2007 BDO World Darts Championship

The 2007 Lakeside World Darts Championship was the 30th Championship and was held between January 6, 2007 and January 14, 2007 at the Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey.

The organisers, the British Darts Organisation announced they had given the tournament a new stage set and player walk-on area. [ [http://www.bdodarts.com/NEWLOOK%20LAKESIDE.htm New-look Lakeside] ] . They also removed the markers (the two officials who manually calculate player scores) from the stage. They will be replaced with on-stage plasma television screens. The only official on-stage was the referee/caller.

Last year's beaten finalist, Raymond van Barneveld announced shortly after that defeat that he would be switching to the Professional Darts Corporation and played in their World Championship instead, winning an epic final for his fifth world title overall. This was the first time that a finalist from one event has played in the other World Championship the following year, in direct contravention of the 1997 Tomlin Order.

Jelle Klaasen was defeated in the first round on the defence of his title. His world ranking was 19 at the time of the draw - so he missed out on being seeded and lost in straight sets to number 16 seed and fellow countryman Co Stompé in the first round.

Martin Adams, who had been involved in many dramatic matches at the Lakeside finally managed to end his 14-year world title drought by claiming his first World Championship. However, he was almost on the end of the most sensational comeback in World Championship history. Qualifier, Phill Nixon came from 0-6 behind in sets to level the match 6-6 and take it into a final set. Adams, who had been on the end of several comebacks (or collapses himself) in the past must have wondered if he was destined never to win the title. But he managed to hold on and won the final set comfortably in the end and claim the £70,000 first prize.

Trina Gulliver maintained her unbeaten record in the women's event winning her seventh successive final. Francis Hoenselaar was beaten in the final for the fourth year in a row and fifth time overall. This year, however she came within a leg of ending Gulliver's run when she took the final to a sudden-death tie-break leg.

Television Coverage

The tournament was covered by the BBC in the UK and SBS6 in the Netherlands. Eurosport also broadcast the event on a pan-European basis, but the contract excluded them from showing the tournament to UK viewers.

The viewing figures for the final in the UK were 3.3 million (0.32 million down on 2006). [ [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?report=weeklyterrestrial&requesttimeout=500&
] BARB - UK television ratings] The Dutch audience for the final was 1,201,000. [ [http://www.starsofdarts.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4969&hl=viewing+figures] Dutch tv viewing figures]

