SERIOUS DARTS
Darts P.E.I. hosting tournament where winners earn invitation to worlds in England
Trip to the worlds on the line this weekend in Charlottetown
For the first time ever, P.E.I. will play host to a world-ranked dart tournament.
The BDO-ranked P.E.I. Potato Open takes place at the Rodd Royalty Inn in Charlottetown Friday through Sunday.
Darts P.E.I. has hosted nationally-ranked tournaments before but never one in which the men’s and women’s champion get an invitation to the world masters in England.
“For us, this is a pretty big deal,’’ said Darren MacNevin, president of Darts P.E.I. “Our executive, there’s five of us, have worked over the last three-anda-half years to grow this.’’
In the past, a big tournament for Darts P.E.I., one which drew off-Island players, would involve, maybe, 30 competitors and 14 dartboards in a little hall. This weekend, Darts P.E.I. will host up to 200 competitors aiming at one of 64 dartboards.
“We have all the (hotel’s) courtyard and then we have the bottom floor as well.’’
Of the 200 competitors, 60 to 70 will be from P.E.I. making the tournament a boost for the hotel itself.
“Right now, at the Rodd, we have on Friday and Saturday nights over 80 rooms booked from competitors off-Island. We’re averaging two (people) per room so it’s a pretty big tournament considering three years back we wouldn’t have had 30 people come to a tournament from off Island.’’
MacNevin said competitors like the fact they’ll be staying, eating and competing in one spot. It certainly made it easier to go from hosting a nationally ranked tournament to a worldranked event.
“We wanted to put it in a hotel setting where the dart players come for the weekend and they don’t have to leave. That’s what they liked and I think that’s what changed everything. They play their darts, they go back to their room, they practice, they have a bite to eat and come back for their next competition.’’
Players bring their own dartboards with them so they practice right in their hotel room.
The tournament is open to the public. Admission is free. Play will involve doubles, mixed and singles with more than $10,000 in prize money being handed out.
Only those with a National Darts Federation of Canada membership can qualify for the world masters in England.
“It’s a big, major competition. We try to have fun and we have a social for them Saturday night but when it comes to the singles (competitions) it’s serious darts.’’