THE BARABADOS DARTS FESTIVAL - A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, A SUPERB LOCATION AND INSTRUMENTAL IN THE GROWTH OF DARTS IN THE REGION

Many of those who watched Anthony Forde’s thrilling match against reigning World Champion Raymond Van Barneveld at the recent Ladbrokes World Championships might have been surprised by the Bajan’s performance in the most demanding of arenas. However, the entire darts playing population of the Caribbean and South America have been raising their standards since the very first Barbados Darts Festival in 2002 and it was now time to show the rest of the world just how far they have come.

Certainly, the odds of 11 – 4 against him winning a single game verged on the dismissive but the fans in attendance and those darts celebs who have hosted the Barbados Darts Festival like John Lowe, Eric Bristow, John Part, Colin Lloyd, Cliff Lazarenko and Deta Hedman knew better. These PDC darts members, the committee of the PDC, The Barbados Tourism Authority, The Tourism Development Council of Barbados and the corporate sponsors have all made a major contribution to raising standards and setting new goals for darts players in the Caribbean and South America - and they would have been well aware of just how talented players like Anthony really are. It was a case of Anthony’s ability to cope with the occasion that was at stake – and he passed that test admirably.

Perhaps it was Forde’s experience at the event in 2004 and his familiarity with the venue and the vast stage set gained in his earlier match against the qualifier from Japan, Akhiro Nagakawa, that enabled the port worker from Barbados to play so well against Barneveld.

Now darts players from the UK can continue to contribute to the growth of the game in the region by participating in this year’s Brydens Barbados Darts Festival which takes place from November 6 – 17 and again will be hosted by three times World Champion John Lowe and his wife Karen. Anthony Forde will be taking part, as will a host of other players from Barbados and other countries in the region – including previous participants at the World Championships and qualifiers such as Norman Madhoo from Guyana, Vivekanand Dyall from Trinidad and another Bajan, Winston Cadogan.

But the Festival is designed to attract darts players, both men and women, of all standards and the itinerary caters for that - a mixture of social darts, tournament darts with decent prize money on offer and a social programme designed to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy all that Barbados is justifiably renowned for. It is certainly not all darts – more a holiday with a darts theme!

You will have the opportunity to go on a cruise on a catamaran where you can snorkel over reefs and a wreck as well as swim with the turtles, take to Land Rovers for an island safari off the beaten track, have a day at the races, play golf, see a spectacular show at the Plantation Theatre, and engage in a whole range of water sports.

John and Karen Lowe are superb hosts and you can be sure of a very warm and generous welcome from all those associated with darts in Barbados. The first part of the itinerary is designed to introduce you to the Bajan darts community and to enable you to explore the island and enjoy the azure blue Caribbean sea, the white sandy beaches and the climate that rarely dips below thirty degrees.

Your base will be the Rostrevor Hotel, in St Lawrence Gap on the south coast, within walking distance of all the amenities you need – restaurants, banks, supermarkets, entertainment and opposite The Ship Inn, the usual meeting place for social darts.

Just ten minutes drive away is Almond Bay Conference Centre, where most of the darts events will take place. It is superbly appointed. The bar and dining area overlook the sea and the room allocated for the darts tournaments is air conditioned.

Darts players from other countries in the Caribbean and South America arrive to participate in the Festival for the last four days and you will have the chance to play against them on the Friday and the Sunday. On the Saturday the tournament to produce the qualifier for the PDC World Championships

takes place – with entries confined to those who hold a passport and are resident in Caribbean and Central and South American countries.

It will be a memorable trip as those who have experienced it will testify. John & Karen Lowe are great fans and a number of darts players who were first introduced to Barbados through the Festival return at other times of the year to Barbados on a regular basis to enjoy the island and the company of those Bajans they have met playing darts at earlier festivals.

The Brydens Barbados Darts Festival takes place from November 6 – 17, 2008 and prices for the 11 nights in Barbados begin from £890 per person. Fourteen nights can also be arranged. Further details contact ABTA and ATOL regulated Tour Operator, Sun Living on 01623 795365