Dortmund, Germany – The opening day of the European Darts Championship delivered an unforgettable spectacle! Luke Woodhouse stunned the crowd with a rare nine-dart finish in the very first game, setting a blistering pace for the tournament. Defending champion Gian van Veen also made headlines, not only securing a crucial victory against Andrew Gilding but also breaking a long-standing curse that saw previous champions stumble in their opening match. Alongside these standout performances, Gerwyn Price dominated, Stephen Bunting pulled off a magical 160 checkout, and several other players battled through thrilling encounters, promising an electrifying second round.
Dortmund Kicks Off with a Bang: Woodhouse’s Perfect Nine!
The European Darts Championship exploded into action with an immediate highlight reel moment. In the very first match of the tournament, England’s Luke Woodhouse, affectionately known as ‘Woody’, achieved darts’ ultimate feat: a nine-dart finish. This perfect leg against Dirk van Duijvenbode sent shockwaves through the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, thrilling fans and setting an incredibly high bar for the rest of the event.
Woodhouse’s stellar performance wasn’t limited to his nine-darter; he maintained an impressive average of over 99, confidently booking his spot in the Last 16. His reward? A highly anticipated clash with the defending champion, Gian van Veen, in Saturday’s second round.
Reflecting on his achievement, Woodhouse shared, “That felt really good. I had a chance for a nine-darter at the World Championship and that didn’t go very well! I know it’s a cliché but the most important thing is the win, so I tried to get myself nice and calm and just crack on with the game. I’m feeling really good at the moment. I’ve probably had the best 12 months of my life darts-wise, so let’s hope it’s my weekend!”
Van Veen Breaks the Curse: A Champion’s Resilience
Defending champion Gian van Veen faced his own challenge, and he rose to it magnificently. He reversed a surprising trend, becoming the first reigning European Champion since 2018 to win his opening match. This “curse” had seen champions consistently fall at the first hurdle for years, adding extra pressure to Van Veen’s campaign.
Van Veen powered to a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Andrew Gilding. Gilding started strong, taking a 3-2 lead, but the Dutch number one showcased his resilience, winning four of the last five legs to kick off his bid for back-to-back titles on German soil.
Adding to his successful day, Van Veen also saw his world ranking climb to number two, even before throwing a dart. This was due to Luke Humphries’ late withdrawal, which guaranteed the reigning World Youth Champion would leapfrog ‘Cool Hand Luke’ in the rankings.
Van Veen admitted, “Andrew put me under pressure every leg, but I took my chances and the defence is up and running. After the game I was told about the previous champions losing in the first round and luckily I didn’t know that before the game, because that would have been extra pressure for myself! It’s going to be a tricky game against Luke [Woodhouse], but it’s a match I’m looking forward to and thankfully I got this one out of the way.”
Day One Highlights: Power Plays and Nail-biting Finishes
Beyond the top two stories, Thursday’s action was packed with drama:
- Gerwyn Price Dominates: ‘The Iceman’ delivered a commanding 6-2 demolition of two-time European Champion Rob Cross. Price kicked off his campaign with a spectacular 127 finish on the bullseye and capped his stellar performance with a 135 combination, finishing with an impressive 99.26 average.
- Bunting’s Breathtaking 160: Stephen Bunting faced a much tougher path, producing a magical 160 checkout in a breathless last-leg decider to narrowly edge past fifth seed Danny Noppert 6-5. Bunting’s reward is a Saturday showdown with Kim Huybrechts.
- Huybrechts Shines as Late Entry: Kim Huybrechts made the absolute most of his late call-up, replacing Luke Humphries. The Belgian delivered a remarkable 6-1 dismantling of Ryan Searle, averaging a massive 103.81. This victory marked his first PDC European Championship win since 2015, a significant return to form.
Dramatic Comebacks and Close Calls
The tension continued with several players fighting back from the brink:
- Heta Survives Scare: Damon Heta battled back from 5-3 down against 2018 European Champion James Wade, surviving four missed match darts from ‘The Machine’ to triumph 6-5.
- Smith Holds On: 2022 champion Ross Smith narrowly avoided the same fate as Wade, overcoming a spirited Karel Sedlacek 6-4. Smith’s victory sets up an exciting second-round clash with fellow Australian, Damon Heta.
- Menzies Advances: Scottish number one Cameron Menzies secured a solid 6-3 win against Niels Zonneveld, who was unable to replicate his recent success at the Dutch Darts Championship.
Looking Ahead: Friday Promises More Darts Thrills
The European Championship continues on Friday with another eight first-round matches, featuring some of the sport’s biggest names. Fans can look forward to seeing world number one Luke Littler return to action in Germany, alongside four-time champion Michael van Gerwen.
Full Day One Results:
- Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Stephen Bunting 6-5 Danny Noppert
- Cameron Menzies 6-3 Niels Zonneveld
- Gerwyn Price 6-2 Rob Cross
- Damon Heta 6-5 James Wade
- Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Ryan Searle
- Gian van Veen 6-4 Andrew Gilding
- Ross Smith 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Friday’s Schedule (Round One):
- Ryan Joyce v Jermaine Wattimena
- Krzysztof Ratajski v Dave Chisnall
- Nathan Aspinall v Cristo Reyes
- Jonny Clayton v Niko Springer
- Luke Littler v William O’Connor
- Wessel Nijman v Martin Schindler
- Kevin Doets v Michael van Gerwen
- Josh Rock v Chris Dobey
Source: Based on an article from Darts Planet TV.
