The WADC Winmau Championship North got underway at Middlesbrough Sports Village, and the first two titles of the season went the way of Natalie Gilbert and Vicky Pruim on Teesside.
Gilbert, a winner of a PDC Women’s Series title, was in fine form at Event One, beginning with a solid 4-0 win in round one against Phonsawan Whillis, and a tough test awaited in the last 16, which the West Midlands native passed with a 4-3 success against rising star Eleanor Cairns.
From there, Gilbert showed dominance, winning 5-1 in her last eight tie against Michelle Binns, and she repeated the feat to make the final at the expense of Sarah Roberts to set up a meeting with Angela Kirkwood in the showpiece.
Kirkwood had taken out Sara Walton, Marie Fitton and Sue Davies to make the quarter finals, where she blasted to a whitewash win over Rebecca Hoyland.
‘Girl on Fire’ would take her place in the final with a nail-biting 5-4 win against Lauryn Salter to oppose Gilbert for the first prize.
Natalie would prove unstoppable, as from 1-1, she reeled off four straight legs with a 92 finish included to take the title and the £500 first prize.
Gilbert’s all-conquering day came to an end at the hands of Sweden’s Pruim, who defeated her in the quarter finals en route to the Event Two title.
Pruim survived last-leg thrillers against Sara Walton and Tracey Heppinstall, and then averaged nearly 77 to seal a 5-3 win against Gilbert. Pruim then booked her place in the final against Eleanor Cairns with a 5-2 last four win against Marie Fitton.
Cairns whitewashed Julie Fisher, and then edged past Phonsawan Whillis, and a 5-3 win against Rebecca Barrow moved her into the semi-finals, where the same score accounted for Angela Kirkwood’s bid for back-to-back finals.
Pruim saved her best for last, averaging over 80 in the finale, winning 5-2 against Cairns with a 76 finish opening the contest, and a 72 finish clinching victory for the Red Dragon National Singles Champion.
Events Three and Four take place on Sunday.
Picture: Tip Top Pics
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