Andover’s darting year climaxed at the Entertainer with the 5th Andover Invitation Darts Transplus Classic.
A culmination of 11 monthly classic ranking events and summer and winter leagues had Andover’s top 32 players qualify along with 12 top visitors. A further eight made it through last gasp qualifiers, four top Unicorn Academy players were invited as were 8 special guests from the BDO and PDC ranks.
The eventual winner was Paul Cook of Swindon who produced a superbly consistent display of darts to as a packed and enthralled audience lapped up a feast of the highest quality. In an entertaining final that included 5 maximums and 61 ton plus scores, Cookie, a current holder of two ranking events, condemned Mark Walsh to a second successive Classic runners up spot by 3 sets to 1. The eventual champion dropped just 9 legs all day accounting for Andover’s Paul Reidy and Arron Monk, then Dave Askew and county colleague Johnny Haines in the board final before defeating Peter Evison in the semis.
2005 Champion Walsh illustrated his form with a 13, 14 and 3 eleven dart legs against Andover’s Sean White for a three dart average of 125. His other wins came against Gary Penwarden, Berkshire’s Dan Woodcraft the talented Sam Rooney from Southampton in the board final before overcoming Hampshire’s Nillson Pritchard in the second semi.
The other board finalists were Colin Monk and last year’s champion Dennis Smith who included a 155 checkout. That however was not enough to claim the £350 prize as Monk and Ron Atwill both closed with a 156.
Nearly £5000 in prize money and trophies were presented by main sponsor directors John and Roger Smith of Transplus and the event MC Dave Dempsey and the organisers would like to thank the Andover businesses that once again dug deep to make the event such a success.
Sponsors: Transplus Ltd, Andover Fork Truck Services, J.M. White Plastering, Hampshire Executive Cars, Ability Associates, S.Samways Electrical, West Portway MOT, J.B. Motors, Ken White Distribution, Leigh Williams, EPC with Us, TC Baxter Builders, BTLS Hayley, Test Valley Trophies and South West Taverns.
Champion: Paul Cook £1500 + Trophy.
Runner up: Mark Walsh £750 + Trophy.
Semi Finalists: Nillson Pritchard & Peter Evison both £350.
Quarter Finalists: Colin Monk, Dennis Smith, Sam Rooney and Johnny Haines £150 each
Last 16: Andy Jenkins, Dave Askew, Kirk Shepherd, Sean White, Ron Atwill, Darren Barnes, Peter Bailey, Jeff Hewison £75 each.
Highest Check-Out: 156: Ron Atwill and Colin Monk Share £350.
Transplus Best Andover Performance: Peter Bailey.
Academy Awards sponsored by Ron Atwill:
Furthest Academy: Sean White £40
Special Academy Award: Billy Day £40.
Our photo shows (left to right) John Smith (Director Transplus), Paul Cook (Champion), Roger Smith (Director Transplus) and Dave Dempsey (MC)