Delight for Guyana as Madhoo and Fitzgerald book a return to the World Cup of Darts

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Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald did what they vowed to do immediately after falling in the group stage of the 2023 MyDieselClaim World Cup of Darts: give themselves another shot on the big stage. The pair won through the Latin America and Caribbean qualifier staged by Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) in San Jose, Costa Rica over the weekend and will make a return to Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle this June.

Madhoo, who made his fourth appearance at the World Championship last December, will once again be the standard-bearer for the Guyanese in the 40-team World Cup and both he and Fitzgerald (also a World Championship participant in 2009) relish the opportunity to    build on last year’s foundation.

The qualifier was open to nations across Central and South America as well as the Caribbean and featured 12 teams, each of whom came through a qualifying process in their home countries to secure their spot.

The Guyanese were once again dominant in the round-robin stage, dropping only two legs en route to claiming the top spot in Group B before whitewashing the Panamanian team of Andres Vega and Antonio Arango to advance to the semifinals. There, they took advantage of inconsistent scoring from the Costa Rican pair of Jason Calderon and Denis Valerin, also dispatching them in straight legs without reply – surely a disappointment for Calderon who was part of the Costa Rican side that came within one dart of eliminating Madhoo and Fitzgerald in the semifinals in 2023.

In the final, Team Guyana faced a known quantity in the Nicaraguan pair of Norwin Jimenez and Gerald Ordenana, the teams having advanced from the same Round Robin group. Once again the Guyanese punished missed doubles, cruising to a 4-1 victory and booking their return to Germany for a second straight year.

The 2024 CDLC Tour opens with a doubleheader weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica from July 20-21 and concludes once again with events in Santiago, Chile on October 12-13. At the conclusion of the Tour, the top player over the course of the four events will secure a spot in the 2025 World Darts Championship beginning in December at the Alexandra Palace. More information is available via email at CDLCinfo@champdarts.com.

Double-Dip Glory for the Guyanese in Costa Rica

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2023 World Cup of Darts pair, Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald, each claimed a title as they stormed through the field in Costa Rica at the inaugural weekend on the Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) Tour.

Friday’s action saw Madhoo barely breaking a sweat – dropping only 11 legs all day and never more than three in a match – as he claimed the first title in CDLC Tour history. “The Storm” was brilliant from the start, firing in 3 180s in his first match, dispatching Jonathan Quiros 6-1 with what was his highest match average for the day. From there, the Guyanese man produced wins of 6-3, 6-2 and 6-2 to set up a finals tie with his World Cup teammate in what appeared to be a match for the highlight reels.

Unfortunately for Sudesh, he never seemed to get comfortable in the final as his scoring deserted him at critical moments. After the pair traded the opening legs, Madhoo produced finishes in 19 and 17 darts to take a 3-1 lead, which he would never relinquish despite encountering scoring problems of his own in legs five and six. With the scoreline sitting at 5-3, Norman fired in a 14 darter, checking 80 in two darts to seal the victory.

Sunday was a different story, however. As the dust settled on CDLC Weekend 1, it was Sudesh as the man left standing as CDLC Event #2 Champion. It was not an easy road, however, as Fitzgerald survived back-to-back last leg deciders – a revenge match in the round-of-32 against Madhoo and then in the last-16 against Argentinian star, Jesus Salate – before going into cruise control. Sudesh bested Guillermo Soto 6-3 in the semis and dropped only two legs in the final to former Costa Rican national champion, Alex Gutierrez, to claim the title.

CDLC is the regional affiliate of North America’s Championship Darts Corporation and is dedicated to elevating the level of play and professionalism in darts across Latin America and the Caribbean. The action returns in Santiago, Chilé, October 13-15 at the Hotel Torremayor. At the conclusion of that weekend (which will mark the first time in history that a Professional Darts Corporation-affiliated event will be staged in a South American country other than Brazil), the top player on the 2023 CDLC Tour Points list will earn a berth in the PDC PaddyPower World Darts Championship to be held at the Alexandra Palace, London in December.

CDLC Kicks Off Inagural Tour in Costa Rica

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Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) – the regional affiliate of Championship Darts Corporation – kicks off its inaugural season in San Jose, Costa Rica this weekend with two Tour events that represent the first steps on the road to the PDC PaddyPower World Darts Championship for players in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

The action begins at 2:00 PM local time on Saturday with players from across the region toeing the oche at the Radisson Hotel San Jose. Among the field will be Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald who partnered as Team Guyana for the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt this past June, earning their berth via a one-off qualifying event held by the CDLC in May. Tour event #2 will be staged on Sunday at the same time and rounds-out the first Professional Darts Corporation-sanctioned Tour weekend in the history of the region. CDLC action then moves to Chile with two additional events to be held at the Hotel Torremayor in Santiago on October 14-15, marking the first time the PDC has had a sanctioned event in South America outside of Brazil.

At the conclusion of the final event in Chile, the player on top of the points standings will qualify for the World Darts Championship to be held at the Alexandra Palace, London in December. Live match scoring for all CDLC-tour events can be found on DartConnect, the official scoring app of CDC and CDLC.

