The Swiss Open

Posted: 13.06.11 in Anthony Urmston-Toft Blog category

BDO player Anthony Urmston-Toft recounts his visit to Switzerland recently for the Swiss Open

Well this little ditty is about my travels to Switzerland for the Swiss Open. I flew with bmi, which was very nice, very comfy too. Landed at the airport got my luggage and nearly ended up in France, crazy I know. There are two exits at Basel airport one for Switzerland and one for France and Germany.

I met up with good friend Deborah Speck and her mother Regula Christen. I was staying at their house for the weekend. I participated in the blind pairs on Friday night. My partner was a nice lady called Susana Alvarez. I was playing well, first three darts a 180. We won the first game 3-1 in legs. Next round was not so good! We played against two in-form players and they proved too much for us. We were beaten 3-1. I had a good practice with Andy Bless who is Deborah’s boyfriend, nice lad, good technique too.

The venue

Saturday and it is the day of the Singles tournament. I had a light breakfast, but tasty all the same, my throat was really sore, it had been for a couple of days but this was the worse it’d been. I had some medicine to hand so I had a good gulp of that. Went to the bar but they had no still water :( so Red bull was the next best thing; it felt lovely on my throat mind, which was good really. Saw my old buddies Clive Barden, Paul Jennings, Stephen Bunting and Kevin Hill. (There were more but I’m not paid by the word unfortunately, lol)

Had a practice and was throwing well considering the way I was feeling and I felt confident. My first round match was a white wash 2-0 in sets (2-0, 2-0) good doubles too 4 from 5 which I was chuffed with. 2^nd round was the same a couple of 100+ checkouts again chuffed to bits. Board final against number 1 seed Tony West, a quick thrower so I decided to play at a steady pace, I had actually practiced all week at a slower pace. I am naturally a quick thrower but this tended to make my scoring erratic. So I started to concentrate on each dart and was working well, especially on the checkouts.

 I won the first leg and any nerves I had were gone, for now anyway, but Tony started belting the treble 20 I was replying well but not as well.  Tony took the next two legs and the set. Before I knew it I was 1-0 down in the second set but pulled out a 14 darter to take the second leg. We both started to spray the darts a little neither of us able to capitalize on each other’s sub-par scoring. I was left on 60 to take the set and with two sloppy and quick darts blew it, Tony took out 64 to win it. I was disappointed in myself as I thought I if I taken that leg I would of won the match. But I will learn from that. Paul Jennings went on to win the event, congratulations matey.

Got back quite late so a light dinner and bed.

Sunday Pairs day and again I partnered Clive Barden. First round was a belting game with high scoring and high finishing, we won 2-1 (both sets 2-1 also), phew. We decided to have a practice together and this paid off as we dismantled the next pair 2-0. Next up was Andy Bless and his partner, a good game this. The first two sets were both 2-1 each way so it’s 1-1 in sets.  However, Clive and I start to score really heavily and I finish like a trooper. We won 2-0 in the last set and this takes us into the semi finals. We played the number 1 seeds Scott Mitchell and Martin Atkins and again another good game I hit a 65 checkout the classic way. 8, 17, tops. The only way to go I say. We lost 2-0 in sets and Scott and Martin went on to win the event, so we were beaten by the winners again. We’ll get there one day soon enough.

Clive(far left)Anthony(far right) with their semi final award

Anyway Thank you to all the people who text me and all my friends on facebook. Make sure to check my twitter @AJUrmstonToft where I’ll be keeping everyone up to date with my goings on. There are also a few sets of my darts left at www.dartsperformancecentre.com and we have some more on order

 Take care,

AJ 

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