The new DDV Bundesliga season has kicked off with an absolute bang, delivering immediate drama and high-stakes action. The highly anticipated rematch of last season’s finalists, ATSV Mutschelbach and DC Dartmoor, ended in a thrilling 6-6 draw. But the biggest news of the weekend was the shocking announcement of Martin Kramer’s retirement – last year’s standout player, who leaves the sport after an illustrious career. Despite the draws, several teams like Captains Berlin, Vegesack Bremen, and DC Hawks Vilsbiburg have already shown their championship ambitions with perfect starts.
North Division: Early Statements and Berlin Battles
Vegesack Bremen’s Dominant Start
DC Vegesack Bremen made a strong statement, securing two crucial victories. Reinforced by players like Lenny Schlüter, they first defeated Bulldogs Wolfenbüttel 8-4. Schlüter, despite a loss in his singles debut, partnered with Andree Welge to seal a decisive doubles point. They followed this with a 7-5 win against Dart Team Köln. Here, Alexander Patz impressed, nearing a 100-average in his win and contributing to Bremen’s strong doubles record alongside Welge.
Captains Reign in Berlin Derby
In Berlin, both Captains DC Berlin and Vikings DC Berlin started with 7-5 victories against Dart Team Steinfurt. The intra-city showdown saw the Captains emerge dominant with a 9-3 win, placing them at the top of the table. Tom Hammermeister was flawless for the Captains, remaining undefeated, while Marcel Hausotter couldn’t prevent the Vikings’ loss.
Greifswald’s Perfect Ascent
Promoted side Dartfighters Greifswald also started perfectly, leading the table on points and sets. They secured an 8-4 victory against DC Nomads Flensburg, then matched that score with another 8-4 win in the promoted teams’ duel against DC Dartona. René Steinhauer and Maik Nienhagen were particularly impressive for Greifswald. The match between Dartona and Flensburg ended in a 6-6 draw.
South Division: Drama, Comebacks, and a Shock Farewell
Thrilling Rematch and Dramatic Comeback
The South Division’s hotspot was Mutschelbach, hosting the highly anticipated rematch of last year’s Bundesliga final. Now playing under the name ATSV Mutschelbach (formerly Karlsruher SC), they faced DC Dartmoor. In a stunning turn, Dartmoor initially surged to a 5-0 lead. However, a magnificent finish by Martin Kramer against Jannis Barkhausen sparked a remarkable comeback. The strong performance of Mensur Suljovic also played a key role, culminating in a 6-6 draw sealed in a series of tense, high-quality doubles matches. Nico Kurz of Dartmoor even hit a 10-darter on the bullseye, highlighting the quality of play.
Later, DC Torpedo’s suffered heavy defeats against both Mutschelbach and Dartmoor, with matches often decided after the singles block.
The Unexpected Farewell of Martin “Bonsai” Kramer
The emotional highlight of the weekend was the surprising retirement announcement from Martin Kramer. Known as “Bonsai,” Kramer concluded his six-year tenure with KSC/ATSV, leaving with three championship titles. Remarkably, he was called to the national squad in his mid-50s and qualified for the European Tour twice last year. Last season, he topped the entire Bundesliga with exceptional performances, remaining undefeated in all 14 of his singles matches. His departure marks the end of an era for the Bundesliga.
DC Hawks Vilsbiburg: The Only Perfect Record in the South
DC Hawks Vilsbiburg stands alone as the only team in the South Division with a perfect record. They started with a dominant 10-2 win against Finnigan’s Harp, then followed up by defeating Dart Fabrik Leipzig 8-4. Bruno Stöckli was a key player for Vilsbiburg. Leipzig, on the other hand, had a tough start, also losing 2-10 to Finnigan’s Harp, where Joachim Dürbeck was a standout performer.
Olympia Koblenz Shows Promise
Promoted side Olympia Koblenz, featuring Tour Card holder Leon Weber, secured a point by drawing 6-6 with DC LaBamba (featuring Marvin Kraft) before clinching an 8-4 victory in their promoted team clash against DC Wolfsölden. Wolfsölden had earlier narrowly lost 5-7 to LaBamba.
2nd Bundesliga: New Contenders Emerge
North Division: Hannover and SGR 9-Darter Shine
In the 2nd Bundesliga North, Shakespeare Dartists Hannover have emphatically established themselves as strong promotion candidates. The team, led by Ricardo Pietreczko and bolstered by new additions like Luca Wolff and Marc Spalt, secured a 10-2 victory against Pusdorfer Ratten before achieving a stunning 12-0 whitewash against Bundesliga relegated side Schönberger 180’s. Schönberg also lost to Pusdorf, who now feature Maurice Junker from Steinfurt.
Another relegated team, SGR 9-Darter, had a better start with two wins: 9-3 against Falke Rosenthal and 7-5 against Disaster Darts.
USG Racing Mimimi, with the talented brother duo Benjamin and Bastian Sienkewitz, also showed strong form, defeating both DC Lumberjacks and MTV Seesen 7-5. Lumberjacks and Seesen later drew their match.
South Division: Bandits and Clochard Darter Lead
The South Division of the 2nd Bundesliga saw DSC Bandits and Clochard Darter Augsburg (featuring Franz Rötzsch) achieve perfect starts. The Bandits decisively beat 1. DSC Honzrath 9-3, then defeated relegated Darts Pub Walldorf 7-5. Walldorf found some consolation with a narrow win against Honzrath.
Augsburg first defeated Nostradartmus 7-5, then secured another close 7-5 win against Dart Team Essenbach. Essenbach and Nostra later drew 6-6.
DVK, the second team from Kaiserslautern, also performed well, impressing with a 9-3 victory against Bären and drawing their match against Bundesliga relegated side DC Urbach.
Detailed Match Results: DDV Bundesliga – Matchday 1
North Division Scores:
- DC Vegesack Bremen 8-4 DC Bulldogs Wolfenbüttel A
- Vikings DC Berlin 1 7-5 Dart Team Steinfurt 16
- Dartfighters Greifswald 1 8-4 DC Nomads Flensburg
- DC Bulldogs Wolfenbüttel A 7-5 Dart Team Köln 1
- Dart Team Steinfurt 16 1 5-7 Captains DC Berlin
- DC Nomads Flensburg 6-6 DC Dartona 1
- Dart Team Köln 1 5-7 DC Vegesack Bremen
- Captains DC Berlin 9-3 Vikings DC Berlin 1
- DC Dartona 1 4-8 Dartfighters Greifswald 1
South Division Scores:
- ATSV Mutschelbach 6-6 Dartmoor 1
- DC Hawks Vilsbiburg 10-2 DSV Finnigan’s Harp
- DC Wolfsölden 5-7 DC LaBamba 1
- Dartmoor 1 9-3 DC Torpedo´s
- DSV Finnigan’s Harp 10-2 Dart Fabrik Leipzig
- DC LaBamba 1 6-6 Olympia Koblenz 1
- DC Torpedo´s 2-10 ATSV Mutschelbach
- Dart Fabrik Leipzig 4-8 DC Hawks Vilsbiburg
- Olympia Koblenz 1 8-4 DC Wolfsölden
Detailed Match Results: DDV 2nd Bundesliga – Matchday 1
2nd Bundesliga North Scores:
- USG Racing Mimimi 7-5 DC Lumberjacks A
- DT Pusdorfer Ratten 2-10 Shakespeare Dartists Hannover e.V. A
- Disaster Darts 7-5 SV Falke Rosenthal e.V. A
- DC Lumberjacks A 6-6 MTV Seesen A
- Shakespeare Dartists Hannover e.V. A 12-0 Schönberger 180´s – The Wanderers
- SV Falke Rosenthal e.V. A 3-9 SGR-9-Darter 1
- MTV Seesen A 5-7 USG Racing Mimimi
- Schönberger 180´s – The Wanderers 4-8 DT Pusdorfer Ratten
- SGR-9-Darter 1 7-5 Disaster Darts
2nd Bundesliga South Scores:
- Bären 1 3-9 DVK 1
- Nostradartmus 1 5-7 Clochard Darter Augsburg
- DSC Bandits 1 9-3 1. DSC Honzrath
- DVK 1 6-6 DC Urbach
- Clochard Darter Augsburg 7-5 Dart Team Essenbach
- 1. DSC Honzrath 5-7 Darts Pub Walldorf
- DC Urbach 8-4 Bären 1
- Dart Team Essenbach 6-6 Nostradartmus 1
- Darts Pub Walldorf 5-7 DSC Bandits 1
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
