WEBSTERS 150 DARTS CHALLENGE
BEATING stiff opposition local newsagent, Peter Manley, from Cheam in Surrey, was crowned the Webster’s Yorkshire Bitter 150 Darts Challenge Champion at the Arena in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
Manley began his journey in this challenging tournament, in which over 2,000 pubs and clubs took part across the country, at South Norwood Social Club where he won through to take part in one of the regional qualifying rounds.
He won this and joined fifteen fellow amateurs in the final of the Webster’s 150 Challenge where he became the eventual winner, beating Joe Holmes of Haxey, 3-2 in a closely fought final match.
As tournament champion, Manley and seven fellow amateur finalists were given the chance to play against some of the top names in darts under the bright lights of the World Darts Council’s main summer attractions – Webster’s Yorkshire Bitter World Matchplay Tournament.
This event was one of Blackpool’s main summer attractions and took place in the Winter Gardens’ splendid Empress Ballroom.
Peter, who has been playing darts for 18 years, played brilliantly and managed to knock out two professional WDC players before finally succumbing in the fearsome Scot, Jamie Harvey, the number 4 seed, 8-3 in the second round.
Peter commented later:
“I was over the moon when I won the 150 Tournament and it was fantastic to reach the second round of the Webster’s Yorkshire Bitter World Matchplay and have the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the greatest names in darts.
I’m looking forward to entering the Webster’s 150 Challenge again next year and hopefully getting even further than the second round.”
Results
1 (£500) Peter Manley (South Norwood SC), 2 (£250) Joe Holmes (Duke William, Haxey), 3-4 (£150) Gary Haynes (The Cuckoosdale, Debden), Damien Peipson (Rankin Arms, Barking), 5-8 (£50) Phil Gilman (Provision Stores, Norwich), John Moore (The Boot, Tamworth), Paul Braitherton (Mersey Bus Sports and S.C., Birkenhead), Mark Sherwood (Winter Sports and S.C. Hayes), 9-16 Dean Taylor (Butchery R.A., Milton Keynes), Phil Adler (The Griffin, Frome), Keith Bottomley (Bluebird Club, Burnley in Furness), Roger Dernie (Clinton Arms, Retford), David Preiss (Bridgnorth Town FC Bridgnorth), John Tucker (Victoria Club, Aylesbury), Mick Brookes (The Globe, Raunds), Mike Roberts (Dreadnought Hulme Hill, Stockport).
Report: John Gwynne
From Darts World magazine (Issue 286) September 1996
