George: Lakeside is still toughest test

Bobby George believes the Lakeside World Championship is still the premier event in the sport, despite the interest generated by this week’s thrilling clash between Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor.

Van Barneveld’s dramatic 7-6 sudden-death victory over title-holder Taylor in the PDC’s Ladbrokes.com World Championship final raised the fast-growing sport’s profile to a new level.

George, 61, attended the final and while he admitted he had enjoyed his night at the Circus Tavern, he still feels the British Darts Organisation’s original version of the world title is the more prestigious.

“The Lakeside World Championship is still the best because competitors from every darts-playing country in the world try to qualify for it,” said George, speaking on the day his autobiography, Bobby Dazzler: My Story, was launched.

“That’s more than 60 countries so it really is a world event. You try to qualify with 300 other players and you don’t know who you will meet.

“They have all come through competitions in their own countries and the British players through their counties, so it’s like winning a tournament just to get to the qualifiers and then winning another one just to get on the Lakeside stage.

“For me, the BDO ranks as the true world championship and every year it has been able to find a new star.

“Last year, 21-year-old Jelle Klaasen became the youngest-ever world champion as he won the trophy with some blistering darts. He was the best-looking finalist since me!”

George, from Essex, was runner-up in 1980 and 1994 and, even though he is now only a few years off senior-citizen status, he is not giving up on his quest to become world champion.

The man nicknamed ‘Mr Glitter’, or more recently 'the King of Bling’, for his flashy appearance has not qualified since 2002, but last October he put up a fine effort before missing out and insists his time may still come.

“My aim now is to become the first man in his 60s to play in the Lakeside World Championship,” said George.

“I still believe I can win it and while that is the case I owe it to myself to keep trying.

“I know deep in my heart I can still win it. I wouldn’t go through the hassle of trying to qualify if I didn’t think I could.

“Look at Keith Deller, John ‘Boy’ Walton and Klaasen. They were all unknowns who swept aside all in front of them to win the world title. That’s why I still believe I can do it if I can just manage to qualify again.

“I always believe the next year could be my year at the Lakeside. One goal is to get there again in 2010 when I’m 64 and walk out to the song of that name by The Beatles. That would be hilarious, the best walk-on ever.

“One day I will have to draw the curtain on what has been a marvellous time for me in darts, but as long as I’ve got my health, that day will have to wait.”