BDO BRITISH INTERNATIONALS 2010

The Spa, Bridlington 10-11 April 2010 

The BDO is delighted that 110Sport.tv  www.110sport.tv  will be providing live streaming of the 2010 BDO British Internationals – making them accessible to a worldwide audience over the internet.

It is a truly exciting innovation for this annual ‘battle of the oche’ between the home countries of England, Scotland and Wales. National darts pride is at the forefront of the BDO British International Darts Championships staged at The Spa, Bridlington on April 10^th & 11^th by the British Darts Organisation.

Host country England will be defending the Men’s title they have won an incredible 28 times since the Championships were first staged in 1979!

Captain MARTIN ADAMS is England’s longest serving captain (since 1993) and the most capped England player of all time, with 81 appearances for his country.

He is also reigning 2010 BDO Lakeside World Professional Darts Champion (he won it for the first time in 2007 and has made more Lakeside appearances than any other player) and double and reigning Winmau World Masters Champion (both titles won at The Spa).

He is joined in the team by 2001 Embassy World Pro Champion, Yorkshire’s JOHN WALTON, who became the first player in the history of International darts to hit a perfect 9-Dart 501 in this year’s Six Nations Cup. He also became the first player to hit a 9-darter in the Winmau World Masters at The Spa just a couple of years ago.

England Women, who were runners-up in 2009, are captained by TRINA GULLIVER, who is England’s most capped women’s player with 37 International appearances. She will be hoping to regain the title England Women have won 21 times since 1979.

Trina is the reigning BDO Lakeside Women’s World Professional Champion (she has now won the title 8 times) and won the Winmau Women’s World Masters titles on four consecutive occasions at The Spa from 2002 to 2005.

England have the International bragging rights, because both the Men’s and Women’s teams won this year’s Six Nations Cup in Ireland just a couple of months ago.

However, not to be outdone Wales can boast the most capped International player in world darts in MARTIN PHILLIPS. He will Captain Wales Men just a few weeks short of his 50^th birthday on April 30^th .

The Welsh Women’s side won the 2009 British International title, and will defend their title with an unchanged team to the one that won the title on home soil 12 months ago. Captain JULIE GORE has now been capped 27 times.

Scotland Men are captained by MIKE VEITCH who has made 63 appearances for his country, while Scotland Women will welcome the recall of former captain ANNE KIRK of Ayrshire, whose 31^st cap makes her Scotland’s most capped woman player in this year’s British Internationals.

It is a mouth-watering line-up of established darts stars, including BBC TV favourites like TONY O’SHEA, DARRYL FITTON, ROSS MONTGOMERY, ROBBIE GREEN and SCOTT WAITES to name but a few,  plus a host of new caps, including 18 year-old JAMIE LEWIS of Wales, who won the Winmau World Boys title in Bridlington and is WDF World Cup Youth Champion. He is joined by his Pembrokeshire team-mate JOHNNY CLAYTON.

England’s DAVE CHISNALL, who was runner-up to Martin Adams in this year’s Lakeside World Pro, gets a recall from Lancashire, and there are no less than four new caps for Scotland – CAMERON MENZIES, STEVE PLANK, STEVE RITCHIE and GARY STONE.

This combination of experienced players and new faces guarantees that the 31st staging of these hugely competitive BDO British Internationals will be one of the most exciting and competitive ever.

“The British Internationals are very special for the players and are never less than keenly contested”, says Olly Croft, OBE, Managing Director BDO Enterprises Ltd. “It’s not just about playing for personal pride, there is lots of nationalistic pride at stake, and that will mean a great deal to all the players – especially the new caps -  and  fans in Bridlington.

“We are certainly in for a great weekend of darts at The Spa and, in addition to the players, we must remember all the dedicated officials who give up so much of their time to ensure the smooth running of the BDO British Internationals.  Not forgetting our hosts at The Spa,  and East Riding of Yorkshire Council for their support”.

The 2010 BDO British Internationals feature Men’s 12 a-side and Women’s 6 a-side teams, and non-playing spectators are welcome on both days. Admission on both Saturday and Sunday is £10 per person.

The schedule of play is as follows: