Plymouth's leading players out in force this weekend

LEADING Plymouth darts players will be out in force this weekend as they compete in major competitions around the country.

On Friday evening, Simon Stevenson will be in the line-up on the PDC Main Tour at the Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan, hoping to win a place in two forthcoming European tournaments.

The UK double header will see 18 qualifying places on offer in each of the European Tour events in Hamburg and Hildesheim.

Should the Mirrorman be successful, he would make the line-up for the European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg from June 29 – July 1 and the German Darts Championship which will be held from August 31 – September 2 in Hildesheim.

The following two days, Stevenson will compete in Players Championship 13 and 14, hoping to improve on his current Players Championship Order of Merit ranking of joint 27th place.

England Internationals Maria O’Brien and Keelan Kay lead the Plymouth assault at Bunn Leisure, Selsey, Chichester, when they compete in the England national singles.

O’Brien will be competing in the Ladies Open Singles on Friday and will be joined by Cat Callard, Hayley Brant, Anna Johnson and their Devon county team mates Katie Miller (Exeter) and Crediton’s Lisa Hughes.

The same players will also compete the following day in the England National Singles and will be joined by Sarah Brown.

Keelan Kay is the current England Boys Open Singles champion and will be defending that title against a strong field on Saturday.

He will be hoping to replicate that victory again when he destroyed his England team mate Alex Gurr 5-0 in the 2017 final, when he hit three 15 darters to emerge as the new champion with an outstanding average of 30.93

To warm up for his main event, the Lord of the Board will also compete in the Men’s Open Singles and the England National Singles.

Last but not least, Snowy Dyson, who is one of only two bi-lateral, above the knee amputees, in the World Disability Darts Association (WDDA) and the only one in Britain, will also be competing.

He will be contesting the two events for wheelchair darts players in the BDDA Harlequin Trophy on Saturday at Stafford Rangers Football Club.

Snowy will be aiming to come in the top 16 or higher and again in Wolverhampton in July, which would give him qualification into the Winmau World Masters in October.