Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships 2012

Saturday January 7th – Sunday 15th, 2012

The 2011 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships has begun.

The 2012 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship will be the 35th World Championship organised by the British Darts Organisation, and the 27th staging at the Lakeside Country Club at Frimley Green. (Frimley Green is a large village in Surrey, South East England) Martin Adams will be the defending men's champion, having won the title for the third time in the previous year's final against Dean Winstanley. Trina Gulliver is Ladies defending Champion.

The Greatest Darts Show on Earth starts this Saturday
The BDO’s Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships start this Saturday (Jan 7th) on BBC-1 with the live opening match between defending Champion Martin Adams and Scott Mitchell at 2.30PM.

The 2012 Championships feature the top 32 Men and 8 Women players who have earned the right to compete on the famous Lakeside stage.

They have won through qualifying events in over thirty countries around the globe to earn the opportunity to compete in the 35th consecutive BDO World Professional Darts Championships.

“These are the most prestigious Championships in World Darts, says Barry Gilbey, BDO Chairman. “The BBC have televised them for the last 35 years, and for the first time this year ESPN will be showing many additional hours of live coverage.

In total, there will be over 60 hours of live and recorded highlights, and Eurosport and Eurosport Asia coverage will be available in 99 countries around the globe.

“There will be a total of eleven sessions of darts, and together with our wonderful sponsor Bob Potter, BBC Sport and ESPN, we will make sure that we present what Bob proudly describes as ‘the greatest darts show on earth!’

Lakeside 2012 Match order
Men 2012:
1st Round Best of 5 Sets
Sat Jan 7
(16) Ron Meulenkamp (Neth) v Gary Stone (Scot)
(1) Martin Adams (Eng) v Scott Mitchell (Eng)
(9) Ross Montgomery (Scot) v Fabian Roosenbrand (Neth)
(8) Tony O’Shea (Eng) v Steve West (Eng)
(12) Paul Jennings (Eng) v Garry Thompson (Eng)
(5) Gary Robson (Eng) v Steve Douglas (Eng)

Sun Jan 8
(13) Wesley Harms (Neth) v Martin Phillips (Wales)
(4) Robbie Green (Eng) v Darryl Fitton (Eng) (right)
(15) Ted Hankey (Eng) v Clive Barden (Eng)
(2) Scott Waites (Eng) v Andy Boulton (Eng)
(10) Willy van de Wiel (Neth) v Dave Prins (Eng)
(7) John Walton (Eng) v Martin Atkins (Eng)

Mon Jan 9
(11) Tony West (Eng) v Geert De Vos (Belg)
(6) Jan Dekker (Neth) v Christian Kist (Neth)
(14) Benito Van De Pas (Neth) v Alan Norris (Eng)
(3) Dean Winstanley (Eng) v Joey Ten Berge (Neth)

Women 2012:
Quarter-Finals Best of 3 Sets
Sat Jan 7
(4) Lorraine Farlam (Eng) v Karen Lawman (Eng)
(1) Deta Hedman (Eng) v Rhian Edwards (Wales)

Sun Jan 8
(3) Trina Gulliver (Eng) v Lisa Ashton (Eng)

Mon Jan 9
(2) Julie Gore (Wales) v Anastasia Dobromyslova (Rus)

Tournament History

The Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship began in 1978 where it was staged at the Heart of the Midlands nightclub in Nottingham. In 1979, the event moved to Jollees Cabaret Club in Stoke and there it remained until 1985.

In 1985 the tournament moved to the Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green in Surrey and has been there ever since, establishing itself as the spiritual home of darts.

The Lakeside tournament has been organised by the BDO for its entire life and was commonly known as the Embassy World Championship due to its Imperial Tobacco sponsorship. These days it is known simply as the Lakeside tournament and is only contested by BDO players due to the split that occurred in the early nineties.

In 1983, an unseeded Keith Deller became the youngest ever world champion and caused one of the great darts upsets in beating the seemingly invincible Eric Bristow. It was not until 2006, when Jelle Klaasen shocked van Barneveld that somebody so young would win it again. 2008 champion Mark Webster is another youngster - he and Klaasen sandwich the oldest ever winner, Martin Adams, who won a thriller in 2007.

Only two players have ever defended their title - van Barneveld (1999) and Eric Bristow who was champion in 1980 and 1981 and won it three times running from 1984 to 1986.

When Leighton Rees won the first ever title in 1978 he won £3000. 30 years later Mark Webster won £85,000 with beaten finalist Simon Whitlock earning himself a £30,000 payout. In 1988 Bob Anderson won £16,000 and in 1998 van Barneveld's winners cheque was for £40,000.

In 1990 American player, Paul Lim hit the tournament's only ever perfect 9-dart finish in the second round against Irishman Jack McKenna to win a bonus of £50,000, which was more than the eventual champion.

Trina Guilliver signs new deal

On the eve of the 2012 Lakeside Women's World Professional Darts Championship, Trina Gulliver, the nine times World Champion has signed a new sponsorship arrangement with 2J's Travel of Wedmore, Somerset.

Trina now lives in Cheddar, Somerset, and is delighted to be linked with a local travel company:
"I am delighted that 2J's Travel have decided to support me with my travel costs and I am looking forward to a successful relationship with them. It certainly gives a new meaning to Gulliver's Travels!"
2J's Travel is owned and operated by John Wilson and Joseph Rajkovic and specialises in tailor-made travel. The company is celebrating its 10th anniversary - which could be a lucky omen for Trina as she attempts to win her 10th Lakeside crown.

"We have always tried to support the local community, are over the moon, and honoured to be associated with an outstanding World Champion like Trina Gulliver", say John and Joseph.

Trina begins her defence of the title when she plays England teammate Lisa Ashton on Sunday, January 8th.