Castlebar in Ireland is the beautiful location for the eighteenth edition of the WDF World Cup. The world-famous Irish cordiality prevails and 38 countries make it a fascinating spectacle. 35 Women's team and 15 youth teams complete the line-up. The Breaffy House Resort, County Mayo, is the home of darts from September 20-24.
History is being written in Castlebar because England is the first country ever to win all three overall titles in one year. In addition, Catalonia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania get their first introduction to the unsurpassed WDF World Cup feeling.
In the team tournament, there are no big surprises in the group phase, or it must be that Wales does not survive the group phase. In a strong group with Belgium and Canada, it is the British who lose out on leg difference. In the last 16 it is the defending champion Netherlands that goes out against a strong playing South African squad. The game between England and Scotland is simply won 9-2 by the English.
In the quarterfinals it is close in every game. England beat the Canadians 9-6. Sweden wins with the same numbers from Australia and Belgium does the same with South Africa. The fourth semi-finalist is Finland, beating Denmark 9-7.
England with Martin Adams, Martin Atkins-Leeds, Tony O'Shea & Scott Waites qualify for the final by winning 9-5 against Swedes Daniel Larsson, Dennis Nilsson, Johan Engström & Seved Rose and the Finns become their opponents. Ulf Ceder, Jarkko Komula, Petri Korte & Sami Sanssi beat Ronny Huybrechts, Geert de Vos, Thierry Michaux & Didier De Vuyst from Belgium 9-7.
The final is e a true spectacle that will eventually lead to a seventeenth and deciding leg. It is England that proves the strongest and wins the team tournament for the eleventh time in a WDF World Cup.