YORK’S adopted German Lutz Leutzsch enjoyed an 82.62 average on his way to a 5-1 victory over Carl Hesslegrave in the stage six final of the Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship.

Leutzsch opened with a 17-dart leg only to see Havercroft’s Hesslegrave, who finished with a 76.36 average, instantly respond with 14 darts in the climax to the Huntington WMC-hosted event, organised in association with Red Dragon Darts.

A run, including 180 for 15, 20, 17 and 20-dart legs, saw Leutzsch take the £150 first prize, though, to add a further 20 points to his order of merit ranking. Leutzsch is now fifth in those standings with Hesslegrave, awarded 16 points for his efforts, moving up to joint- second with York’s John Quantock.

Leading points scorer Rich Corner (York) lost out in a close semi-final to Hesslegrave 4-3 while Hull’s Gary Walmsley added 14 points to his tally, moving into sixth place as he went down 4-1 to the eventual winner.

The quarter-final results were: Brian Henderson (Cleveland) 0, Walmsley 3; Colin Hendry (Ferrybridge) 1, Leutzsch (York) 3; Corner 3, Craig Wedge (York) 2; Daniel Lidgett (Barton) 0, Hesslegrave 3.

Elsewhere, Wakefield’s Jaron Esteve provided the highest checkout of the day with 153, while Dave Smith, of Leeds, had two ton-plus finishes of 120 and 110 and Hesslegrave double bulled a 125 finish.

Seventeen 180s were also recorded on the day with man-of-the-moment Hesslegrave claiming three.

Others were thrown by John Bowler (2), Henderson, Brian Dawson, Russ Johnson, Quantock, Tommy Lishmon, Kev Browne, Paul Cooper, Mel Robinson, PDC referee Kirk Bevins, James McGuigan, Ian Atkin and Hendry.

The final two stages of the Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship, both held at Huntington WMC, will be staged on May 11 and 18 with registration closing at 12.30pm for a 1pm start.