YOUNG players from the Netherlands and Belgium will be able to win spots in the Junior European Championship in a special qualifying event in June, which is being backed by star names Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld and Kim Huybrechts.
The 2016 Junior Darts Corporation season will feature the £6,000 Junior European Championship being held from September 16-18 at Pontins Brean Sands.
Four places will be on offer for players in the special qualifying event on Saturday June 11 at the Evenementenhal in Venray, with two spots open for Dutch players and two for Belgian players in addition to a €5,000 total prize fund.
In addition, top Dutch youngsters Justin van Tergouw and Maikel Verberk have accepted invitations to compete in the Junior European Championship.
All six players will be sponsored for the Junior European Championship weekend by world number one van Gerwen, five-time World Champion van Barneveld and Belgian number one Huybrechts, with the trio of stars covering the players' expenses as they support the stars of the future.
Van Gerwen said: "This is a great opportunity for young players and it's fantastic that we can help the winners to play in the Junior European Championship. The JDC are doing really good work for youth darts and schemes like this are important for the future of darts."
Two other top Dutch stars, former UK Open champion Roland Scholten and former German Darts Championship winner Co Stompe will also be supporting the event and attending on June 11, while leading players Vincent van der Voort, Jelle Klaasen and Ronny Huybrechts have also given their backing to the initiative.
Entry information for players will be available at www.juniordarts.com, with entry costing €10 in advance or €12.50 on the day up to 12pm. Doors on June 11 will open at 10.30am, with registration from 11am-12pm and play from 1pm.
Images courtesy Bas van den Berk/DartFreakz.nl