Draw and results

32TeamBracket-Compact
RD1= First Round
Best of 5 sets
Losers £2,750
RD2= Second Round
Best of 7 sets
Losers £4,250
RD3= Quarter-Finals
Best of 9 sets
Losers £6,000
RD4= Semi-Finals
Best of 11 sets
Losers £11,000
RD5= Final
Best of 13 sets
Winner £70,000
Runner-up £30,000
score-width=15
RD1-seed01=16
RD1-team01=flagicon|NEDCo Stompé 91.68
RD1-score01=3
RD1-seed02=
RD1-team02=flagicon|NEDJelle Klaasen 86.49
RD1-score02=0
RD1-seed03=1
RD1-team03=flagicon|ENGMartin Adams 100.68
RD1-score03=3
RD1-seed04=
RD1-team04=flagicon|ENGTony O'Shea 94.32
RD1-score04=0
RD1-seed05=9
RD1-team05=flagicon|NEDVincent Van Der Voort 87.24
RD1-score05=1
RD1-seed06=Q
RD1-team06=flagicon|ENGDavy Richardson 90.03
RD1-score06=3
RD1-seed07=8
RD1-team07=flagicon|ENGTed Hankey 90.90
RD1-score07=3
RD1-seed08=
RD1-team08=flagicon|NEDMario Robbe 83.25
RD1-score08=0
RD1-seed09=12
RD1-team09=flagicon|SCOMike Veitch 87.36
RD1-score09=3
RD1-seed10=
RD1-team10=flagicon|SWEGöran Klemme 84.99
RD1-score10=0
RD1-seed11=5
RD1-team11=flagicon|ENGMervyn King 96.06
RD1-score11=3
RD1-seed12=Q
RD1-team12=flagicon|ENGPaul Gibbs 92.40
RD1-score12=0
RD1-seed13=13
RD1-team13=flagicon|ENGShaun Greatbatch 81.06
RD1-score13=3
RD1-seed14=
RD1-team14=flagicon|ENGPaul Hogan 83.40
RD1-score14=1
RD1-seed15=4
RD1-team15=flagicon|ENGTony Eccles 85.83
RD1-score15=3
RD1-seed16=
RD1-team16=flagicon|WALMark Webster 84.51
RD1-score16=0
RD1-seed17=15
RD1-team17=flagicon|SCOPaul Hanvidge 85.65
RD1-score17=3
RD1-seed18=
RD1-team18=flagicon|WALMartin Phillips 86.97
RD1-score18=2
RD1-seed19=2
RD1-team19=flagicon|SCOGary Anderson 89.10
RD1-score19=2
RD1-seed20=
RD1-team20=flagicon|NEDAlbertino Essers 87.90
RD1-score20=3
RD1-seed21=10
RD1-team21=flagicon|ENGMartin Atkins 86.85
RD1-score21=3
RD1-seed22=Q
RD1-team22=flagicon|ENGGary Fenn 80.52
RD1-score22=0
RD1-seed23=7
RD1-team23=flagicon|ENGDarryl Fitton 86.40
RD1-score23=1
RD1-seed24=Q
RD1-team24=flagicon|ENGPhill Nixon 92.43
RD1-score24=3
RD1-seed25=11
RD1-team25=flagicon|NEDNiels de Ruiter 87.15
RD1-score25=3
RD1-seed26=Q
RD1-team26=flagicon|ENGBrian Woods 91.83
RD1-score26=0
RD1-seed27=6
RD1-team27=flagicon|AUSSimon Whitlock
RD1-score27=bye
RD1-seed28=
RD1-team28=flagicon|ENGAndy Fordham
RD1-score28=
RD1-seed29=14
RD1-team29=flagicon|ENGJohn Walton 93.30
RD1-score29=3
RD1-seed30=
RD1-team30=flagicon|DENBrian Sørensen 85.02
RD1-score30=2
RD1-seed31=3
RD1-team31=flagicon|NEDMichael van Gerwen 89.49
RD1-score31=2
RD1-seed32=
RD1-team32=flagicon|ENGGary Robson 90.15
RD1-score32=3
RD2-seed01=16
RD2-team01=flagicon|NEDStompé 89.37
RD2-score01=1
RD2-seed02=1
RD2-team02=flagicon|ENGAdams 93.18
RD2-score02=4
RD2-seed03=Q
RD2-team03=flagicon|ENGRichardson 86.82
RD2-score03=3
RD2-seed04=8
RD2-team04=flagicon|ENGHankey 88.35
RD2-score04=4
RD2-seed05=12
RD2-team05=flagicon|SCOVeitch 90.69
RD2-score05=2
RD2-seed06=5
RD2-team06=flagicon|ENGKing 90.63
RD2-score06=4
RD2-seed07=13
RD2-team07=flagicon|ENGGreatbatch 79.71
RD2-score07=0
RD2-seed08=4
RD2-team08=flagicon|ENGEccles 85.38
RD2-score08=4
RD2-seed09=15
RD2-team09=flagicon|SCOHanvidge 85.20
RD2-score09=4
RD2-seed10=
RD2-team10=flagicon|NEDEssers 80..43
RD2-score10=1
RD2-seed11=10
RD2-team11=flagicon|ENGAtkins 80.73
RD2-score11=1
RD2-seed12=
RD2-team12=flagicon|ENGNixon 81.12
RD2-score12=4
RD2-seed13=11
RD2-team13=flagicon|NEDde Ruiter 87.54
RD2-score13=4
RD2-seed14=6
RD2-team14= flagicon|AUSWhitlock 88.74
RD2-score14=3
RD2-seed15=14
RD2-team15=flagicon|ENGWalton 94.11
RD2-score15=3
RD2-seed16=
RD2-team16=flagicon|ENGRobson 90.96
RD2-score16=4
RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=flagicon|ENGAdams 89.73
RD3-score01=5
RD3-seed02=8
RD3-team02= flagicon|ENGHankey 89.34
RD3-score02=3
RD3-seed03=5
RD3-team03=flagicon|ENGKing 88.26
RD3-score03=5
RD3-seed04=4
RD3-team04=flagicon|ENGEccles 90.78
RD3-score04=4
RD3-seed05=15
RD3-team05=flagicon|SCOHanvidge 83.40
RD3-score05=4
RD3-seed06=Q
RD3-team06=flagicon|ENGNixon 83.40
RD3-score06=5
RD3-seed07=11
RD3-team07=flagicon|NEDde Ruiter 87.72
RD3-score07=5
RD3-seed08=
RD3-team08=flagicon|ENGRobson 85.59
RD3-score08=4
RD4-seed01=1
RD4-team01=flagicon|ENGAdams 91.62
RD4-score01=6
RD4-seed02=5
RD4-team02=flagicon|ENGKing 88.77
RD4-score02=5
RD4-seed03=Q
RD4-team03=flagicon|ENGNixon 86.10
RD4-score03=6
RD4-seed04=11
RD4-team04=flagicon|NEDde Ruiter 84.19
RD4-score04=4
RD5-seed01=1
RD5-team01=flagicon|ENG

