Evening Post from Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England • 37

Evening Post Friday December 24 1993 37 Next Tuesday sees the start of a new era in darts when the recently-formed World Darts Council stages its own World Championship It's the culmination of months of wrangling between the top players and the game's organising body Here TREVOR WHADCOAT talks to world champion John Lowe now one of the leading lights in the WDC Lowe is bidding for a new I TOEING the line rather than toeing the oche has been a major distraction for the top darts players this year Allegations of back stabbing and worse have been rife in the build up to the premier event with writs being issued and the birth of a whole new world championship Current world champion John Lowe has tossed aside the chance to defend his title at Frimley Green from January 1-8 preferring to join 13 of his fellow professionals who have all turned their back on the British Darts Organisation Derbyshire-based Lowe is one of the leading lights in the breakaway World Darts Council who are staging their own event from December 28-January 2 at Purfleet The politics and wrangles have been well documented but in a nutshell Lowe and Co have been banned from all BDO tournaments County matches and exhibitions following their switch to the WDC Said Lowe: a whole new beginning and I have no regrets whatsoever television coverage we are getting is phenomenal because ours is the only real world championship got very little TV exposure under the BDO which was one of the main reasons for the split but there will be 32 hours of live darts on SKY plus 12 hours highlights throughout the four days of our tournament can only be good for the game and the Originally 15 top players made the break but Mike Gregory had a last minute change of heart returned to play in the Embassy and went out in the qualifiers That action could land him with a £10000 bill for breach of contract of us including Mike signed contracts with the TV company and for reasons known only to himself he failed to honour said Lowe has let us all down and could now find himself in the wilderness but down to his own Twenty-four players will compete for the WDC title including five former world champions Lowe Eric Bristow Dennis Priestley Jocky Wilson and Keith Deller The format will be eight groups of three each containing a seed with the top player in each group going through to the knockout stage Added Lowe: a unique system that will maintain and spectators interest lads are conscious there is a lot at stake and determined to prove they are the best players in the third world championship victory last year earned him the permanent ownership of the trophy He is keen to add to the silver-wear although an American Larry Butler and an Irishman Tom Kirby will be out to stop him in the round robin taking nothing for adds Lowe played Larry in the Lucky Lites in New York not so long ago He had five 180s and I only just managed to beat him 4-3 never played Tom but the Irish champion and has travelled the world playing darts Dennis Priestley is the bookies favourite but Lowe warns: He admits however that Bob Anderson is in top form at the moment adding: can never write players like Bob or Eric Bristow off all the wrangles of the past year it will be good to get on with the game and prove a point to one or two people are professionals simply trying look after ourselves and perhaps this shake-up is the best thing that could have happened for the game the players and the It's mine John Lowe proudly holds the Embassy World Professional Darts Championship Trophy after winning it for the third time last year TENNIS M9 Helen roars to title success UTIVE SEASON El A DOW LAN Wm Tuesday 28th December NOTTS COUNTY Vi 1 -r youngest player in the field But she pulled out to join a squad of British players in a Christmas and New Year tournament in Paris which also includes Woodthorpe LTC player Sarah Wright Notts will still be represented at Telford by Andrew Wakefield Victoria Hall and Hilary Hemstock who won through the qualifying rounds age but she is certainly somebody the LTA will be keen to support in the future girl called