Spent the entire week in Bucharest, Romania for the WDF Europe Cup; representing Belgium with the rest of the team: Els Verpoorten, Sharon Bracke, Peggy Van Ballaert, Jörgen Aerts, Dennis Piepers, John Desreumaux, Jeffrey Van Egdom and the two coaches Dave Joacim and Gerry Walters.
Sunday the Romanian International Darts Open 2014 was held at the Intercontinental hotel. A lot more participants this year because of the Europe Cup. Thus also a lot more difficult to get to the finals. ;)
I had a bye in the first round and my first game was at 12:30H. I played Jolanta Rzepka from Poland. Unfortunately I lost 4-3. They failed to turn of the A/C in the room and since I don't throw all that hard; my darts were affected. :( But, still... Didn't play horribly bad, but would have been a different game without the damned A/C.
Finished with bull's eye twice though, but wasn't enough. Never should've lost the first leg in the first place, but to win you do need to hit the double and I didn't. Each of us held our leg and she started the deciding leg. I screwed up the 110 finish for the game, so fair enough. Lesson learned? Start downstairs next time I'm on 110.
The Men's Single winner is Scott Waites and the runner-up is Sami Sanssi (FIN)
The Ladies refused to play the semis and thus also the final so there is no winner there.
You can find the official statement of the Romanian Dart Federation regarding this here: http://www.federatiedarts.ro/stiri/74/romanian-darts-federationofficial-statement-.html#
For the record; I am not pointing any fingers here. I understand the reaction of the ladies, but also the reaction of the FDR and other parties involved.
I have played all the previous editions of RIDO and the Romanian Classic. This was the first year that Eurosport agreed to televise the men's QF, SF and Final and the ladies final. The previous years it was streamed on the internet and televised on a Romanian sports channel. Also, only the ladies' final.
I was not at the venue when it happened so I cannot say what happened exactly. I have read statements of 2 of the ladies and heard the stories of other people involved.
Pretty sure though that this will not be the end of it.