Adams 90.30
RD5-score01=7
RD5-seed02=Q
RD5-team02=flagicon|ENGNixon 87.09
RD5-score02=6

:Q - qualifier:Andy Fordham withdrew from first round match due to ill health

Women's 2007 Event

8TeamBracket | RD1= Quarter Finals
Losers £500
RD2= Semi Finals
Losers £1,000
RD3= Final
Winner £6,000
Runner-up £2,000
score-width=15
RD1-seed1=4
RD1-team1=flagicon|RUSAnastasia Dobromyslova 81.30
RD1-score1=2
RD1-seed2=
RD1-team2=flagicon|SWECarina Ekberg 70.56
RD1-score2=0|
RD1-seed3=1
RD1-team3=flagicon|ENGTrina Gulliver 81.57
RD1-score3=2
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=flagicon|NEDCarla Molema 77.49
RD1-score4=0
RD1-seed5=3
RD1-team5=flagicon|NEDKaren Krappen 65.43
RD1-score5=1
RD1-seed6=
RD1-team6=flagicon|ENGApylee Jones 73.65
RD1-score6=2
RD1-seed7=2
RD1-team7=flagicon|NEDFrancis Hoenselaar 67.47
RD1-score7=2
RD1-seed8=
RD1-team8=flagicon|AUSCarol Forwood 66.03
RD1-score8=1
RD2-seed1=4
RD2-team1=flagicon|RUSAnastasia Dobromyslova 75.34
RD2-score1=0
RD2-seed2=1
RD2-team2=flagicon|ENGTrina Gulliver 78.60
RD2-score2=2
RD2-seed3=
RD2-team3=flagicon|ENGApylee Jones 64.23
RD2-score3=1
RD2-seed4=2
RD2-team4=flagicon|NEDFrancis Hoenselaar 63.42
RD2-score4=2
RD3-seed1=1
RD3-team1=flagicon|ENG

Trina Gulliver 80.61
RD3-score1=2
RD3-seed2=2
RD3-team2=flagicon|NEDFrancis Hoenselaar 79.23
RD3-score2=1

Tournament Review

Day One "Saturday 6 January"
Jelle Klaasen's defence of his world championship ended in the first round with a defeat by fellow Dutchman, Co Stompé. Klaasen, who had a difficult year since his victory over Raymond van Barneveld in last year's final was ranked lower than his opponent and lost in straight sets. It was the sixth time that a champion failed to win his opening match on the defence of the title. Stompé's victory was his first at Lakeside since 2002 - having lost in the first round at the last five attempts.

