CHARISMATIC WAYNE MARDLE TO HOST THIS YEAR’S BRYDENS BARBADOS DARTS FESTIVAL
Wayne Mardle, probably the most charismatic of all the top darts players in the world, will be hosting this year’s Brydens Barbados Darts Festival which takes place from November 2 – 12 and which will give one darts player from the region the opportunity to take part in the greatest darts event in the world in London in December with prize money totalling £1 Million!
The thirty-six-year-old Mardle is a larger than life character who achieved a world ranking of 5 a few years ago and at the beginning of 2009 was ranked 8th best player in the world. However, he succumbed to mumps early in the year and the illness forced him to miss a large number of events that would have earned him those valuable world ranking points.
Fortunately he has fully recovered and is well on his way back to finding the form he displayed when defeating thirteen times World Champion, Phil Taylor, at The Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in December 2007.
Now in its eight year, The Brydens Barbados Darts Festival has grown in stature each year and it provides a fantastic opportunity for someone from the region to win for themselves both fame and fortune at the World Championship which takes place on the biggest darts stage in the world at Alexandra Palace in London from December 18.
To book this place they will have to win the Carib Beer Caribbean & South American Masters tournament which takes place at Solidarity House on Saturday November 7th. Confined to players from the region, it offers the prospect of a life time – something which no other sport in the region can offer an individual.
By just taking part in the World Championship they are guaranteed £3,000 and if they win their first match they are guaranteed another £3,000 with the eventual winner pocketing a cheque for £600,000!
Bajan Anthony Forde and the young Guyanese player Sudesh Fitzgerald have had the experience of participating at Alexandra Palace in front of a noisy live audience of 2,000 spectators and a global TV audience of tens of millions. Forde won his first game and then played superbly in defeat against the current World Champion. Fitzgerald also acquitted himself well last year. Both will have benefited hugely from the experience.
Wayne Mardle and his wife Donna are really looking forward to the Festival.
"I’ve heard so many great things about Barbados and the Festival from other professionals who have hosted the event in previous years and I hope that I can contribute to the growth in the game and inspire the darts players in the region to achieve even higher standards", says Mardle.
Andrew Lewis, CEO of Title Sponsors Brydens, adds.
"We are delighted to have someone of the calibre of Wayne to host this year’s Festival. He regularly plays in all the top tournaments throughout the world against the world’s best and his presence here in Barbados can only be good for the future growth of the game. He will be available to play against players from the region and suggest ways in which they can improve their game".
Festival Director Michael Heal has been delighted by the record numbers attracted from the UK this year – especially in the current economic climate.
"The continued support from organisations such as the BTA and the TDC and companies such as Brydens and Mount Gay are bearing fruit with an increase in numbers this year. With the introduction of the air lift provided by companies like Jet Blue from the USA we should also be looking to target the fast growing darts communities in North America for next year’s festival", says Heal
Admission is free for spectators at all the events and the Bajans will appreciate all the support they can get.