Christian Kist landed a nine-dart finish on his way to completing a sensational Winmau Challenge Tour double in Leicester on Friday.
The former Lakeside Champion won 16 consecutive matches across a marathon day of action at the Mattioli Arena, pocketing £5,000 in prize money to move up to third on the 2024 Challenge Tour Order of Merit.
The Dutchman kicked off Friday’s action with Event 11 glory, landing a perfect leg before denying Michael Unterbuchner in a last-leg decider to clinch his third Challenge Tour crown.
Kist kicked off his campaign with a comfortable win over his compatriot Wesley van Trijp, before winning through deciding-leg ties against Reece Robinson and Alexander Merkx.
The 38-year-old then achieved perfection during his last 16 victory against Darren Armstrong, before sweeping aside young duo Bradley Brooks and Cam Crabtree in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
However, Kist was forced to fend off a late fightback from Unterbuchner in the Event 11 showpiece, conjuring up a 12-dart hold in the decider to seal the deal.
Unterbuchner had won through a quartet of last-leg shoot-outs in his run to the final, overcoming Ted Evetts, Niko Springer and Connor Scutt on his way to scooping the £1,000 runner-up prize.
Spain’s Jesus Noguera produced the performance of the event, averaging 109.64 in a remarkable 5-2 victory against Andreas Harrysson, who succumbed despite averaging 108.
Elsewhere, 17-year-old Henry Coates struck perfection for the first time in his PDC career in his opening round clash against Steve Haggerty, which preceded Kist’s nine-dart heroics later in the event.
Kist then took centre stage once again with Event 12 success, averaging 102 to account for Scotland’s former World Cup winner John Henderson in a high-quality final.
Kist again opened his challenge with victory over Wesley van Trijp, before overcoming Northern Ireland’s Kevin Burness and Germany’s Rene Eidams to advance to the last eight.
There, he ran out a comfortable 5-2 winner against Jamie Atkins, and he defeated former World Youth Champion Ted Evetts by the same scoreline in the semi-finals to extend his winning run.
Scottish stalwart Henderson put in a series of consistent displays in his run to the Event 12 final, averaging 99 in victory over Jimmy van Schie, while dumping out Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson in the last four.
However, it was Kist who emerged victorious in a final where both players averaged over 100, with the Dutchman breaking the deadlock after six legs with a pair of 13-darters to seal a 5-3 victory and complete a daily double.
The 2024 Winmau Challenge Tour continues with another double-header on Saturday, as Events 13 and 14 take place at Leicester's Mattioli Arena.
The top two players from the final 2024 Winmau Challenge Tour Order of Merit will secure a PDC Tour Card for 2025/26 and a place in the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
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Click here for match stats & results through DartConnect.
2024 Winmau Challenge Tour
Friday June 7, Mattioli Arena, Leicester
Event 11
Quarter-Finals
Michael Unterbuchner 5-4 Connor Scutt
Reece Colley 5-3 Thomas Cromwell
Christian Kist 5-1 Bradley Brooks
Cam Crabtree 5-3 Jimmy van Schie
Semi-Finals
Michael Unterbuchner 5-4 Reece Colley
Christian Kist 5-0 Cam Crabtree
Final
Christian Kist 5-4 Michael Unterbuchner
Event 12
Quarter-Finals
John Henderson 5-1 Michael Busscher
Andreas Harrysson 5-3 Robert Thornton
Christian Kist 5-2 Jamie Atkins
Ted Evetts 5-0 David Evans
Semi-Finals
John Henderson 5-3 Andreas Harrysson
Christian Kist 5-2 Ted Evetts
Final
Christian Kist 5-3 John Henderson