WDF World Cup 2013
Part 1
Two years ago, I was invited to the 2011 WDF World Cup of Darts in Castlebar, Ireland. Countries around the globe come together every odd year to compete in one of the greatest darts competitions ever. With teams in national colors and uniforms, opening and closing ceremonies and five days of events, it's as close as it gets to the Olympics. Teams play for pride, including world champions from the United Kingdom and Europe, to relative newbies from faraway and smaller nations, who represent their countries with equal pride. It's an event that epitomizes the sportsmanship and brotherhood of darts, and win or lose, everyone enjoys.It's also a chance to see a new part of the planet each year, and explore other cultures and nature. For me, it was a three month journey from Iceland to Spain to Panama and a dozen other countries in between. Ireland alone was worth the trip. But, at the WDF World Cup, the world also comes to you. I had such an amazing time, I promised myself I would never miss another one. Which brings me to this story.
For two years I dreamed of visiting St. John's, Newfoundland, the location of the nineteenth WDF World Cup. I saved my money and constantly searched for the cheapest ways to get there and back. I wrote ahead to businesses and hotels that might invite me. I networked with many people online, and many had great ideas and leads. But, by the end of summer 2013, with just a month before the tournament began, I was still seeing costs that would make the trip prohibitive to an unpaid freelance darts-travel writer. But, just when I though I wouldn't be able to make it, magic happened.
I was chatting with Jeff Smith, a top professional and PDC player in Canada. Jeff gave me the names of some local players in St. John's that might be able to help, Troy Hanlon and Billy St. Croix. I contacted them, and with almost no hesitation, Troy said he could host me for the week in his family home! It was true dart community hospitality combined with the warmth of Newfoundlanders that I would soon experience tenfold. Thanks to Troy, I was able to afford to go, and immediately bought a one way ticket to St. John's.
What I didn't know was that Troy, a young tungsten phenom, was on the Canadian national team! Suddenly, I realized that I had the most amazing fortune: I would be getting the inside scoop of life in Newfoundland and host nation Team Canada, through the eyes of a local darting hero in his home town!
That opportunity and Troy's story alone would be more than enough for some amazing articles, but my luck did not stop there. Many magical moments unfolded during my week at the WDF World Cup. So, let's fast forward to the first day of my latest adventure, September 29, 2013.
After a gorgeous summer in Oregon, a major storm blew in that weekend, with heavy rains and howling winds. A few days earlier, I bought a return flight from Newfoundland that stopped in Chicago where I could see another new place, some old friends, and search for darts. My bags were packed, darts safely hidden in my check-in luggage, passport, camera, and computer in my world traveling satchel, but I was beginning to worry that my flight would be cancelled or delayed by the storm. I sat in the airport at one of the local breweries where I bought a growler of IPA to take as a gift to Troy, while watching the departure boards.
Fortunately, just before the big gusts hit, my flight left Portland, Oregon on Sunday evening, via Vancouver and Toronto, to St. John's on the easternmost tip of North America. The first flight was bumpy with major turbulence the whole way. But, I had made it out of town. The next two flights were much smoother, with great clear skies to Toronto and on to St. John's. I got surprisingly good sleep on the overnight flight, and the next morning, the views of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland were so great, the pilot kept chiming in on the intercom, encouraging passengers to look out their windows. "Pardon me again folks, but you rarely get a chance to see eastern Canada like this." I took his advice, and stared below to the countless landlocked lakes and ponds, green islands and blue inlets, scrolling underneath us. Before long, the plane banked around the the bay of St. John's and landed with a soft squeak of landing gear.
My second visit to a World Cup was about to begin.
Over and double out.