Hannah Collin who the LTA see as the number one at that age group play but apart from that all the top players were Helen qualified for the main draw of the official under-16 National Championships making her the er in junior competitions for at least ten years The LTA scrapped their official under-12 nationals some years ago but replaced it with this invitational event from the regions Notts county coach Alistair Higham said: is a real achievement but a very very good player at that level You never like to say too much about a girl of that HELEN REESBY from West Bridgford underlined her potential by winning the unofficial national tennis championships at under-12 level She dropped just eight games in six matches against the best of the young talent from the rest of the country at Bisham Abbey And it represents the best performance by a Notts play Kick-) Normal League Prices Seat tickets now on sale TABLE TENNIS Fine show by the E-team NOTTS COUNTY 11 SOUTHEND UNITED Kick-Off 3pm Normal League Prices Seat tickets now on sale BASKETBALL Bucks win a thriller DERBY Bucks had a thrilling 99-94 overtime win over Sunderland in the Budweiser Basketball League The scores were tied at 84-84 and then at 90-90 after a second period of overtime Seimon 24pts Gardiner 23 and Mandt 19 were the top scorers Results: Hemel Royals 85 (40) London Towers 96 (40) Leicester City Riders 79 (38) Chester Jets 69 (26) Manchester Giants 94 (46) John Carr Panthers Doncaster 67 (35) Sunderland Scorpions 94 (43) Moor Windows Derby Bucks 99 (39) Thames Valley Tigers 102 (47) Oldham Celtics 73 (25) Blue Circle Worthing Bears 92 (47) (Irish 39) Guildford Kings 85 (41) Birmingham Bullets 93 (42) Sunderland Scorpions 75 (25) Chester Jets 80 (35) John Carr Panthers Doncaster 69 (31) London Towers 80 (44) Manchester Giants 110(59 and Royal Ordnance However second placed New Wades with games in hand over the leaders could yet mount a challenge in the second half of the season They may yet regret sharing points with ASC Dayncourt in a very closely fought match In Division Five Trent Concrete maintain their lead by beating fourth placed GPT I 8-2 Results: Div GPT 3 Raleigh 7 RO 7 Raleigh 3 Raleigh 2 8 6 Raleigh 4 Raleigh 10 RO 0 8 RO 2 Monty Hind A 6 GPT 4 Keyworth 5 Monty Hind A 5 GPT 7 Raleigh A 3 7 Raleigh A 3 7 GPT 3 2 8 Raleigh A 6 4 Raleigh A 5 Raleigh 5 Raleigh 5 Keyworth 5 4 Dayncourt A6 5 5 Div III: Broxtowe 8 Boots 2 New Wades 9 Dayncourt I Carlton le Willows 4 Femvale 6 GPT 6 4 Boots 6 New Wades 4 Femvale 2 Bridgford 8 Broxtowe 7 Red-cliffe 3 GPT 5 New Wades 5 Div IV: Keyworth 7 RO 3 Trent Jetfloor 7 Keyworth 3 7 Keyworth 3 BT 3 Red Triangle 7 Guy Birkin 3 GPT 7 RO 0 Trent Jetfloor 10 Dayncourt 8 BT 2 Broxtowe 6 Guy Birin 4 GPT 5 New Wades 5 New Wades 5 ASC Dayncourt 5 Div Luxfer 6 Calverton 4 Boots 0 I Players 7 Raleigh 3 Trent Concrete 8 GPT 2 University 6 Players 4 GPT 3 University 7 ALTHOUGH have taken a three-point lead at the top of the First Division Of the Nottingham Table Tennis League they could only draw 5-5 with their fellow club team and missed the opportunity of extending their lead This fine performance from the has lifted them into fourth position Meanwhile second placed Raleigh A failed to capitalise on their major rivals being held to a 5-5 draw by Raleigh The competitive nature of this division was emphasised by third placed Keyworth draw with Monty Hind A an lowly placed Raleigh At the bottom of this Division only two points cover the last six tarns thus ensuring that the League will be very competitive as we go into the second half In Division Three Broxtowe A continue undefeated Their claims for the title were helped when second placed GPT and third placed New Wades A fought a 5-5 draw Congratulations to bottom placed Femvale who achieved their first win against mid-table Carlton le Willows 6-4 In Division Four Trent Jetfloor maintain top position with comfortable wins against Keyworth OPENING HOURS OVER CHRISTMAS Friday 24th Dec 9am -1pm 25th 26th 27th Closed Tuesda28th Dec9am 6pm ay 1 lav Monday 3rd Jan 9am 6pm 30st Closed Friday 31st Dec 9am 5pm Saturday 1st Jan 10am 12noon TELEPHONE 861155 OR TICKET OFFICE DIRECT LINE 850632 CTBFl.