Noa-Lynn Van Leuven created history on Friday afternoon by becoming the first transgender woman to win a PDC event when she came through the field to win Challenge Tour 6. There was cause for a local celebration later on Friday when Germany’s very own Rene Eidams claimed the Challenge Tour 7.

Van Leuven wins on debut

It was a dream debut for the Dutch darter as she came through the pack to win her first challenge tour at the first attempt in Germany.

Van Leuven improved as the day went on with her keeping her best performance until the final. She never faced a match dart against her and registered three averages in the 80’s, four in the 90’s and one three-figure average.

There were notable victories for Noa-Lynn along the way as she defeated recently crowned seniors World Champion John Henderson in the quarter-final winning 5-3 with a 92.14 average. That came after she’d earlier dumped out Swiss World Cup star Stefan Belmont in the last 64 5-1 with a 92.35 average.

Van Leuven capped off a brilliant darting display by averaging 100.37 in the final against Tytus Kanik defeating the Polish star 5-2. She was unable to follow her performance in Challenge Tour 7 bowing out in the last 64 against Connor Scutt.

This was Van Leuven’s first PDC title after losing to Beau Greaves 4-0 at the quarter-final stage of the Women’s Matchplay at the famous Winter Gardens in Blackpool in July 2023.

Eidams seals title with last leg decider

Whilst Van Leuven managed to secure the title without any last-leg deciders, Rene Eidmas didn’t do things as easy on his way to winning Challenge Tour 7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all the cube reached the 9th and deciding leg in five of his eight matches coming through tough tests against Ted Evetts, Andy Boulton, Patrick Peters in the last 16, Cam Crabtree in the quarter-final and van Leuven’s Dutch compatriot Dennie Olde Kalter in a closely contested final.

Rene Eidams played consistently throughout the afternoon his average remaining in the mid 80’s apart from his last 16 where he averaged 77.63 in his victory over Patrick Peters. His highest average came in the semi-final where he brushed Kevin Burness aside 5-1 with a 97.37 average setting him up for his final showdown against Dennie Olde Kalter.

This was Eidams first Challenge Tour victory avenging the 5|3 defeat he suffered at the hands of Kelving Hart in Challenge Tour 12 2023 in Milton Keynes.

The action continues in Hildesheim on Saturday when a further two Challenge Tour events will take place.

CT6 Results

Last 16
John Henderson 5|3 Franz Roetzsch
Noa-Lynn van Leuven 5|3 Darryl Pilgrim
Charlie Martin 5|2 Romeo Grbavac
Cam Crabtree 5|4 Vladimir Andersen
Sebastian Bialecki 5|2 Jimmy van Schie
Tytus Kanik 5|0 Adrian Gray
Aden Kirk 5|3 Henry Coates
Danny Jansen 5|3 James Beeton

Quarter-final
Noa-Lynn van Leuven 5|3 John Henderson
Cam Crabtree 5|1 Charlie Martin
Tytus Kanik 5|1 Sebastian Bialecki
Aden Kirk 5|2 Danny Jansen

Semi-final
Noa-Lynn van Leuven 5 | 2 Cam Crabtree
Tytus Kanik 5| 4 Aden Kirk

Final
Noa-Lynn Van Leuven 5 | 2 Tytus Kanik

CT17 Results

Last 16
Connor Scutt 5|1 Peter Jacques
Andreas Harrysson 5|2 Keith Rooney
Dennie Olde Kalter 5|1 Kevin Troppmann
Shane McGuirk 5|0 Eric Gohde
Cam Crabtree 5|3 Darius Labanauskas
Rene Eidams 5|4 Patrick Peters
Kevin Burness 5|3 Adam Mould
Kai Gotthardt 5|1 Jose Justicia

Quarter-final
Andreas Harrysson 5|2 Connor Scutt
Dennie Olde Kalter 5|4 Shane McGuirk
Rene Eidams 5|4 Cam Crabtree
Kevin Burness 5|2 Kai Gotthardt

Semi-final
Dennie Olde Kalter 5|3 Andreas Harrysson
Rene Eidams 5|1 Kevin Burness

Final

Rene Eidams 5|4 Dennie Olde Kalter