From 20 to 24 September, the twentieth edition of the WDF Europe Cup was held in the Dutch seaside town of Egmond aan Zee. In the men’s event 32 different countries toe the oche, which is a new record for the WDF Europe Cup. Six countries leave their ladies at home, but this still means a very strong field of 26 countries in the ladies. In hotel Zuiderduin, for years the setting for the Zuiderduin/Finder Masters the NDB and WDF put together a fantastic tournament, which runs very smoothly.
From the 2015 WDF World Cup Nick Rolls joined the WDF team as one of the officials on stage alongside “Little” Richard Ashdown and Jacques Nieuwlaat, so 2016 is his first WDF Europe Cup. The Dutch Darts Association NDB is hosting this tournament for the third time, they also organized the WDF Europe Cup in The Hague in 1984 and Veldhoven in 2000. Welshman Martin Phillips participates for the thirteenth and last time in this event and is the record holder. Malta is returning to the WDF Europe Cup family for their first Cup since 2000. There are no debutants this year.
The host country further increases the festivities by winning the overall Men’s WDF Europe Cup. Notably Richard Veenstra here has a large share in this achievement winning the singles and pairs with Wesley Harms. Gino Vos, Wesley Harms, Richard Veenstra & Jeffrey Sparidaans collect 125 points. Well ahead of England, which has to settle for second place this year with 87 points. Sweden wins the bronze with 72 points. Scotland comes in fourth, Finland and Wales share fifth.
Overall ranking
1 - 125 points Netherlands
2 - 87 points England
3 - 72 points Sweden
4 - 64 points Scotland
5 - 40 points Finland/ Wales
7 - 39 points Northern Ireland
8 - 37 points Ireland Republic
9 - 34 points Denmark
10 - 33 points Malta
11 - 25 points Norway
12 - 24 points Belgium/ Serbia
14 - 23 points Germany/ Poland
16 - 19 points Lithuania/ Luxembourg
18 - 18 points Italy
19 - 14 points France
20 - 13 points Greece
21 - 10 points Romania
22 - 7 points Czech Republic/ Gibraltar/ Switzerland
25 - 5 points Catalonia/ Hungary
27 - 4 points Cyprus/ Latvia
29 - 2 points Turkey
30 - 1 point Iceland/ Isle of Man/ Jersey