Tagged: Wheelchair Darts
New Champion Crowned At The World Disabled Darts Association Tournament In The Isle Of Man
Paul Gelder became the winner of the second World Disabled Darts Association tournament which took place in the Isle of Man.
The final was a Yorkshire v Lancashire battle, contested between Wakefield’s Paul Gelder and Accrington’s Fred Carter.
Gelder overcame early nerves to rise victorious, taking out double nine to win the Disabled competition and earning a prize of £350.
Last years winner, Ricky Chilton, lost in the first round along with Darren Kennish, A.McEwan and Martin Herbert.
Manchester’s Phil Lees, who managed to reach the final of the inaugural WDDA tournament last October, bowed out in the semi-finals along with Yorkshire’s Tony Pass.
BDO ranking events were running alongside the WDDA tournament in the Isle of Man, allowing those competing in the disability tournament to mix with the likes of Martin Adams, Tony O’shea and Ted Hankey.
Disability darts is expanding but it desperately needs people to donate and get involved. Click here to donate or visit the official website to learn more.
World Disability Darts Hold Their Second Tournament In The Isle Of Man This Week
The World Disability Darts Association will stage their second tournament this Thursday in The Isle of Man. The competition will see 32 players competing over three days for the trophy and a prize of £350.
The rules slightly differ from the traditional game and the board used is mounted on the Wildfire Dart Frame which was invented back in 2010 by Australian Russ Strobel. The board rotates to allow wheelchair users to compete against standing opponents. See my earlier post for more information about disability darts.
In recent years disability darts has slowly been gathering momentum with the rules now being approved by the World Darts Federation. Help from the BDO and Winmau have also been crucial in getting the sport to it’s current status. By providing a platform for disabled players the WDDA aims to “Include those with disability into a supportive social environment.”
The winner of the first tournament, held in Hull, was Ricky Chilton from St Ives who had his left leg amputated because of bone cancer, but would not let his disability hold him back. He triumphed 3-2 in the final over Manchester’s Phil Lees.
Phil ‘The Buzz’ Lees commenting on making the final said: “Yep that was great but I’d like to go that step further, I’m in good form and more consistent than I was.”
Asking him what it means to play on a professional stage Phil said: “It means a lot, thought my darts career was over with the cancer and amputation. Now I feel privileged and fulfilled.”
Hopeful that disability darts can grow in the next few years he said:“With the help of Winmau and the BDO, we can make the WDDA a worldwide thing.”
Follow Phil ‘The Buzz’ Lees on Twitter.
Visit the official WDDA website for upcoming events and how to get involved.
Wheelchair Darts Has Burst Onto The Oche Thanks To Inventor Russ Strobel
Darts has always been a sport that anyone can play. No matter what age, gender or athletic ability, darts is a sport that, with practice, anyone can become pro at. Well, this isn’t entirely true. Wheelchair uses have never been able to play the game on a professional level due to practical reasons. However, this all changed back in 2010, when Russ Strobel sought to include wheelchair bound players into the sport with his groundbreaking invention the Wildfire Dart Frame. On one side of the frame is a regulation board, and on the other side is a lowered board, with the bull 137cm in height, 36cm lower than normal regulations. The dart frame rotates between throws, allowing a wheelchair user to play against a standing player, meaning opponents can contest on a level playing field. After years of campaigning by Russ, the WDF accepted the new revised height of the board for wheelchair users in 2012.
This invention, although a simple concept, has allowed disabled players to take part on a professional level. The World Disability Darts Association was formed shortly after the Wildfire Darts Frame was invented. They held their first event in October of this year and are planning their second tournament next March. The first champion was 41 year old Ricky Chilton from Cornwall. A regular darts player, his run in with bone cancer cost him his left leg. Here is his performance in the final of the World Disability Darts Masters which also displays the effectiveness of the Wildfire Darts Frame.
He told BBC Radio Cornwall “I almost gave up on playing darts because I thought I could never do it again.” Players who played darts before becoming disabled may well struggle to adjust to the change in height and a new throwing style they’re forced to adopt. Chilton said that “It took a bit of getting used to.” Darts is a sport that relies heavily on muscle memory to be able to repeat the same action. Even the smallest adjustment from your normal throwing position can make a huge difference. Try it yourself, stand just six inches closer and throw, although you may think it would be easier, it will take an awful long time to adjust. This highlights the level of skill needed to make the change to throwing from a wheelchair.
The fact that disabled players can play the game is life changing. The profile of the World Disability Darts Association is, at present, relatively small. However, I’m positive that it will grow at a rapid rate. For more information see the official WDDA website.
The Nine Darter 