Marko Kantele and Lorraine Hyde became the first automatic qualifiers for the 2025 WDF World Championships after winning the senior singles titles at the Gold-ranked Irish Open.
Kantele rolls back years to book first Lakeside appearance in two decades
Finnish veteran Marko Kantele found some vintage form in Killarney to win his first WDF ranking title since 2004 and secure a second Lakeside appearance 20 years after his first.
Kantele had reached the Last 16 of the previous day’s Irish Classic and carried that form well into the Open, outlasting 401 other men to claim the title in a dramatic final with James Beeton.
England’s Beeton was the last man into the 2024 Lakeside field but looked good to be the first one into 2025 when he made an electric start to the final.
After taking a scrappy opener, Beeton fired in an 88 finish and legs in 15 and 16 darts to race into a 4-1 lead over Kantele in a race to six.
Kantele dug in though, displaying the same battling instincts he’d had to show earlier in the day in last-leg decider victories over Stephen Harron, Dean Gallagher, Scott Walters and Bradley Kirk.
Against Kirk in the semis, Kantele rallied from 4-2 down to win 5-4 and he produced a similar three leg burst against Beeton in just 46 darts to level the scores at 4-4 and force a three-leg shootout.
Beeton went 5-4 up, only for Kantele to produce a 15-darter on throw to take it all the way. Beeton was unable to convert a 105 finish in that decider, with Kantele making good on 63 to secure a dramatic 6-5 comeback victory and the prize of a spot at Lakeside next year.
Hyde shows her class to seal fourth Lakeside appearance
Lorraine Hyde looked sharp throughout the Killarney weekend and the Scotland international converted that form to win the Irish Open, her first WDF crown in two years.
Hyde dropped just three legs in prior to the title decider, breezing past Anne Grisedale, Kelly Haverson, Natalie Gilbert and Paula Jacklin, the latter with an 81.24 average.
Facing her in the final was up-and-coming Dutchwoman Lerena Rietbergen. Rietbergen had won a title the weekend before in Malta and was continuing her good form with another final appearance that saw her beat talents like Katie Sheldon and Denise Cassidy on the way.
Hyde made a strong start to the final, winning the first two legs in 17 and 16 darts. Rietbergen got on the board in the third leg but was always playing catch up, with Hyde winning another two on the bounce to move 4-1 up and within one of victory.
Rietbergen kept plugging away, reducing the deficit to 4-3, but Hyde made no mistake in the eighth leg, finding the double with the last dart in hand to triumph 5-3 and seal a fourth Lakeside appearance.
Joy for Lawrie as Scottish teen wins first WDF title
Talented Scottish teen Mitchell Lawrie has been knocking on the door of a first WDF Youth title for a while and ‘Wee Sox’ delivered in Killarney by winning the Irish Open Boys.
122 players were competing in one of the biggest Youth events on the calendar but it was Lawrie that was the clear standout. Lawrie didn’t drop a single leg in the knockout stage, recording multiple 80+ averages to book a final against James Morris.
Morris had shown real class in wins over Shane Porter, Shay Feeney and Milan Brinkman but was unable to match Lawrie in the final. The Scot won legs in 18, 17, 14 and 21 darts to triumph 4-0 with an 85.89 average.
Pauling at the double once again
For the second successive year, Paige Pauling claimed both of the Girls ranking titles on offer in Killarney.
The dominant WDF Girls No.1 ramped up her Lakeside preparations both titles on offer while not being at her dazzling best.
Pauling topped her round-robin stage without dropping a leg before defeating pairs partner Ruby Grey 3-0 in the semi-finals. She did drop a leg in the final but had more than enough to see off Ireland’s Zoe Burke 4-1.