Davy Richardson finally managed to win a match at Lakeside, some fourteen years after his first attempt. He had lost in the first round in 1993 (to Steve Beaton), 1999 (to Co Stompé), 2001 (to Jez Porter), 2002 (to Wayne Mardle) and 2005 (to Martin Adams) but his bad run ended with a victory over number nine seed Vincent van der Voort.

No problems for top seed Martin Adams and other seeded players Mervyn King, Ted Hankey and Mike Veitch who all earned places in the second round with straight sets victories.

Day Two "Sunday 7 January"
The second day produced a series of shocks as the bookmaker's pre-tournament favourite for the title, Michael van Gerwen lost to Gary Robson. The 17 year-old World Masters champion was 9/4 favourite for the title, but found himself trailing through most of the match. Gerwen shown some signs of the form that took him number three in the world, but his night could be summed up by his start to match. He took the first leg against the darts, then hit three single ones to start the next leg. The inconsistently plagued him throughout the match as did his sponsors logo on his shirt which he had to keep pushing back into place. Robson, winner of the 2005 World Darts Trophy missed darts in the final set to clinch the match but finally hit a double four in the eighth leg to seal the win.

Earlier in the day the shocks started with Gary Anderson and Darryl Fitton making early exits. Albertino Essers, a Dutchman who had suffered from dartitis in recent years, ended second seed Anderson's hopes with a 3-2 win.

Fitton, who made his trademark entrance dancing to Madness hit One Step Beyond..., took the first set against qualifier Phill Nixon but then lost nine consecutive legs to go down 3-1. Nixon, making his debut in the tournament at the age of 50, hit checkouts of 121 and 110 as he refused to allow the seventh seed any way back into the match.

Tony Eccles, seeded four but a 50/1 outsider for the title beat promising Welshman Mark Webster in straight sets. Webster failed to show the form that took him to a Europe Cup singles title and like van Gerwen earlier in the evening, his Lakeside debut ended in defeat.

Day Three "Monday 8 January"
Day three's play was overshadowed by the withdrawal from the tournament by 2004 champion Andy Fordham. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/darts/6242757.stm Fordham withdraws due to ill health] ] The 44-year-old Dartford publican suffered breathing difficulties as a result of a chest infection. He was carried out of the venue on a stretcher to an ambulance and taken to hospital where he stayed overnight. Fordham's scheduled opponent, Simon Whitlock from Australia received a walkover into the second round. Fordham's has suffered continual health problems - in November 2004, he pulled out from his 'Battle of the Champions' clash with PDC champion Phill Taylor whilst 2-5 behind. It was the first time a player had withdrawn from a match since the 1979 Championship when Alan Evans pulled out of the third-place play-off, also due to ill-health.

When play started, the three seeded players in action all progressed to the last 16, but John Walton and Paul Hanvidge had struggles on their hands both going through 3-2. Walton, the 2001 champion was taken to deep in the final set by Brian Sørensen, finally progressing by 5 legs to 3. Hanvidge dedicated his victory to his mother, who passed away on Christmas Day. He was quite emotional in his post-match interview after a 3-2 victory over his good friend, Martin Phillips.

Day Four "Tuesday 9 January"
The second round of the tournament got underway with the first four matches from the top half of the draw. The top half of the draw had seen few shocks in terms of the seedings with only number nine player, Vincent van der Voort being dispatched in the first round. The trend continued in the second round as Martin Adams (1), Tony Eccles (4), Mervyn King (5) and Ted Hankey (8) all made it to the quarter finals. Hankey was the player who had most difficulty in progressing having to come from 0-2 and 2-3 behind against Davy Richardson. Hankey started the final set with a maximum 170 checkout and went on to beat the qualifier who had been battling the pain of broken ribs in the tournament.

