The MERKUR Ostseehalle in Kiel offered everything a darts weekend needs on Saturday – though everyone at the firth could certainly have done without a fire alarm. Because while the match between Luke Woodhouse and Andrew Gilding had to be interrupted for 25 minutes due to it, the sporting action provided non-stop storylines. Jimmy van Schie continued his high-flying run, Niko Springer sent last week’s champion packing, and four players reached Finals Day for the first time this season.
Van Schie leaves De Decker no chance
Anyone who still thought last night’s 6-0 whitewash against Ian White might have been a lucky debut was proven wrong on Saturday. Jimmy van Schie followed up at the ELTEN Safety Shoes Baltic Sea Darts Open and defeated Mike De Decker almost as convincingly with a 6-1 scoreline. For the Belgian, it marked his seventh consecutive defeat on the European Tour.
Springer sends Smith packing
In the final match of the evening, Niko Springer sent the home crowd into ecstasy. The “Meenzer Bub” defeated Ross Smith, last week’s winner of the ELTEN Safety Shoes International Darts Open, 6-2, underscoring his great form on the tour. With Smith’s and Aspinalls elimination, Wessel Nijman is now the only remaining player in the tournament who has already won a European Tour title this year.
First time on Finals Day: Evans, Hood, Chisnall, and Bialecki
No fewer than four players celebrated a personal highlight on Saturday. Ricky Evans defeated World Cup champion Daryl Gurney 6-3 – his first victory over the Northern Irishman in seven years – making it to Finals Day on the European Tour for the first time this year. Justin Hood won 6-1 against Jermaine Wattimena in what is only his third European Tour event, also booking his first ever spot on Finals Day. Dave Chisnall overcame Joe Cullen 6-4, ending a personal dry spell, as he had not reached the Last 16 yet this year. And Sebastian Bialecki crowned his 13th attempt on the European Tour with the first Finals Day appearance of his career: the Pole confidently defeated Chris Dobey 6-3.
Van Veen overturns deficit, Schindler slips up
Gian van Veen showed great resilience on Saturday. The tournament’s number 1 seed trailed 2-5 against Dimitri Van den Bergh, but fought his way back to a 6-5 victory to keep his title hopes alive in Kiel.
On the other side of the bracket, Martin Schindler suffered an unfamiliar setback. The German lost 5-6 to Ryan Joyce and crashed out early. It marks the first time since the European Darts Trophy in mid-March that Schindler failed to win his opening match on the European Tour.
All Saturday Results
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Mike De Decker 1-6 Jimmy Van Schie
Daryl Gurney 3-6 Ricky Evans
Damon Heta 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Ryan Searle 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Joe Cullen
Jermaine Wattimena 1-6 Justin Hood
Danny Noppert 2-6 William O’Connor
Chris Dobey 3-6 Sebastian Bialecki
James Wade 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
Stephen Bunting 2-6 Cameron Menzies
Nathan Aspinall 3-6 Kevin Doets
Gian van Veen 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Martin Schindler 5-6 Ryan Joyce
Ross Smith 2-6 Niko Springer
Outlook for Sunday
The action in Kiel continues on Sunday from 12 AM with Finals Day at the ELTEN Safety Shoes Baltic Sea Darts Open. With Niko Springer, one German remains in contention, while Wessel Nijman enters the Last 16 as the only remaining title winner of the year. Following recent early exits, Gian van Veen looks to finally make a deep run in the tournament again. Tickets for Finals Day are still available HERE.
