2009 Lakeside Preview:MORE NEW FACES FOR 2009 BDO LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL DARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey:
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3RD to SUNDAY, JANUARY 11TH, 2009
The 32nd BDO World Professional Darts Championships (1978-2009) maintain their proud history and tradition with a 2009 Lakeside line-up that includes World Champions, top ranked BDO and WDF players (men and women) and thirteen players who will be making their debuts on the most famous stage in World Darts.
There are twelve men and one woman making their Lakeside debuts in 2009, including the first ever Polish player to compete in the World Professional: 2008 Denmark Open Champion KRZYSZTOF RATAJSKI. It is a combination which confirms that the BDO and WDF systems of providing darts for all, keeps the sport fresh, open and challenging for the players, television and the viewing public alike.
The twelve men making their debuts in 2009 are:
KRZYSZTOF RATAJSKI (Poland)
ALAN NORRIS (Sweden)
DANIEL LARSSON (Sweden)
DARYL GURNEY (N.Ireland)
DAVE CHISNALL (England)
EDDY SIMS (Australia)
GARRY THOMPSON (England)
JOEY TEN BERGE (Netherlands)
WILLY VAN DE WIEL (Netherlands)
MARK BARILLI (Scotland)
ROBERT HUGHES (Wales)
ROSS SMITH (England)
The sole woman debutant is LISA ASHTON (England)
The 16 Men’s Seeds are:
No.1 Gary Anderson Scotland
No.2 Mark Webster Wales
No.3 Martin Adams England
No.4 Scott Waites England
No.5 Darryl Fitton England
No.6 Gary Robson England
No.7 Ted Hankey England
No.8 Edwin Max Netherlands
No.9 Tony O’Shea England
No.10 Ross Montgomery Scotland
No.11 Martin Atkins England
No.12 Simon Whitlock Australia
No.13 Steve West England
No.14 Garry Thompson England
No.15 John Walton England
No.16 Eddy Sims Australia
The seeded players include four World Champions: Reigning 2008 World Champion MARK WEBSTER (Wales), 2007 World Champion and 2008 Winmau World Masters Champion MARTIN ADAMS, 2000 World Champion TED HANKEY and 2001 World Champion JOHN WALTON.
There are two debutants among the Seeds: GARRY THOMPSON (Eng) at No.14 and EDDY SIMS (Australia) at No.16.
Thousands of players from over thirty countries around the globe have competed to reach the BBC televised stages of the 2009 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships. A total of nine countries will be represented and Lakeside 2009 will have the richest prize fund in the thirty-two year history of the BDO’s World Championships.
The prize fund is being increased by £10,000 to its highest ever total of £320,000, with the 2009 Men’s Champion receiving a cheque for a record-breaking £95,000 (representing a 90% increase in the Champions cheque since Lakeside became main title sponsor in 2004).
Probably the youngest ever World Pro line-up, there are nine players in their 20’s – the youngest being England’s ROSS SMITH, who is just 19 (he will be 20 the day after the 2009 Final). He is making his World Pro debut after coming through the tough International Play-Offs.
Another qualifier making his debut is 22 year-old DARYL GURNEY, who will be the first player to represent Northern Ireland since Mitchell Crooks in 2001.
Former BDO British Teenage Champion and BDO Young Player Of The Year, STEPHEN BUNTING (Eng) is still only 23 and last played at Lakeside in 2005. He won through as the Standby Player at the 2008 Winmau World Masters, when Martin Adams’ victory over Steve Farmer secured him his place at Lakeside 2009.
Another 23 year-old making his debut is the exciting Dutch star, JOEY TEN BERGE, and his countryman and fellow qualifier WILLY VAN DE WIEL is just 26.
Two more qualifiers in their 20’s are Sweden’s DANIEL LARSSON (27) and England’s DAVE CHISNALL (28)
Reigning World Champion MARK WEBSTER (Wales) is still only 25!
He successfully defended his 2006 WDF Europe Cup Singles crown in 2008 (only the third player to have done so) and has just bought a new house with a little help from his 2008 winning cheque of £85,000. His feet have remained firmly on the ground and he has another year at College in order to complete his plumbing apprenticeship.
Scotland’s GARY ANDERSON has enjoyed another hugely successful year, including winning the first ever 2008 BDO International Grand Prix Series and the 2008 Zuiderduin Masters just a few weeks ago. He is installed as No.1 Seed and bookies favourite to win the 2009 World Pro crown. Gary will play Norway’s ROBERT WAGNER in the First Round at Lakeside 2009 – having been beaten by the
charismatic player known as ‘The Magician’ in the last 16 of the 2008 Winmau World Masters just 4 weeks ago.
MARTIN ADAMS might be the oldest player in the field at 52, but the 2007 World Champion arrives at Lakeside in some of the best form of his life. At the beginning of December he was crowned 2008 Winmau World Masters Champion, and his sights are now set on winning the 2009 Lakeside World Pro crown.
SCOTT WAITES is only 31 and his No.4 Seeding is a result of winning the 2008 BDO Gold Cup, Sweden Open and Belgium Open. He was runner-up to Martin Adams in a thrilling 2008 Winmau World Masters only 4 weeks ago, and a week later he was runner-up to Gary Anderson in the 2008 Zuiderduin Masters.
MEN’S DRAW:
SAT.JAN 3: 2.40PM
SEED 16
EDDY SIMS (AUS) v ROBERT HUGHES (WAL)
SAT.JAN 3: 1.00PM
SEED 1
GARY ANDERSON (SCOT) v ROBERT WAGNER (NOR)
SAT.JAN 3: 3.30PM
SEED 9
TONY O’SHEA (ENG) v DANIEL LARSSON (SWE)
SAT.JAN 3: 6.50PM
SEED 8
EDWIN MAX (NETH) v KRZYSZTOF RATAJSKI (POL)
SAT.JAN 3: 1.50PM
SEED 12
SIMON WHITLOCK (AUS) v MARK BARILLI (SCOT)
SAT.JAN 3: 6.00PM
SEED 5
DARRYL FITTON (ENG) v MARK SALMON (WAL)
SUN.JAN 4: 3.30PM
SEED 13
STEVE WEST (ENG) v ALAN NORRIS (SWE)
SUN.JAN 4; 1.50PM
SEED 4
SCOTT WAITES (ENG) v ROSS SMITH (ENG)
SUN.JAN 4: 2.40PM
SEED15
JOHN WALTON (ENG) v SHAUN GREATBATCH (ENG)
SUN.JAN 4: 1.00PM
SEED 2
MARK WEBSTER (WAL) v WILLY VAN DE WIEL (NETH)
MON.JAN 5: 7.50PM
SEED 10
ROSS MONTGOMERY (SCOT) v MARTIN PHILLIPS (WAL)
SUN.JAN 4: 5.30PM
SEED 7
TED HANKEY (ENG) v BRIAN WOODS (ENG)
MON.JAN 5: 5.45PM
SEED 11
MARTIN ATKINS (ENG) v JOEY TEN BERGE (NETH)
SUN.JAN 4: 6.20PM
SEED 6
GARY ROBSON (ENG) v STEPHEN BUNTING (ENG)
MON.JAN 5: 8.40PM
SEED 14
GARRY THOMPSON (ENG) v DARYL GURNEY (N.IRE)
MON.JAN 5: 7.00PM
SEED 3
MARTIN ADAMS (ENG) v DAVE CHISNALL (ENG)
·
All times are subject to change
JOHN WALTON plays his England team-mate SHAUN GREATBATCH, who was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in June 2008. Shaun last played competitively in the BDO British Open in September. His prime goal is to return to the Lakeside stage. However, because of his intensive treatment he has lost his hair, is 4 inches shorter (he has gone from 6ft 5ins to 6ft 1ins) and two stones lighter.
