Shooting straight Darts
Darts were in full flight as Australia's top 128 darts players commenced competition in earnest today with the first event the Peter McMenamin Cup starting the 30th Formula Australian Darts Championships at the Redland Multi Sports Complex in Birkdale on the outskirts of Brisbane. Competition was exciting with many players in top form and no easy matches. With the best male and female players from all States and Territories in attendance some great darts started off the seven days of the Championships hosted by the Queensland Darts Association with sponsorship assistance from Formula Australia.
Ladies
At the completion of the first four rounds of the Ladies Peter Mac Cup, the competition is so close in both Divisions it is too close to call any possible winners at this stage.
In a very closely contested division, Queensland (pictured right) Victoria and Western Australia has won all of their four rounds so far in the Green Division. Victoria had strong victories over Northern Territory, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia while Queensland secured victories over South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. Western Australia (pictured below left) defeated New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. This leaves a very exciting three rounds tomorrow as these three undefeated teams play each other to decide the division finalist. The winner of this division will not be known until the very end of the round robin. South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have all won one round.
In the Gold Division Tasmania remains the only undefeated team. They have been winning fairly comfortably in all of their rounds to date with victories over Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. Victoria is still in contention with just one lost in the first round to Tasmania but ended the day strongly with wins over Western Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory. Queensland also has lost one round to Victoria, with victories over South Australia, Northern territory and the ACT. This leaves some very exciting rounds tomorrow to decide the division winner, but Tasmania would need to be favourites. Western Australia and New South Wales have won two rounds, South Australia and Northern Territory one round.
Men
Queensland and Western Australia remain the only Teams not to have lost a round in the Green Division. In a great display of darts by the boy's from the west winning their matches against New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory while the hosts accounted for South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. The remaining Teams in this Division have all lost at least two rounds. The Division Green crunch match to decide the winner could be round six when Western Australia and Queensland meet.
Gold Division sees the same scenario as the Green Division with both Western Australia and Queensland the Teams to catch. They won all of their rounds today with Queensland (pictured above right) having victories over South Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory and those wins were fairly comfortable. Western Australia (pictured below) defeated Northern Territory, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory and 
Tasmania. At this stage of the event it looks like South Australia is the only other teams remain in contention having suffered the one lose to Queensland in the first round. They will be watching closely to see who wins the first round (round five) on day two when Queensland meet Western Australia. They will be hoping Western Australia wins so it gives them a chance when SA meets Western Australia in the last round. A victory to SA could see Queensland Western Australia and South Australia all on six wins and a tiebreaker would be required to find the winner of this division. All the other Teams have lost at least two rounds so they will be hoping for some big upsets to get back into contention.
Player's that look like being in top form at this early stages of the Championships are Dot McLeod and Louise Ball from WA, Corrine Hammond from NSW, Sandra Smith from Tasmania, Pam Burr and Cathy Shaw from Queensland, Julie Thomas from SA, Becca Heidke from the Northern Territory, along with Janine Cassar from VIC.
For the Men, players performing well are Dave Marshall and Geoff Kime from Queensland, Kyle and Beau Anderson from WA, Peter Machine from South Australia, Sean Reed from New South Wales, Eddy Sims from Victoria and Anthony Fleet from the ACT.
Men’s Competition |
Ladies Competition |
Wins |
Wins |
Green Division |
Gold Division |
Green Division |
Gold Division |
VIC Navy – 2 |
VIC White – 2 |
WA Black – 4 |
WA Gold – 2 |
WA Black – 4 |
SA Blue – 3 |
QLD Maroon – 4 |
SA Blue – 1 |
QLD Maroon – 4 |
NSW Blue – 1 |
VIC Navy – 4 |
QLD White – 3 |
ACT Blue – 1 |
QLD White – 4 |
TAS Yellow – 1 |
TAS Green – 4 |
TAS Yellow – 1 |
NT Ochre – 1 |
SA Red – 1 |
NSW Blue – 2 |
NSW Dark Blue – 2 |
WA Gold – 4 |
NSW Dark Blue – 1 |
VIC White – 3 |
SA Red – 2 |
TAS Green – 0 |
ACT Blue – 1 |
NT Ochre – 1 |
NT White – 0 |
ACT Gold – 1 |
NT White – 0 |
ACT Gold – 0 |
Rhys Methewson (pictured right) from Tasmania hit the highest pegout for the day with a maximum 170.
Following the final three rounds tomorrow the winner from each Division will contest the final.