Mike Veitch complained he'd been put off by his opponent Mervyn King shouting whilst he collecting his darts from the board during his 2-4 defeat. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/darts/6246801.stm King upsets opponent Veitch] ] King secured a quarter final meeting with Tony Eccles

Day Five "Wednesday 10 January"
Unseeded Gary Robson came from 1-3 behind to defeat 2001 champion John Walton and reach the last eight at the Lakeside World Championship and it guaranteed a first-time finalist from the bottom half of the draw. The 39-year-old Robson, who beat wonderkid Michael van Gerwen in round one, now plays Dutchman Niels de Ruiter, who beat number six seed Simon Whitlock 4-3.

Phill Nixon, a first time qualifier at the age of 50 added to his victory over seventh seed Martin Atkins with a 4-1 win against tenth seed Martin Atkins. He now faces number 15 seed Paul Hanvidge, who reached the last eight for the second year running by beating Albertino Essers 4-1.

Day Six "Thursday 11 January"
The first two quarter-finals were settled and top seed Martin Adams saw off former champion Ted Hankey 5-3. Adams took the first two sets, before "The Count" fought back to level. Adams kept in front, with the darts and took the match with a crucial break in the eighth set with a 13-dart leg hitting double five after previously missing five darts to clinch it.

Mervyn King progressed to the semi-finals, by beating number four seed Tony Eccles 5-4. King came from 0-3 behind and hit ten 180s in the match to edge it 5-4. The drama continued in King's post-match interview when he responded to speculation in that morning's newspapers about a possible switch to the PDC. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/darts/6254179.stm] King threatens to quit tournament] "I nearly packed my darts away and went home," he said. "You nearly didn't have a quarter-final. It was that close."

Day Seven "Friday 12 January"
The semi-final line-up was completed with the conclusion of the quarter finals. Both games went to the final set with Niels de Ruiter maintaining the Dutch interest in the event, defeating Gary Robson. Robson took the first two sets, then de Ruiter hit two 13, one 14 and one 15 dart leg in his comeback to level.

The deciding leg of the fifth set was amongst the highest standard leg in the history of the Lakeside event. Robson opened with 140, then de Ruiter hit his 5th 180 of the match. Robson's 140 was followed with another 180 leaving a nine-dart opportunity. Robson's ton left 121 and when de Ruiter missed the nine-darter and left himself on 36 for a ten-dart finish, Robson checked out the 121 to go 3-2 up in sets. He took the next set as well but de Ruiter battled back again to level. Robson hit a bullseye and a double 16 to save the match twice in the final set but de Ruiter's sixth dart for the match (at double 18) secured the win.

Phill Nixon, the 150-1 outsider at the start of the tournament, progressed to the semi-final with a narrow 5-4 win over Scotland's Paul Hanvidge. Nixon looked to be coasting to the last four when he led 4-1 but then missed six darts for the match and allowed Hanvidge the chance to get back into it. Nixon hit a 105 finish in the fourth leg of the final set to finally close out the match.

The Women's final followed and despite dropping her first set at Lakeside since the quarter-finals in 2003, Trina Gulliver went on to clinch her seventh successive title and maintain her unbeaten run in the event. Francis Hoenselaar pushed her all the way, and the match went to a sudden-death fifth leg in the final set. Gulliver won the throw for the bull to start the final leg and a 100, 140, 140 start left her in a commanding position to seal the match. She clinched the title with a double 18, her fourth dart for the match.

Day Eight "Saturday 13 January"
Both semi-finals were played in their traditional Saturday afternoon timeslot and the first match was between number one seed Martin Adams and number five seed Mervyn King. Adams looked to be coasting towards the final when he took a 5-2 set lead, but then King began to fightback with one 12-darter and three 13-darters. When King took six consecutive legs to level the match it looked like Adams had blown his chance to reach the final, just as he'd blown a lead in the final of the World Masters in October. This time he held his nerve by taking all three legs in the deciding set to reach his second world final.

The second semi-final saw Dutchman Niels de Ruiter against the surprise package of the tournament Phill Nixon. Nixon won the first three sets before de Ruiter took the fourth. But Nixon continued his great run and went 5-1 up. De Ruiter then produced a fightback to take the 7th, 8th and 9th sets to trail 4-5. Nixon regained his composure in the 10th set and hit his 14th and 15th 180s during the set to close out the match and reach the final.

