Adrian Lewis will start the defence of his PDC Ladbrokes World Championship title on the opening night of the 19th staging of darts’ biggest and richest showpiece.
Every dart thrown over 15 days during the festive period at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace will be shown live and exclusively on Sky Sports, as 72 of the best players from across the globe fight for their share of the lucrative £1 million prize fund, the largest of its kind anywhere in the sport.
Dave Clark leads the broadcaster’s coverage, with commentary from the usual team Rod Studd, John Gwynne, Stuart Pyke and Nigel Pearson. Due to his recent illness, the legendary ‘voice of darts’ Sid Waddell will be absent from this year’s tournament.
Expert comment will be provided by five-time world champion Eric Bristow, 1995 PDC World Championship finalist Rod Harrington, and five-time World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle.
More than 70 hours of live coverage will be screened throughout the championships, and all in high-definition, with coverage of the semi-finals and final available once again on Sky’s 3D channel, after a successful first showing on the emerging viewing format last year.
With players from all corners of the world, combined the cream of the crop from the PDC ProTour, the Ladbrokes World Championship is the most diverse event in darts with 24 countries represented on grandest darting stage of all, which this year features first-time qualifiers from Malaysia, Portugal and Serbia.
All the usual suspects will be in attendance at the self-styled ‘Palace of Dreams’, including tournament favourite and 15-time champion Phil Taylor, 2011 finalist Gary Anderson, five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld, and six-time TV major winner James Wade.
Former world champions Mark Webster, Richie Burnett, John Part, Steve Beaton, plus a host of other top names will be out in force to stamp their mark on this year’s event – including in-form players such as Justin Pipe, Dave Chisnall, Wes Newton, Mark Walsh and Paul Nicholson.
One notable absentee will be Dennis Priestley, the inaugural PDC world champion in 1994 and a founding member of the sport’s breakaway organisation. ‘The Menace’, 61, failed to qualify for the 2012 tournament, ending his run of 21 consecutive world championship appearances.
All first round matches, plus two second round sessions, will be completed before the tournament takes its Christmas break on December 24.
Play resumes on December 27, with the continuation of the second round, before taking another short break for the New Year celebrations on December 31.
By that stage, only four players will remain in the tournament, and they will return to contest the semi-finals on New Year’s Day.
The 2012 Ladbrokes World Championship Final, played over the best of 13 sets, will be held on Monday 2nd December – live and exclusive on Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.
For the latest news, previews, analysis and comment from the Sky Sports Darts team, visit the broadcaster’s official PDC World Championship website – CLICK HERE
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Ladbrokes World Championship 2012 – Schedule
Preliminary / First Round Thursday 15th December Jamie Caven (ENG, 18) 1-3 Roland Scholten (NED) Paul Barham (ENG) 2-4 Scott MacKenzie (HKG) – Prelim Mark Webster (WAL, 6) 2-3 Richie Burnett (WAL) Adrian Lewis (ENG, 2) 3-2 Nigel Heydon (ENG) Wayne Jones (ENG, 15) 3-1 Scott MacKenzie (HKG) 7pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD1 Friday 16th December Justin Pipe (ENG, 26) 3-1 Sean Reed (AUS) Haruki Muramatsu (JPN) 4-2 Dennis Nilsson (SWE) – Prelim Co Stompe (NED, 23) 3-0 Michael Smith (ENG) Wes Newton (ENG, 7) 3-0 Kurt van de Rijck (BEL) Phil Taylor (ENG, 1) 3-0 Haruki Muramatsu (JPN) 7pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD1 Saturday 17th December Afternoon Session Peter Wright (SCO, 30) 1-3 Jelle Klassen (NED) Dietmar Burger (AUT) 0-4 Christian Perez (PHL) – Prelim Ronnie Baxter (ENG, 14) 2-3 Steve Farmer (ENG) Robert Thornton (SCO, 31) 3-1 Ian White (ENG) Alan Tabern (ENG, 24) 3-1 Christian Perez (PHL) 12pm-5pm – Sky Sports HD2 Evening Session Steve Beaton (ENG, 29) 3-2 