Next Tuesday (October 27) sees the start of the 2015 WDF World Cup, held in Kemer, Turkey.  The first World Cup was staged back in 1977, and has been held every two years since.  There are separate World Cup Championships for Men, Women, and Youth, each comprising a number of events.  This year, the size of the Women’s teams has been increased from two to four, meaning that Men and Women play an identical format (team event, singles, and doubles).  Youth teams comprise two boys and two girls.  The Youth World Cup is based on a mixed doubles event, and doubles and singles each for Boys and Girls.

This year, 38 National teams will be competing. Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Catalonia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Italy, Iran, Jersey, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, U.S.A., and Wales.  Of these, eight teams are sending a men’s team only, and there are sixteen nations sending youth teams.

England took gold in the Men’s and Women’s World Cups two years ago, but both teams are very different this time out.  Reigning Women’s Singles Champion, Deta Hedman, and newly-crowned World Master, Glen Durrant, are the only survivors from Canada.  Durrant is joined by Mark McGeeney, Jamie Hughes, and Lakeside World Champion Scott Mitchell, while Lisa Ashton, Claire Brookin, and Fallon Sherrock make the trip alongside Hedman.

Lisa Ayers, Bette Cunningham, Cali West, Paula Murphy, Tom Sawyer, Larry Butler, Joe Huffman. Not pictured : Jerry Van Loan

For the Americans, Larry Butler returns for his third World Cup in a row, while Tom Sawyer (2013) and Jerry Van Loan (2011) have both been there before also.  Maryland’s Joe Huffman is the one newcomer for the men, although he does have international experience from the Americas Cup.

Like Van Loan, Cali West returns to World Cup action after missing out on St. John, and is joined by Bette Cunningham, Lisa Ayers, and Paula Murphy.  Both Ayers and Murphy are World Masters veterans, and only surgery prevented Cunningham from making her Masters debut last year.

So, both squads have plenty of experience at the highest level, and hopefully can improve on  their impressive performances last time.  The draws for each event will be posted on here soon.

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