Day Nine "Sunday 14 January"
It was a memorable final with two 50 year-old players battling it out for their first world title. Adams was the strong favourite, having been the number one seed. Nixon was the 150-1 outsider at the start of the event but had beaten a seeded player in each round on the way to the final.

Adams looked like he was going to walk away with an easy victory when he went into the break having taken the first six sets and needing just one to win. Nixon had other ideas and started to claw his way back into it. Adams missed four darts that could have won him the match and started to look more worried until eventually Nixon drew level.

Adams must have had doubts that he would ever be able to win this world title, but the doubts were soon dissolved as he managed to hold his nerve in the final set, and won all three legs to finally get his hands on a BDO Grand Slam title.

Soon after the tournament finished, rumours began to circulate (especially amongst PDC purists) that the BDO final had been rigged to compete with the epic PDC final where Raymond Van Barneveld had defeated 13 time PDC World Champion Phil Taylor 7-6.

Several allegations arose which included Martin Adams being "told" during the interval (when he was 6-0 up) to lose the next six sets to Nixon and the two to genuinely fight the 13th and final set out, and the whole final being pre-planned with the 13th set being decided between the two players. Many darts fans (from both sides) expressed their intrigue as to how Martin Adams had won the final set so convincingly after losing 6 sets in a row, and possibly the BDO title which he had been after for so long.

The allegations could not be backed up with any evidence and were merely speculation. Despite the exodus of the BDO's best players to the PDC, no concrete evidence could be presented and the allegations weren't even made public, never mind formally investigated.

Pre-Tournament Odds

The odds before the tournament began [ [http://www.bdodarts.com/lsidebetting%202007.shtml Pre-tournament odds (BDO Website)] ] (supplied by official on-site bookmakers, Coral)

Qualifiers

On October 2, the BDO announced that the 2007 Championships would contain 16 seeded players for the first time since 1981. Two days later they announced that the top 26 players from the Invitational table would also qualify automatically. Defending champion Jelle Klassen had slipped to 19 in the rankings at the time the seedings were announced, and has therefore missed out on being seeded. He was drawn against Co Stompé in the first round.

The qualifying event [ [http://www.dartswdf.com/aa_darts/results/worldpro/2007/WorldPro2007Playoffs.html Qualifying Event Results] ] was held at Bridlington on Thursday October 12, the day before the Winmau World Masters event. From a field of 239 players playing the best of 3 sets, four players emerged as qualifiers for the 2007 World Finals.Former champion, Tony David was defeated by Kierion Carter of Wales in the first qualifying round. Despite a run of four victories Bobby George (WDF Ranking 165) fell two rounds short of qualification for the finals.

The eventual qualifiers from the event were:
* Davy Richardson (England) WDF Ranking: unranked
* Brian Woods (England) WDF Ranking: 86
* Paul Gibbs (England) WDF Ranking: 60
* Phill Nixon (England) WDF Ranking: 272

The final place at Lakeside was reserved for the winner of the World Masters - but as Michael van Gerwen had already booked a place it was taken by Gary Fenn, who had won a standy-by play-off a few days earlier. Ironically, if Fenn was to progress to the second round he could come up against Phill Nixon - the man who had already "knocked him out" of the qualifying event for the World Championship on October 12.

The draw for the event was made at Leisure World, Bridlington on October 13, 2006 at 10am by the owners of the Lakeside - Bob Potter and Barbara Leitch.

ee also

* 2007 in darts

References

External links

* [http://dartswdf.com/aa_darts/results/worldpro/2007/WorldPro2007Men.html WDF World Championship site - will include all statistics and tournament programme]
* [http://www.bdodarts.com Official BDO website]
* [http://www.lakesideworlddarts.co.uk/ Official website for Lakeside World Darts]
* [http://pluto.spaceports.com/~mot/darts/bdoworld2007.htm Alternate review of the BDO 2007 World Darts Championship (Superstars of Darts)]