1st Salty Tip Classic on the waterfront
By Ty Hughes
Jan Minster and Traci Lamb-Ewing started their planning a month before the scheduled date of the first-ever “Salty Tip Classic” Outdoor Shoot, just two weeks after the Channel Marker’s one-year anniversary. After talking it up non-stop and advertising the event in the Medallion, the word was out.
Gary Tinder and Tom Williams, of GT Darts, Channel Marker’s dart operator, woke up to a gorgeous day in the Northwest on Friday, August 15th. They had a big day ahead of them. After jump-starting their system, they headed down to the Edmond’s waterfront with a load of dart boards. One by one, they lined the outside of the Channel Marker with five boards while Jan and Traci made the necessary preparations inside and out. Jan ensured proper staffing in expectation of a busy weekend in dart competition at her prime waterfront restaurant and bar.
By Friday night, after quittin’ time, the Channel Marker began to swell with excited patrons and dart players alike in response to the well-promoted, first-ever “Salty Tip Classic” Outdoor Shoot. By tournament start time, Traci had upwards of twenty five teams signed up to participate in the $500 Gtd. Added kickoff event.
The fully-staffed bar and restaurant catered to a full house of hungry and thirsty customers. Dinners were flying out of the kitchen, cocktails and cold beers were a constant stream from the bar as a flurry of animated conversation rose to a fever pitch and continued well into the night. It was a good start to the weekend’s event.
The sun rose on Saturday morning and continued to heat up our fair lands, eventually surpassing all previous records. And while there were several other outdoor shoots playing out around the Puget Sound area with lackluster turnouts due to the heat, the waterfront was pleasant with a slight breeze and nearly ten degrees cooler.
Saturday morning would bring the singles events in three divisions, followed by three more divisions of doubles events in the evening. But it seemed the players had different ideas, taking them to the area’s lakes and rivers seeking relief from the record heat.
Player turnout was low, despite the extensive planning, but that didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits at the Channel Marker. Everyone that did show up managed to have a great time regardless of the poor turnout. Some old faces came out of the woodwork and of course the diehard regulars were also in attendance, shuffling in and out of the bar, from the air-conditioned interior to the hot, roped off darting area with covered tables, ice-cold beverage in hand.
In spite of the heat Channel Marker’s big outdoor event of 2008 was an outstanding display of dedication to the players and the sport itself. Those that made it down had a blast and maybe, if they do it next year, it will be bigger and even better.
