The opening salvos of what promises to be a colossal week for the Junior Darts Corporation detonated in spectacular style on the Rock, as Bradley Van Der Velden and Ryan Branley claimed the first silverware of a youth-darts festival bursting with future superstars.
Gibraltar has transformed into a tungsten playground, with hundreds of the planet’s brightest junior talents descending for a festival that includes the JDC World Championships and World Cup for both boys and girls. But before the biggest titles come into view, two prestigious curtain-raisers demanded their moment — and delivered it in thunderous fashion.
WINMAU JUNIOR DARTS OPEN
Dutch sensation Bradley Van Der Velden stamped his authority on the week immediately, sealing the Winmau Junior Darts Open with a gritty 6-4 victory over England’s Jack Hobbs. It was a final loaded with promise — two rising forces, unfazed by the stage, trading blows with the composure of veterans.
Every young heavyweight was in the mix: WDF major champion Mitchell Lawie, Archie Self, Ryan Branley, Kaya Baysal — a showcase of the stars the sport will soon rely on.
At just 17, Van Der Velden already has more accolades than most players twice his age. A Red Dragon prodigy, his game has been described of one with rhythm, composposure, and a cold, methodical ruthlessness that makes opponents deeply uncomfortable. Gibraltar saw that in full flow.
Hobbs, for his part, was magnificent throughout the event. His scoring power was electric, topping the week’s maximum chart with eleven — but the final step eluded him.
LUKE LITTLER LEGACY OPEN
Tuesday brought another furnace of action as the field returned for the Luke Littler Legacy Open, a title quickly becoming one of the crown jewels of youth darts. On the line: another £1000 payday and the right to etch your name alongside the sport’s fastest-rising global icon.
And once again, the North East roared. Ryan Branley, the reigning champion, refused to surrender his throne. The Newcastle ace produced another afternoon of supreme grit, timing, and sheer force of will to successfully defend the title he won in the event’s inaugural year.
Belgian standout Jason Goossens was first to reach the final, edging Canadian rocket Peyton Hammond 5-4 in a heart-pumping thriller. Branley then survived a titanic clash with compatriot Archie Self, saving match darts before squeezing into the final by the narrowest possible margin.
The championship match began cagey — six holds of throw, neither daring to blink. But then Branley ignited. Three legs on the spin. Three calculated strikes. Three hammer blows that sealed the trophy and ensured the Littler Legacy crown heads home to the North East once again.
THE WEEK IS ONLY BEGINNING
The curtain-raisers are done. The sparks have already flown. But the JDC World Championships now loom into view — the true centrepiece of the week. And if the first two days are anything to go by, Gibraltar is about to erupt.
—–ENDS—–
Images: JDC