The No.2, 3 & 4 Seeds all play qualifiers and debutants:
Reigning World Champion and No.2 Seed MARK WEBSTER (Wales) plays WILLY VAN DE WIEL (Neth), No.3 Seed MARTIN ADAMS (Eng) the 2007 World Pro Champion and 2008 Winmau World Master plays DAVE CHISNALL (Eng) and No.4 Seed SCOTT WAITES (Eng) the 2008 BDO Gold Cup Champion and runner-up in both the 2008 Winmau World Masters and 2008 Zuiderduin Masters takes on 19 year-old ROSS SMITH (Eng).
WOMEN’S DRAW:
SAT.JAN 3: 8.15PM
SEED 4
KARIN KRAPPEN (NETH) v ANNE KIRK (SCOT)
SAT.JAN 3: 7.40PM
SEED 1
TRINA GULLIVER (ENG) v LISA ASHTON (ENG)
SUN.JAN 4: 7.45PM
SEED 3
JULIE GORE (WAL) v RILANA ERADES (NETH)
SUN.JAN 4: 7.10PM
SEED 2
FRANCIS HOENSELAAR (NETH) v CARLA MOLEMA (NETH)
·
All times are subject to change
England
’s TRINA GULLIVER is No.1 Seed. She has won the title seven times and is determined to make it number eight in 2009. She plays the only female debutant LISA ASHTON (Eng) who beat Trina in the final of the 2008 Zuiderduin Masters just three weeks ago.
‘Dutch Crown’ FRANCIS HOENSELAAR, who won the 2008 Winmau World Masters at the beginning of December (she’s now won it three times) is No.2 Seed.
JULIE GORE (Wales) is nicknamed ‘Ice Cube’ and is seeded No.3 with KARIN KRAPPEN, the 2007 Winmau Women’s World Master Seeded No.4.
LISA ASHTON won her way through the tough International Play-Offs to make her Lakesided debut, and the ladies line-up is completed by Scotland’s ANNE KIRK, nicknamed ‘Captain’ and two rising Dutch stars: 23 year-old RILANA ERADES, and the youngest lady in the 2009 Women’s World Pro, CARLA MOLEMA, who is just 20! She made her debut in 2007 as the youngest ever female competitor in the Women’s World Pro at 18, and she retains that honour in 2009.
There will be more than fifty hours of coverage over nine consecutive days on BBC TV, including live darts every day, and a variety of daytime and evening recorded highlights and features to suit the timescales of all viewers. In addition, every dart thrown can be seen by digital viewers at the touch of the Red Button.
There will be comprehensive coverage in Holland and Europe by SBS-6 and Eurosport plus global sales via BBC Worldwide.
THAT’S THE WAY TO SLING IT!
Having undergone an operation to his right shoulder prior to Xmas, Bobby George will be in a sling – probably a sequined one! – for at least 6 weeks.
It means that he will be co-presenting BBC coverage with Ray Stubbs wearing the sling throughout the 2009 World Championships. No stranger to injury, Bobby played in the 1994 World Pro final wearing a sequined steel corset after a severe injury to his back that later required 8 titanium screws to be inserted in his spine.
"Never mind being called ‘The King Of Bling’, I reckon I’m ‘Bionic Bobby’, " he says. "I’m held together with a few screws and bits of metal!"
2009 PRIZE MONEY:
MEN:
CHAMPION: £95,000
Runner-up £30,000
Semi-Finalists £11,000 x 2
Q/Finalists £ 6,000 x 4
2nd Round £ 4,250 x 8
1st Round £ 3,000 x 16
WOMEN:
CHAMPION: £6,000
Runner-Up £2,000
Joint 3rd £1,000 x 2
Joint 5th: £ 500 x 4
Highest Checkout:
Men & Women: £3,000
9-Dart 501
Men & Women: £52,000
TOTAL AVAILABLE PRIZE FUND = £320,000
Staged and promoted by the British Darts Organisation and televised by BBC TV Sport, the World Professional Darts Championships are sponsored by Bob Potter’s Lakeside Complex and staged at Lakeside Country Club ‘the home of World Darts’ from Saturday, January 3rd to Sunday, January 11th, 2009.
-ENDS-
For comprehensive information:
www.bdodarts.com