Darts were in full flight as Australia’s top 128 darts players commenced competition in earnest today with the first event the Peter McMenamin Cup starting at the 25th Puma Australian Darts Championships at the Hellenic Club in Canberra. Competition was exacting with many players in top form and no easy matches. With the best male and female players from all States and Territories in attendance some great darts started off the seven days of the Championships.

Ladies
The first four rounds of the Ladies Peter Mac Cup sees Queensland Ladies and New South Wales in a powerful position to make the final with three rounds remaining in the Green Division. The QLD and NSW Ladies have not dropped a round and will meet in round six, second match for the day tomorrow. Queensland has wins over VIC, TAS, NT and SA while New South Wales had victories over TAS, WA, VIC and NT. Western Australia remains the only other team in with a chance having lost only one match to New South Wales and will have to win against Queensland first up tomorrow. Then rely on Queensland to defeat New South Wales and win their other two matches for any hope of making the final. If that happens it could see a three-way tiebreaker to see who advances to the final. It should be interesting.

The last round of the day saw Western Australia in a winning position after they inflicted the first lose for the day on Victoria 9 - 7. Western Australia had a perfect day on the boards being the only team undefeated in the Gold Division and looks pretty hard to stop at this stage. They will not have it all their own way tomorrow though with some tough games still ahead of them. They accounted for ACT, NT, QLD and VIC today. Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria are still in with a chance, but some one needs to take a win off WA to remain in the shoot for the final. (Pictured right Louise Ball winner of the Pacific Masters yesterday and a member of the WA Ladies Gold Team)

Men
Queensland and New South Wales Men have won all their matches in the Green Division and the second round tomorrow will probably decide who will make the final when these two teams clash. Both put in powerful performances with Queensland winning all four rounds against VIC, NT, TAS and SA while New South Wales had victories against TAS, VIC, WA and NT. South Australia and Victoria are the only teams left with any chance of making the finals but that is unlikely, as Queensland and New South Wales would have to have a disastrous day for either of them to progress to the final.

Gold Division sees Western Australia the Team to catch. They won all of their rounds today with victories over ACT, NT, QLD and VIC. Up until the last round today Victoria were undefeated but WA put them away comfortably 9 – 4. If WA happens to slip up tomorrow, it may open the door for Victoria, South Australia and Queensland to get back in the hunt as these teams have only lost the one match. Queensland and Victoria clash first up tomorrow morning, while Queensland and for South Australia in a must win scenario will also meet with the winner staying in with a chance to make the final.

Player’s that look like being in top form at this early stages of the Championships are Lilian Broadbent and Louise Ball from WA, Helen Johnston and Christine Woolley from TAS, Kerry Jacobs and Carol Forwood from NSW, Anita Tapau and Margaret Smallwood from QLD, along with Janine Cassar from VIC. For the Men, players performing well are Steve Duke and Wayne Weening from VIC, Anthony Fleet from the ACT, Brian Roach and Simon Whitlock from NSW, Lindsay Wells and Dave Nogar Jnr from QLD, Tony David and Graham Hunt from WA and Frank Tarr from SA.