Stefan Bellmont will become the first Swiss player to compete at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship next month, after prevailing in Saturday’s West Europe Qualifier.
Bellmont came through a 92-player field in Kalkar to confirm his debut appearance in the sport’s flagship event, and he sealed his qualification with a dramatic 7-6 victory over Jimmy van Schie.
The Swiss star fought back from 5-2 down to deny Van Schie in a high-quality affair, surviving match darts in the penultimate leg before landing a brilliant 124 checkout to complete the comeback.
Van Schie – a winner on the Winmau Challenge Tour in 2024 – converted 76, 90, 108, 136 and 164 finishes in Saturday’s showpiece, only to fall agonisingly short in his bid for qualification.
Bellmont won seven consecutive matches to book his place at Alexandra Palace, although he survived a scare in his opening round tie against Moreno Blom, who rallied from 5-1 down to force a decider.
Following emphatic 6-0 and 6-2 wins over Patrick Link and Bert De Lange respectively, Bellmont then fired in a ton-topping average to dispatch Timothy Verbrugghe in the last 16.
The 35-year-old then saw off a hat-trick of Dutch stars to make history, as his victory over Van Schie was preceded by resounding 6-1 and 6-3 wins against Jurjen van der Velde and Berry van Peer.
Van Schie recovered from 5-3 down to defeat his compatriot Maik Kuivenhoven in a dramatic semi-final tie, having earlier averaged 101 to see off Owen Roelofs in another all-Dutch affair.
Kuivenhoven accounted for Belgian duo Andy Baetens and Mario Vandenbogaerde in his run to the last four, while Van Peer won deciding-leg tussles against Jelle Klaasen, Ronny Huybrechts and Martijn Kleermaker to reach the same stage.
Paddy Power World Darts Championship - West Europe Qualifier
Saturday November 16, Wunderland Kalkar, Germany
Quarter-Finals
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-1 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Jimmy van Schie 6-1 Jody Tobback
Berry van Peer 6-3 Jarno Bottenberg
Stefan Bellmont 6-3 Jurjen van der Velde
Semi-Finals
Jimmy van Schie 6-5 Maik Kuivenhoven
Stefan Bellmont 6-1 Berry van Peer
Final
Stefan Bellmont 7-6 Jimmy van Schie