6th Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship Grand Finals
Here is the report for the 6th Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship Grand Finals plus attached are a picture of the three winners plus YDP organisers. From Left to right are Mark Lea (YDP), David Copley (Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship Winner), Leighton Bennett (2016 Streamline Taxis York Darts Youth Champion), Jo Hodges (Streamline Taxis York Darts Ladies Champion) and Neil Hart (YDP).
“Coppers Backs Richie Into A Corner”
Barnsley’s David “The Dartknight” Copley has become the 6th Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship Winner after an enthralling contest which ebbed back and forth.
The event organised in association with Red Dragon Darts started in January 2016 with 12 Ranking Events where players collect points and prize money in their bid to reach the Grand finals played at Huntington WMC in York.
So six months down the line and twelve ranking events later it all comes down to the last match and one that was between Copley the 2016 Rankings Winner and Richie Corner the 2015 Rankings Winner.
The first leg was like watching two boxers gauging their opponents form and ended in a poor 26 dart leg to Corner but the gloves were soon off and battle commenced.
Copley took leg two in 18 darts for Corner to reply with 100-180-140 and 81 out for 11 darts. This brought the best out in Copley who went 106 finish for 15, 161 finish for 12 and 18 darts to take a 4-2 lead in the best of 13 leg final.
Fifteen and 16 dart legs brought Corner level only to see Copley take the next two legs in 20 and 15. Corner responded with 17 darts but then as both players missed doubles in leg twelve in was Copley who closed out to take the match 7-5.
Copley hit 1 x 180 in the final, 24 ton plus scores and ended on an 81.97 average whilst Corner hit 1 x 180, 28 tons and over finishing with an 88.38 average.
In the first Semi-final, best of 11 legs, Corner (88.70 average hitting 23 tons and more in 13-16-21-18-15 and 16 dart legs) defeated York’s Chris Quantock (85.85 average hitting 16 tons and more including 2 x 180’s with legs of 15 and 20 darts) by a 6-2 score line.
The second semi-final we saw a much closer contest with Copley hitting 2 x 180’s in a 14 dart last leg decider over Mark Lawrence. Copley included a further 2 x 180’s plus 16 tons or more to end with an average of 85.98 and adding winning legs of 21-17-15-18-16 whilst Lawrence averaged 86.21 hitting 15 tons or more plus a 180 score in his winning legs of 14-18-15-18 and 17 darts.
The ¼ Final results were:
Corner (19-17-21-15 and 18) 5 James Weldon 0
Copley (17-18-21 and 21) 5 Rab McKenzie 0
Lawrence 5 Scott Bennett 1
Quantock 5 Stephen Silver (14) 3
In the ladies final Jo Hodges (York) averaged 50.97 in her 3-1 victory over Harrogate’s Val Wilson (44.08 average) despite Wilson hitting 7 tons to Hodges 2.
The Semi-finals saw Hodges defeat Paula Burgess (Doncaster) 3-2 with Wilson whitewashing Tracy Marran (Easingwold) in the other.
The Youth Final (under 18) was won by 10 year old Leighton Bennett from Lincoln taking the deciding leg in 21 darts and finishing with a 54.29 average over York’s 14 year old Jack Good whose average was 49.59. This was a very creditable performance by both players who were making their first appearance on a stage and in a final.
Bennett defeated York’s Tom Speich 3-1 in the first Semi-final including a 20 dart leg with Good winning by the same margin over Ryan Lea (York) in the second.
The top 180 scorers were Quantock and Copley both on 5 with Corner hitting 3.
The winner of the highest checkout of the day award sponsored by Embassy Racing Ltd was Copley who hit 161 and 106 out shots with Lawrence hitting a 147 and 100 finish on the day. Jamie Branton hit a 112 checkout.
The fastest leg of the day came from Corner and Stuart Limbert both hitting 11 dart legs.
Our next event is the Huckleberry^s YDP Darts Masters taking place on Saturday 5th November 2016 at Huntington WMC in York with a guaranteed first prize of £1,000.
This is strictly limited to 128 entries. So strictly first 128 people to pay their entry fee are in. For further details of the event you can contact Neil Hart on 07921128063 or email neilhartydp@hotmail.co.uk or go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1055076651217508/