Interview: Martin Adams chasing a darts monopoly
MARTIN Adams is dreaming of holding a world darts monopoly.
MARTIN Adams is dreaming of holding a world darts monopoly.The Market Deeping legend wants to become the superpower of the British Darts Organisation (BDO) side of the sport by capturing the Lakeside World Championship for a second time next week.
The 52 year-old – known around the world as 'Wolfie' – already holds the big Winmau World Masters crown after ending a near 20-year wait to win that tournament last month.
And now he is desperate to reclaim the World Championship title he won in 2007 and gallantly defended before a semi-final elimination at the hands of eventual champion Mark Webster last year.
Third seed Adams, who launches his challenge at the famous Frimley Green venue with a first round showdown against tournament debutant Dave Chisnall on Monday night, said: "Having been without the trophy for a year, I want it back badly.
"It is the greatest title of all in the game and holding it is a huge honour. Hopefully I can do that again and it would be wonderful to have both the World Championship and the World Masters in my possession side by side.
"Ideally I would love to do the hat-trick and get the World Cup singles this year as well, but I am only concentrating on part two at the moment.
"Winning the World Masters was a great preparation for this championship and practice has been going well.
"I had a stomach complaint for a few days over Christmas which meant I couldn't have too much turkey and kept me off the board for three or four days, but I have been throwing again since.
"I am going into the tournament with a pretty good feeling and I am delighted with how the draw has worked out."
Lancashire county thrower Chisnall is a 125-1 outsider with the bookies, but there is no chance of Adams taking his first opponent lightly.
And the local star is delighted not be taking to the stage until the third day of the tournament which gets under way this afternoon.
Adams (pictured below after winning the world title) added: "It is normally mayhem on the opening day of the tournament and it can still be a bit chaotic on the Sunday, so I am chuffed to bits not to be playing until Monday night.
"Everything has usually calmed down by then and people have stopped running around like headless chickens, so it is a bit more relaxed behind the scenes.
"Dave won the Isle of Man Open earlier this year and he is not the sort of player you can underestimate. I have played him a couple of times in the past year and won both games, but that doesn't mean I will be taking anything for granted.
Continues on next page along with prize money and odds for this year's Championships.
More
Wolfie ready for title bid, 3 January 2009."It is his first time at the Lakeside and there is no better way for players like that to make their mark than by beating one of the big seeds.
"You can find yourself being caught cold in the first round but that shouldn't really happen because you practice, practice and practice ahead of a tournament like this."
A meeting with the winner of the Garry Thompson/Daryl Gurney clash lies ahead for Adams in the second round. Both those players are also making their first appearances in the event.
A repeat of his semi-final showdown with Webster last year is also on the cards should both successfully negotiate the early rounds.
Adams is joint 5-1 second favourite with Webster behind 5-2 shot Gary Anderson who heads the market. The Scotsman is regarded as the top talent in the BDO sphere but has fallen at the first hurdle at the Lakeside in the past two years and is facing another tough opener against Norweigan thrower Robert Wagner.
LAKESIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZE POOL
Champion: 95,000
Runner-up: 30,000
Semi-finalists: 11,000
Quarter-finalists: 6,000
Second round: 4,250
First round: 3,000
Highest checkout: 3,000
Nine-darter: 52,000
LAKESIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS:
(Ladbrokes)
5-2 - Gary Anderson
5-1 - Martin Adams, Mark Webster
8-1 - Scott Waites
10-1 - Simon Whitlock
16-1 - Darryl Fitton
20-1 - Ross Montgomery, Tony O'Shea
33-1 - Brian Woods, Gary Robson, Martin Atkins, Ted Hankey
40-1 - Robert Wagner
50-1 - John Walton
66-1 - Edwin Max, Garry Thompson, Joey Ten Berge, Martin Phillips, Stephen Bunting, Steve West
80-1 - Alan Norris
100-1 - Daryl Gurney, Krzysztof Ratajski
125-1 - Dave Chisnall, Mark Barilli, Mark Salmon, Robert Hughes, Shaun Greatbatch
150-1 - Ross Smith, Willy Van De Wiel
200-1 - Eddy Sims, Daniel Larsson
Email to a friend
Print this page - Popular
- Most comments
- Most shared
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Local pages
Looking for a...
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterborough
Friday 19 March 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C - 8 C
Wind Speed: 14 Knots
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C - 10 C
Wind Speed: 18 Knots
Wind direction: North west
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.