Once again, Deta Hedman demonstrated precisely why she remains one of the most illustrious and revered female players ever to grace the oche, capturing both major Ladies titles at the WDF England Open darts gathering over the weekend.
The Caribbean Queen continues to defy both age and expectation, showing little indication of relinquishing her status among the elite. The former Lakeside Champion overcame Wales’ Rhian O’Sullivan in both the England National and Selsey Open finals, adding yet more silverware to an already overflowing and distinguished trophy cabinet that has been amassed across several decades of excellence.
CHECK OUT DARTSWORLD’S DEDICATED WOMEN’S DARTS AREA
However, the 66-year-old icon was denied a memorable hat-trick of titles. In the England Open Ladies showpiece, it was the rejuvenated and resurgent Gemma Hayter who stole the headlines, producing a superb display to comfortably dispatch the legendary Hedman 5-1 and further extend her impressive recent sequence of tournament victories.
Check Out The DartsWorld Amateur Web Area
Dutton Claims Open Catagory England Darts Crown
On the men’s side, Stuart Dutton got proceedings underway by defeating Robbie Martin 5-3 to secure the Selsey Open crown. Harry Lane then mirrored that scoreline, overcoming Aaron Turner to walk away with the England National title following another accomplished performance.
The prestigious England Open Men’s title ultimately headed north of the border, with Scotland’s Scott Robertson producing a composed and clinical display to defeat Chas Barstow 5-2 in the final and collect one of the weekend’s most coveted honours.
As is customary with one of the busiest and most celebrated weekends on the WDF calendar, there was no shortage of additional silverware available throughout the packed schedule in Selsey.
Among the younger stars, Macy Gibbons edged out fellow English prospect Ruby Grey by a 5-3 margin to claim the Girls Open title. Meanwhile, in another all-English affair, Jack Nankervis proved too strong for Toby Clements, emerging with a convincing 5-2 victory to secure the Boys Open crown.
The Pairs events also provided plenty of intrigue and quality. There was further success for Gemma Hayter, who partnered Steph Clarke to overcome Welsh combination Rhian O’Sullivan and Leanne Topper. That result meant O’Sullivan departed the weekend with the somewhat unfortunate distinction of collecting three runner-up prizes despite another highly commendable series of performances.
In the Men’s Pairs competition, England’s George Willetts and Kieron Bridgewater proved victorious, defeating Jayden Walker and Adam Lipscombe to lift the title. With PDC Tour Card holders also permitted to participate in these events, the competition once again boasted a particularly strong and accomplished field.
DARTS PLAYER MERCHANDISE AND COLLECTABLES AT OUR DARTSWORLD STORE!
All in all, it proved to be another highly successful and high-calibre WDF weekend, with one of the most prominent gatherings on the annual calendar delivering an abundance of quality, compelling storylines and yet more evidence of the remarkable depth currently present throughout the amateur game.
Images: England darts