Magus Caris (SWE) Kevin Munch (GER) 4-2 Lee Choon Peng (MAL) – Prelim Vincent van der Voort (NED, 16) 3-2 Mark Hylton (ENG) Paul Nicholson (AUS, 9) 3-1 Mensur Suljovic (AUT) Denis Ovens (ENG, 19) 0-1 Kevin Munch (GER) – Ovens withdrew (injury) 7pm-8pm – Sky Sports HD4 8pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD1 Sunday 18th December Brendan Dolan (NIR, 25) 0-3 Kim Huybrechts (BEL) Connie Finnan (IRL) 4-3 Warren French (NZL) – Prelim Mark Dudbridge (ENG, 32) 0-3 Dave Chisnall (ENG) Raymond van Barneveld (NED, 8) 0-3 James Richardson (ENG) Mark Walsh (ENG, 11) 3-1 Warren French (NZL) 7pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD1 Monday 19th December Andy Hamilton (ENG, 17) 3-2 Antonio Alcinas (ESP) Per Laursen (DEN) 3-4 Petri Korte (FIN) – Prelim Mervyn King (ENG, 12) 3-0 Geoff Kime (AUS) Kevin Painter (ENG, 22) 3-1 Arron Monk (ENG) James Wade (ENG, 3) 3-1 Petri Korte (FIN) 7pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD2 Tuesday 20th December Colin Lloyd (ENG, 13) 3-1 Darin Young (USA) Joe Cullen (ENG) 4-2 Oliver Ferenc (SRB) – Prelim Colin Osborne (ENG, 21) 1-3 Michael van Gerwen (NED) Gary Anderson (SCO, 4) 3-2 Jyhan Artut (GER) Terry Jenkins (ENG, 10) 3-0 Joe Cullen (ENG) 7pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD2 Wednesday 21st December Andy Smith (ENG, 20) 0-3 Scott Rand (ENG) Devon Petersen (RSA) 4-3 Jose de Sousa (POR) – Prelim John Part (CAN, 27) 3-0 John Henderson (SCO) Simon Whitlock (AUS, 5) 3-0 Dennis Smith (ENG) Steve Brown (ENG, 29) 2-3 Devon Petersen (RSA) 7pm-11.30pm – Sky Sports HD2 Second Round Thursday 22nd December Wayne Jones (ENG, 15) 4-0 Roland Scholten (NED) Adrian Lewis (ENG, 2) 4-2 Robert Thornton (SCO, 31) Wes Newton (ENG, 7) 3-4 Justin Pipe (ENG, 26) 7pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD2 Friday 23rd December Mark Walsh (ENG, 11) 3-4 Kevin Painter (ENG, 22) James Wade (ENG, 3) 4-0 Jelle Klassen (NED) Steve Farmer (ENG) 4-2 Kevin Munch (GER) 7pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD1 Tuesday 27th December Afternoon Session Terry Jenkins (ENG, 10) 4-1 Co Stompe (NED, 23) Richie Burnett (WAL) 1-4 John Part (CAN, 27) Vincent van der Voort (NED, 16) 3-4 Andy Hamilton (ENG, 17) 1pm-5pm – Sky Sports HD2 Evening Session James Richardson (ENG) 1-4 Kim Huybrechts (BEL) Phil Taylor (ENG, 1) 1-4 Dave Chisnall (ENG) Paul Nicholson (AUS, 9) 4-0 Alan Tabern (ENG, 24) 7pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD2 Wednesday 28th December Afternoon Session Mervyn King (ENG, 12) 1-4 Michael van Gerwen (NED) Simon Whitlock (AUS, 5) 4-1 Steve Beaton (ENG, 29) Colin Lloyd (ENG, 13) 4-1 Scott Rand (ENG) 1pm-5pm – Sky Sports HD1 Evening Session Gary Anderson (SCO, 4) 4-2 Devon Petersen (RSA) Third Round Adrian Lewis (ENG, 2) 4-0 Wayne Jones (ENG, 15) Justin Pipe (ENG, 26) 1-4 Terry Jenkins (ENG, 10) 7pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD2 Thursday 29th December Afternoon Session John Part (CAN, 27) 4-2 Kevin Painter (ENG, 22) James Wade (ENG, 3) 4-0 Steve Farmer (ENG) Kim Huybrechts (BEL) 4-1 Paul Nicholson (AUS, 9) 1pm-5pm – Sky Sports HD1 Evening Session Simon Whitlock (AUS, 5) 4-3 Michael van Gerwen (NED) Dave Chisnall (ENG) 0-4 Andy Hamilton (ENG, 17) Gary Anderson (SCO, 4) 4-1 Colin Lloyd (ENG, 13) 7pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD1 Quarter-Finals Friday 30th December Afternoon Session Andy Hamilton (ENG, 17) 5-2 Kim Huybrechts (BEL) John Part (CAN, 27) 4-5 James Wade (ENG, 3) 2pm-5.30pm – Sky Sports HD1 Evening Session Simon Whitlock (AUS, 5) 5-1 Gary Anderson (SCO, 4) Adrian Lewis (ENG, 2) v Terry Jenkins (ENG, 10) 7.30pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD2 Semi Finals Sunday 1st January Andy Hamilton (ENG, 17) 6-5 Simon Whitlock (AUS, 5) Adrian Lewis (ENG, 2) 6-5 James Wade (ENG, 3) 7.30pm-11pm – Sky Sports HD1 | Sky 3D Final Monday 2nd January Andy Hamilton (ENG, 17) 3-7 Adrian Lewis (ENG, 2) 8pm-10.30pm – Sky Sports HD1 | Sky 3D Tournament Format Preliminary Round – Best of 7 legs (no tie-break) First Round – Best of 5 sets Second Round – Best of 7 sets Third Round – Best of 7 sets Quarter Finals – Best of 9 sets Semi Finals – Best of 11 sets Final – Best of 13 sets Classic PDC World Championship Moments
