Fight for darts grand final hots up (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Fight for darts grand final hots up

11:03am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Sport By Steve Tinniswood, Sports reporter

THE race for a place in the grand final of the St Wilfrid’s Panel Darts Knockout is hotting up with just three more qualifiers to take place.

So far 10 darters have won through to finals night which will take place at the Longridge venue on Friday, March 2.

There has been a record turnout at the annual event with more than 260 darters taking part in the first five heats.

Two from each event win through to the grand final where a guaranteed £1,000 is up for grabs for the winner.

The latest to book their place are Blackburn Super League player, Dave Place, who also plays for Lancashire, and former super league and county player Martin Kemp, also from Blackburn.

They join week one winners Andy Cornwall from Blackburn – who won the event in 2010 – and Bury’s Mark Aspinall.

Black-burn’s Ian Lever qualified for his fourth grand final in week two also with last year’s runner-up Richard Winder from Longridge.

Promising youngster Steve Kirkby from Longridge and Manchester’s Paul Whitworth won through from week three while Blackburn pair John Phillips – who plays for Clitheroe Super League – and Mick Ansbro qualified from week four.

St Wilfrid’s has also been hosting a ladies competition with the last two places in the grand final, which will also be held on March 2, to be be held on Friday.

Heather Draper (Burnley), Katy Hoggarth (Skipton), Charlotte Podmore-Nappin (Longridge), Wendy McCall (Morecambe), Nicky Hamer (Blackburn) and Kelly Salisbury (Morecambe) have already booked their places.