The 10th Brydens Barbados Darts Festival opened at Solidarity House on Friday night and the major honours in the Pairs events were shared by the Brits and Bajans.
Maureen Shepherd and Evelyn Browne took the Oh Henry Ladies Pairs, defeating the English pair of Wendy Reader and Donna Mardle – both County standard darts players – by two games to nil.
The English pair of Alan Collins and Darren May fought back from two games to love down to win an excellent men’s final by three games to two to claim the Dewars Men’s Pairs title.
This year’s Brydens Festival has attracted a record entry from 11 countries – a testimony to its reputation and the appeal of Barbados. Participants have travelled from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Spain, Austria, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and The Cayman Islands.
Ironically, it was Aaron Hardy, the player who had the longest journey from Austria, who most impressed the knowledgeable crowd. Ranked No.3 in that country, the 32-year-old was partnering his father Kevin and the younger man consistently hit the target when it was needed. This was never more apparent than in the match against the fancied Trini pair of Vivekanand Dyal and Lester Legall who had previously defeated the other main contenders, the Guyanese duo of Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald.
The Trinidad and Tobago team were poised for victory when the younger Hardy stepped up to the oche needing a finish of 68. His first dart hit single five – a disaster. After a pause Aaron unerringly picked out single 13 and then the bull to finish and take the match.
In the other half of the draw the English pairing of the experienced Alan Collins and the young Darren May cruised to the final with few alarms. However, in the final over five legs, they found themselves two legs to nil down as Kevin Hardy hit a maximum 180 and his son Aaron finished with treble 19 and double 18.
The left-handed Collins continued to score consistently and his younger partner grew in confidence and he found the double to get one game back. Collins did the honours in the fourth game to level they had the momentum to take the match 3 to 2 with another Collins finish.
The Stag Men’s Singles and the Liptons Ladies’ Singles begin at 3:30 p.m. at Solidarity House today. (PR)