Championship Darts Corporation Signs with Buchwald Agency

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Partnership Aims to Secure Traditional Broadcast and New Media Opportunities

CHICAGO, May 18, 2023: Championship Darts Corporation (CDC), owner and operator of the Championship Darts Circuit, North America’s Professional Darts Tour, today announces it has signed an 18-month representation agreement with Buchwald, the premier talent agency for broadcast communications, to explore opportunities to expand the reach of North American professional darts into both traditional broadcast and new media platforms.

Buchwald, formerly known as Don Buchwald and Associates, is perhaps best known for its representation of legendary radio icon, Howard Stern, though the firm now boasts a client roster that includes hundreds of actors and creative talent across the country. CDC will be represented by Tony Burton, Co-Head of the firm’s Broadcast Department, based in the New York office.

“With more than 17 million players in the United States, darts has quickly gone from a pub game to one of the fastest-growing industries in professional sports. Television, digital streaming, social media and live events now provide passionate fans with more viewing opportunities than ever before. We are thrilled to partner with the CDC as they continue to provide their fans and players with the most exciting tournament experience in professional darts across the continent!”
– Tony Burton, Co-Head – Broadcast Department, Buchwald

CDC is the North American affiliate of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the leader in global professional darts. With 12 Main Tour events, two major tournaments (the Continental Cup and Cross Border Darts Challenge) and numerous other competitions, CDC is the only path to the international stage for top darting talent in the United States and Canada. The recent launch of Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) – regional affiliate of the CDC – puts the company at the forefront of professional darts across half the globe. Its broadcasts can currently be found on PDCTV, the official streaming service of the Professional Darts Corporation, as well as on its YouTube channel and Facebook page under the handle @champdarts.

“We’re really excited about the opportunities this partnership can provide and the doors it will open. Darts is truly an electric sport filled with fast-paced action, a passionate fan base that loves to party and larger-than-life personalities. The growth of the game on this continent is approaching critical mass and the time is right to bring the game into mainstream sports consciousness in North America.”
– Peter Citera, CEO, Championship Darts Corporation

The 2023 Championship Darts Circuit kicks off this coming weekend in Indianapolis with Main Events on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Follow along with the stream on PDCTV or the CDC YouTube channel. Live scoring of all matches can be accessed via our scoring partner, DartConnect, at tv.dartconnect.com.

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About Buchwald

BUCHWALD was launched by Don Buchwald and five associates in 1977. Built on the cornerstone of our commercial and broadcast departments, our full-service agency offers representation in every area of the entertainment industry: commercial, broadcast, film, theatre, television, literary, feature film packaging, personal appearance, syndication (radio, television and digital), branding/digital, and emerging talent. More information available at www.buchwald.com

About Championship Darts Corporation

Championship Darts Corporation operates the Championship Darts Circuit, North America’s professional darts tour. Founded in 2014 by three individuals with a combined 80-plus years of experience promoting the game, its goal is to elevate the level of play, produce top-quality darts entertainment and cultivate the next North American World Champion.

For further information, email info@champdarts.com or see www.champdarts.com.

Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean Tour Launches

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SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, May 3, 2023: Championship Darts Corporation (CDC) and its Central American affiliate, Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC), today announce dates and locations for the 2023 CDLC Tour that will see a representative from the region qualify for the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) World Darts Championship.

The tour kicks off in San José, Costa Rica with a return to the Radisson Hotel for two qualifying events held the weekend of August 4 – 6. Men’s and Ladies’ warmup events begin the weekend on Friday night at 6:00 PM, with CDLC Tour events held Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM each day.

We close the 2023 campaign October 13th – 15th as we bring the inaugural PDC-affiliated darts event to the country of Chile! The Hotel Torremayor in Santiago will host the event weekend, with warmup events on Friday the 13th at 6:30 PM followed by CDLC qualifying events on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 PM.

“This is a big step forward for the global game,” said Peter Citera, CEO of Championship Darts Corporation, “we know that the system we built in North America works and I’m excited to watch talent develop in an area of the world that has previously been a bit of an afterthought in darts. Thanks to CDLC President, Jeff Goode, for all the time and effort he’s put in to get us here and to Matt Porter and the PDC for their trust and support; this couldn’t have happened without them.”

All qualifying events will be 501 FI/DO, best-of-11 legs. Players will compete for a prize fund of $1,900 (USD) in each of the four events – with the winner receiving $825 – and will accrue points towards an Order of Merit. The player at the top of the OoM after the final event in Chile will qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship held at the Alexandra Palace, London starting in December. The entry fee is $90 (USD) per weekend, which covers both Tour events. Registration will be handled onsite and payment must be made in cash in either US Dollars or the equivalent in local currency.

Plans are already being made to further expand the Tour in 2024 with the addition of a third Tour weekend and a new country to the rotation. Announcements will be made in due course. Tour questions should be directed via email to CDLCinfo@champdarts.com and may be made in English or Spanish.