Ritchie Edhouse Claims European Championship Title

Ritchie “Madhouse” Edhouse claimed the biggest victory of his career by defeating Jermaine Wattimena 11-3 to win the European Championship title. The tournament which featured 28 of the world’s top 32 players saw surprising results leading to two outsiders facing off in the final. Edhouse, ranked 39th in the world capitalized on his opportunity with a dominant performance against the 40th-ranked Dutchman Wattimena in Dortmund.

After collecting the £120,000 prize and his first major title, the 41-year-old expressed his disbelief: “It’s unbelievable; it will change my life. Confidence breeds confidence, and I’m now hungry for more.” Throughout the tournament, Edhouse showcased his talent by defeating two-time world champion Gary Anderson 10-5 in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Wattimena shocked the darts community by beating world number one Luke Humphries 10-4. Starting as a 250-1 outsider, Edhouse’s victory follows Mike de Decker’s surprise win at the World Grand Prix just two weeks earlier. Although Edhouse trailed 3-2 in the final, he responded with an impressive nine consecutive legs, ultimately sealing his win with a 144 checkout and averaging 90.55 throughout the match.

He began the tournament with a remarkable 109.48 average in a 6-1 rout of Gian van Veen and displayed resilience by overcoming a 4-1 deficit against world number two Michael Smith in the second round. With this victory, Ritchie Edhouse climbed into the world’s top 32 for the first time, rising ten spots to a career-high ranking of 29th and securing his place in the upcoming Grand Slam of Darts.

Wattimena also earned qualification for the event having eliminated four TV title winners on his path to the final.