Once again, Malmö rolled out the oche for the WDF Sweden Open weekend – an event dripping with history and nostalgia.
Back in the day, darting royalty like Eric Bristow, Bob Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld, Deta Hedman and Trina Gulliver all had their names etched onto the honours list. Even Darts World contributor AJ Urmston-Toft reached a glorious semi-final in 2011!
These days, the faces may have changed, but the quality, tradition, and burning desire to follow in those oversized footsteps remains.
For the first time since the Men’s Sweden Open launched in 1969, a German lifted the crown. Liam Maendl-Lawrance edged Welshman Alex Williams in a last-leg decider, becoming the first from his nation to claim the title. At just 21, he navigated a minefield of 250-plus entrants with the precision and efficiency you’d expect from a solid German player.
The Ladies’ final was a Dutch domestic between Priscilla Steenbergen and Aileen De Graaf. Just like the men, this one went the full distance, with Steenbergen pinching the decider. Remarkably, every leg went with throw – a darting unicorn of sorts. Handy for Priscilla, since she had the honour of starting proceedings.
Adding to their busy weekend, the two Dutch rivals-turned-partners joined forces in the Women’s Pairs and duly pocketed the title, edging Sweden’s Helene Sundelin and Yvonne Andersson 4-3. I say ironic, but perhaps deeply unfair on everyone else is closer to the truth. Then again, they were the only two Dutch women in the field – patriotism or pragmatism, take your pick. Either way, they won.
The Men’s Pairs saw a couple of seasoned English campaigners, Dave Ladley and Darren Johnson, ease past Johan Engström and Jonas Masalin. The veterans, known as Ladders and Dynamite DJ, have been around the block more than once – and probably thrown darts in most of those pubs too. Experience does count.
On the final day, it was time for the Masters titles. Ladies first: Scotland’s teenage prodigy Sophie McKinlay stole the show, defeating De Graaf 5-2 in the final. Proof, if it were ever needed, that experience isn’t everything – and completely making a mockery of my point in the previous paragraph. Sophie is fast becoming one for future, adding another trophy to her growing collection.
The Men’s Masters went to Belgium’s Brian Raman, who added Swedish glory to his Romanian Open success earlier this year.
The Riddler lived up to his nickname, unpicking opponents, often with with mid-90s averages and saving his best for the final, where he beat Finland’s Marko Kantele 6-3 with a near-ton.
A solid week’s work from Raman, who dropped just eleven legs all tournament – more than half of those to Finns in the semis and final.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC Europe ( main) and PDC in text image.
