I’d let that get to me and I don’t usually do that. There was no reason why I’d let it get to me, I just felt that things were going so well and I was getting to where I needed to be. I just lost my head for a minute, we’re all human. By the time I’d sat down with the hump for ten minutes, I’d gotten over it. It’s been a great month for exhibitions, and I write this having just got back from four nights in Ireland and a trip to Denmark before that. However, April started with a fund-raiser in the South West for a London Marathon runner. It was an evening she had put a lot into so it was good to raise lots of money – as well as sell plenty of Jabba’s Jonnies at the same time! My two events in Denmark were brilliant. I had one in Copenhagen at a club close to a prison and some of the young players are really talented. I played a game against Daniel Jensen who, at just 20, has already been named in his country’s World Cup side and is
also joining the Unicorn Development Tour. The Scandinavian Darts Corporation is really taking off after 18 months and it was exciting to see how popular the sport is. We finished the trip with a brewery tour in Aarhus – it’s safe to say that went down very well and the quality of beer was exceptional! I headed out to Ireland with Ian White and played on the same night as Liverpool v Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League. As a big Reds fan, I was always paying attention to the score and leapt off the stage when the winner went in. The whole place stopped to celebrate – quite a sight! We also played alongside Brendan Dolan and Dave Chisnall in Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, which was another great night to raise funds for charity. I was delighted to be invited down to London for the Heart of Darts Masters alongside the likes of Kevin Painter, Tony O’Shea and even rugby legend Mike Tindall MBE. The charity does a lot of great work to support families in need, with darts events helping them. Paul and Ian, the organisers, both do a fabulous job. You’ll often see players wearing small red hearts on their shirt collars during tournaments – and this is what it supports. It’s brilliant to be asked to help. Thanks for reading – make sure you give me a follow at @jabba180 and visit www.jamiecaven.co.uk to keep up to date with my progress. Until next time!
Jamie
23
competition time!
READY TO DAZZLE LIKE A DIAMOND AT THE OCHE? Thanks to Down The Barrel and Unicorn Darts you could do just that thanks to our latest competition. We are delighted to have teamed up once more with the company that boasts more than 75 years of innovation and experience to offer you the chance to win a set of Ian White Maestro 90% Tungsten darts. Boasting a barrel design used by master professionals, natural tungsten, gripper shafts and an engraved Unicorn hallmark, the model is endorsed by five-time PDC event winner White himself. Regarded as one of the most dangerous players outside of the world top ten by the game’s very best, Diamond – who has reached six major quarter-finals – joined Unicorn earlier this year. Unicorn says: “Unicorn’s Maestro players are master dart professionals, at the very top of their game and ranked within the top players in the world. They need the very best to help them climb the ladder. This is what they use.” But how do you win a set? It couldn’t be easier – just subscribe to Down The Barrel, darts’ newest and freshest (and free) monthly e-magazine.
Compatible with all mobile devices, we are delighted to bring to you, the darts fan, every month the best the sport has to offer. Featuring exclusive interviews with the game’s major movers and shakers, insight into major tournaments, the most important tales from the floor and reviews of the latest equipment, you won’t want to miss an edition. If you subscribe to issue three you will be automatically entered into our competition with Unicorn to win Ian White’s featured darts. You must have signed up by midnight on Wednesday 18 May, with the successful winner chosen at random and to be contacted via email soon after. Visit www.downthebarrel.co.uk to subscribe. We will only use your details to send you your copy of Down The Barrel and to contact you if your name is pulled from the hat as the competition winner. We promise we will not share them with any third party. To subscribe visit www.downthebarrel.co.uk.
So there we have it – issue two of Down The Barrel comes to an end! We hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read and will be coming back for more. The dust may barely have settled on this edition, but we’re already working hard to make sure our third is better than ever. We’ve already got a cover star in the bag thanks to a fascinating – and exclusive – interview with a professional a multiple world champion has backed for big things. Big stage favourite and voiceover king MC Russ Bray will be taking our quick-fire grilling, whilst we vow to bring you even more news, views, action shots and dates for your diary. Keep visiting www.downthebarrel.co.uk for all the latest news from the darts world. Like us at www.facebook.com/DownTheBarrel180 to get involved in the debate and give us a follow on Twitter at @dtb180. Thanks for reading and we look forward to speaking to you soon! 24