Two former PDC World Champions enjoyed an encouraging and emphatically positive start to their afternoon Euro Tour qualification campaigns, as both Rob Cross and Raymond van Barneveld secured their places at the upcoming European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen later this month.
Voltage and Barney were among the ten players to successfully navigate qualification for what will be the fifth Euro Tour event of the season, overcoming Charlie Manby and Ian White respectively in Leicester to confirm their progression.
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Joining them was a formidable Dutch contingent, with Jurjen van der Velde, Jeffrey de Zwaan and Maik Kuivenhoven all sealing qualification. Representing Sweden and rounding off what has been an industrious and demanding few days, Oskar Lukasiak also secured his place. Having traversed a busy Nordic & Baltic weekend followed by two Players Championship events, the 34-year-old will be immensely satisfied to have completed the task.
Ireland’s Keane Barry – the player who produced the highest average during Monday’s Mattioli Arena action – continues his impressively upward trajectory. He is joined by Mickey Mansell, who has recently switched his national allegiance from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
Completing the ten qualifiers are former Belgian number one Kim Huybrechts and Latvia’s leading figure Madars Razma, further reinforcing the diverse and cosmopolitan nature of the field.
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Attention then pivoted to qualification for next month’s Austrian Darts Open, where another former Ally Pally conqueror, Michael Smith, featured among those securing passage to Graz. Such is the extraordinary depth and competitive density within the PDC that players of the calibre of Cross, van Barneveld, and Smith must now routinely negotiate this demanding qualification route.
As is customary, a varied and international cohort booked their tickets to Austria. Only one player achieved a notable double qualification, with Kim Huybrechts once again demonstrating his enduring quality by overcoming Max Hopp to conclude his Leicester campaign in emphatically satisfying fashion.
Beyond the established Welsh duo of Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price, Wales will also be represented by Rob Owen and Nick Kenny. The Netherlands have a solitary representative in Chris Landman, while Germany and Spain are represented by Gabriel Clemens and Cristo Reyes respectively.
Three-time Euro Tour winner Ian White recovered impressively to defeat Madars Razma and secure his place in Graz, denying the Latvian a potential double on the day. Meanwhile, in matches that ran slightly behind schedule, Monday’s Players Championship runner-up Alan Soutar concluded his campaign on a high, overcoming compatriot David Sharp.
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Finally, producing one of the most eye-catching displays of the session, James Hurrell delivered a scintillating, high-calibre performance to deny Australian newcomer Adam Leek what would have been a memorable Euro Tour debut, registering a tad beyond the 110-average mark in a commanding and emphatic victory.
There has been much comment in recent months concerning these qualifications and the general structure. Perhaps we are also seeing players settle back to the new order. There is a certainly an obvious increase in the number of experienced/star names who have made it through this pair of qualifiers.
PDC ET5: EUROPEAN DARTS GRAND PRIX (TC Qualifiers)
Sindelfingen, Germany (17-19 April)
Rob Cross (ENG)
Jurjen van der Velde (NED)
Mickey Mansell (IRE)
Jeffrey De Zwaan (NED)
Kim Huybrechts (BEL)
Raymond van Barneveld (NED)
Oskar Lukasiak (SWE)
Maik Kuivenhoven (NED)
Madars Razma (LVA)
Keane Barry (IRE)
PDC ET6: AUSTRIAN DARTS OPEN (TC Qualifiers)
Graz, Austria (8-10 May)
Michael Smith (ENG)
Gabriel Clemens (GER)
Rob Owen (WAL)
Nick Kenny (WAL)
Ian White (ENG)
Chris Landman (NED)
Cristo Reyes (ESP)
Alan Soutar (SCO)
James Hurrell (ENG)
Kim Huybrechts (BEL)
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
