The recent European Tour Qualifiers (ET5 & ET6) delivered a thrilling spectacle, with Belgian darting sensation Kim Huybrechts achieving a remarkable double qualification for both upcoming tournaments in Sindelfingen and Graz. While ‘The Hurricane’ showcased dominant form, other major players like Rob Cross and Raymond van Barneveld successfully battled their way back onto the prestigious European Tour stage. However, the qualifiers also saw their share of upsets and near misses, with Michael Smith experiencing a surprising early exit before a determined comeback, and Dimitri van den Bergh facing a challenging weekend. Prepare for intense darting action as the European Tour continues its exciting journey!
Kim Huybrechts: ‘The Hurricane’ Sweeps Through Qualifiers
Belgian darting star Kim Huybrechts demonstrated exceptional form, securing his spot in both the European Darts Grand Prix (ET5) and the Austrian Darts Open (ET6). His journey through the qualifiers was nothing short of impressive:
- ET5 Qualification: Huybrechts won all seven of his matches at the Mattioli Arena. His path began with a tense 6-5 victory in a last-leg decider against Jeffrey Sparidaans, setting the tone for a dominant day. He then secured back-to-back 6-3 wins over Adam Lipscombe and Pascal Rupprecht, punching his ticket to Sindelfingen – a venue where he previously claimed the European Darts Grand Prix title in 2015.
- ET6 Qualification: Carrying his momentum forward, Huybrechts started the ET6 qualifiers with a stunning 6-0 whitewash win against Christian Kist. Further 6-3 victories followed against Adam Lipscombe and Adam Gawlas, leading to a decisive final against Max Hopp, which he won 6-4. This double qualification marks Huybrechts’ third European Tour appearance of the year, having previously reached the final day of the Belgian Darts Open (ET3) as a Host Nation qualifier.
Big Names Return: Cross and Van Barneveld Fight Back
The qualifiers saw several high-profile players battling to regain their places on the European Tour, having fallen out of the automatic qualification spots:
- Rob Cross: ‘Voltage’ made a triumphant return to the European Tour after missing out on automatic qualification. He had only made one appearance earlier in the year. Cross delivered an impressive performance, including a 6-4 win over James Hurrell, before defeating rising star Charlie Manby 6-2 in the final round to qualify for ET5.
- Raymond van Barneveld: The five-time World Champion also secured his return to the European Tour stage for ET5, defeating Ian White 6-2 in a crucial final-round match.
- Dutch Contingent: Van Barneveld will be joined by fellow Dutch players Jurjen van der Velde and Maik Kuivenhoven, who qualified for ET5 by overcoming Benjamin Pratnemer and Wesley Plaisier, respectively.
Drama and Dominance: Other Key ET5 Moments
The ET5 qualifiers were full of memorable clashes and standout performances:
- Mickey Mansell’s Stunning Victory: In a highly anticipated encounter, Mickey Mansell delivered a convincing 6-1 win over former World Champion Michael Smith, averaging a blistering 106.62! This marked another chapter in their well-publicized rivalry.
- Keane Barry’s Breakthrough: Keane Barry capped an impressive week by securing his spot at ET5, defeating Cristo Reyes 6-4 with a strong 100.18 average.
- Completing the ET5 Lineup: Oskar Lukasiak, Madars Razma, and Jeffrey De Zwaan also secured their places for the European Darts Grand Prix (ET5) in Sindelfingen.
ET6: Redemption and New Faces
The ET6 qualifiers provided opportunities for redemption and showcased emerging talents:
- Cristo Reyes Rebounds: After narrowly missing out on ET5, ‘The Spartan’ Cristo Reyes powerfully rebounded, booking his place in Graz for ET6. He averaged over 97 to defeat Cor Dekker in the final round, having previously recorded an exceptional 104.77 average against Sebastian Bialecki.
- Michael Smith Makes Amends: ‘Bully Boy’ Michael Smith bounced back from his earlier loss to Mansell, qualifying for ET6 with a tense 6-5 last-leg victory over Shane McGuirk.
- Ian White’s Recovery: Ian White also recovered from his ET5 qualifier disappointment, securing a 6-4 win over Madars Razma to reach ET6.
- Alan Soutar’s Impressive Run: ‘Soots’ concluded an excellent week by qualifying for ET6. He started with a 105 average to defeat Andy Boulton 6-2, followed by a remarkable 106.79 performance against Maik Kuivenhoven, winning 6-4. A 6-3 victory over fellow Scot David Sharp in the final round ensured his debut at the Austrian Darts Open.
- Beau Greaves’s Near Miss: Rising star Beau Greaves narrowly missed out on her first-ever European Tour event, losing 6-3 to Gabriel Clemens in the final round. Greaves started strongly but Clemens reeled off five successive legs to secure his return to Graz.
- New Tour Card Holders: Adam Leek, another new PDC Tour Card Holder, also fell just short of qualifying for his debut European Tour event, losing 6-2 to James Hurrell in the final round of ET6 qualifying.
- Completing the ET6 Lineup: Welsh pair Rob Owen and Nick Kenny, along with Chris Landman, completed the lineup for the Austrian Darts Open (ET6) in Graz.
The Fallen: Big Names Who Missed Out
Not all top players had a successful qualifying weekend:
- Ricardo Pietreczko: Withdrew from ET6 qualification after a 6-0 whitewash loss to Jeffrey De Zwaan in ET5 qualifying.
- Dimitri van den Bergh: ‘The Dreammaker’ suffered opening round losses in both tournaments, continuing a challenging period as he hasn’t appeared on a European Tour stage for over a year.
Understanding the PDC European Tour
The PDC European Tour is a series of prestigious darts tournaments held across Europe, attracting the world’s best players. Qualification for these events is highly competitive:
- Automatic Qualifiers: The world’s Top 16 players automatically receive a bye to the second round of each event.
- Seeded Qualifiers: The next 16 top-ranked players from the PDC Pro Tour are seeded for the opening round.
- Tour Card Holders: Ten additional spots are available for PDC Tour Card Holders who compete in dedicated qualifiers.
- Regional Qualifiers: Further spots are allocated to Nordic & Baltic Qualifiers, Eastern Europe Qualifiers, and four local qualifiers, ensuring diverse representation.
The upcoming events are the European Darts Grand Prix (ET5), scheduled for April 17-19 in Sindelfingen, and the Austrian Darts Open (ET6), taking place from May 8-10 in Graz.
Full List of Tour Card Holder Qualifiers
ET5 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers:
- Rob Cross
- Jurjen van der Velde
- Mickey Mansell
- Jeffrey de Zwaan
- Kim Huybrechts
- Raymond van Barneveld
- Oskar Lukasiak
- Maik Kuivenhoven
- Madars Razma
- Keane Barry
ET6 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers:
- Rob Owen
- Michael Smith
- James Hurrell
- Ian White
- Nick Kenny
- Chris Landman
- Cristo Reyes
- Gabriel Clemens
- Alan Soutar
- Kim Huybrechts
Source: Based on an article from Darts Planet TV.
