Cliff Lazarenko
Encyclopedia
Cliff Lazarenko is an English
professional
darts
player who competed for the British Darts Organisation
and the Professional Darts Corporation
. Nicknamed Big Cliff, due to his height (6 feet 4 inches) and weight (over 20 stone at his peak) he is well known for being a very colourful character on and off the stage.
, where his parents ran a garage. He honed his darts skills in his local pub, The Queen. He later moved to Wellingborough
. Before becoming a professional darts player in 1975, he worked as a labourer.
Lazarenko first appeared in a televised match on the show Indoor League
in the 1970s. He went on to win several singles and pairs titles. He won the British Open in 1980, winning it again later in the decade, and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship four times. In 1980
, he lost out to Bobby George
; the next year
he gained revenge on George by beating him in the quarter-finals, eventually losing to world champion Eric Bristow
. In 1985
, he reached the semi-finals again, this time without losing a single set en route, winning the opening round against Singapore
's Paul Lim
(2-0), the second round against the Swede
Stefan Lord
(3-0), and the quarter-finals against Northern Irish
player Fred McMullan
(4-0), but was narrowly defeated in the semi-finals by fellow Englishman John Lowe
, 5-3. He reached the semis again in 1990
, but once again fell short of the final, losing 5-0 to eventual winner Phil Taylor.
Big Cliff made a habit of winning the Dartsathlon (an event made up of having 15 darts at various doubles, trebles, Bullseyes, 25s and 501 legs) in the early - mid 80s winning the event four times in 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. He also won the Autumn Gold Masters in 1984 and 1986 the British Matchplay in 1979, British Gold Cup in 1984, Jersey Open in 1982 and 1983 and the Danish Open in 1981 and 1983. He came to the fore, however, with his 1977 win in the Marlboro Masters.
Lazarenko was one of the sixteen players who defected from the BDO to form the PDC. Although he managed to maintain his popularity with the fans, he never managed to repeat his performances in the PDC World Darts Championship
, with several first-round exits to his name, and only managing a quarter-final at best in 1999. In other PDC tournaments, however, Lazarenko showed great promise: he reached the semi-finals of the 1995 World Matchplay
, beating Dennis Smith
, Shayne Burgess
and Nigel Justice along the way, before losing to Dennis Priestley
. He was also a Matchplay quarter-finalist in 2001
.
In the mid-2000s, Lazarenko suffered from ill health, losing a lot of weight, and ceased competing in darts tournaments. However, in the 2007 UK Open Darts
at the Reebok Stadium
in Bolton
, Lazarenko made a welcome return to the big stage, and won two matches in one night, en route to the second round. He then won another game the next night, before finally falling in the third round. In 2008 it was announced that Lazerenko would compete in the BetFred League of Legends along with the likes of Bristow, Lowe, George and Bob Anderson
. Lazarenko reached the semi-finals of the tournament, losing to Keith Deller
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
player who competed for the British Darts Organisation
British Darts Organisation
The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short, is a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft, OBE. The BDO is a founder member of the World Darts Federation which was formed in 1976....
and the Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
. Nicknamed Big Cliff, due to his height (6 feet 4 inches) and weight (over 20 stone at his peak) he is well known for being a very colourful character on and off the stage.
Biography
Lazarenko was born in Hampshire, growing up in GreathamGreatham, Hampshire
Greatham is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 1.9 miles north of Liss, just off the A3 road.The nearest railway station is 1.9 miles south of the village, at Liss....
, where his parents ran a garage. He honed his darts skills in his local pub, The Queen. He later moved to Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
. Before becoming a professional darts player in 1975, he worked as a labourer.
Lazarenko first appeared in a televised match on the show Indoor League
Indoor League
Indoor League was a television series broadcast in the United Kingdom by Yorkshire Television during the 1970s.It was hosted by England cricketer, Fred Trueman who often wore a cardigan whilst smoking a pipe throughout his links...
in the 1970s. He went on to win several singles and pairs titles. He won the British Open in 1980, winning it again later in the decade, and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship four times. In 1980
1980 BDO World Darts Championship
The 1980 Embassy World Darts Championship was the third year that the British Darts Organisation had staged a world championship. Again the field was 24 players, with the top seeds receiving a bye to the last 16 stage...
, he lost out to Bobby George
Bobby George
Robert Francis George is an English darts player and presenter. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra...
; the next year
1981 BDO World Darts Championship
The 1981 Embassy World Darts Championship was the fourth year that the British Darts Organisation had staged a world championship. The field was expanded from 24 to 32 players, the format which would remain for many years...
he gained revenge on George by beating him in the quarter-finals, eventually losing to world champion Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow MBE is a British darts player, whose skill at the game in the 1980s helped turn it into a worldwide spectator sport.- Early career :...
. In 1985
1985 BDO World Darts Championship
-External links:*...
, he reached the semi-finals again, this time without losing a single set en route, winning the opening round against Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's Paul Lim
Paul Lim
Paul Lim Leong Hwa known simply as Paul Lim is a professional darts player who will be best remembered for being the first player to hit a perfect nine-dart finish during the Embassy World Professional Darts Championship in 1990...
(2-0), the second round against the Swede
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Stefan Lord
Stefan Lord
Stefan Lord is a retired Swedish professional darts player, who competed in British Darts Organisation events, and is one of the country's most successful players....
(3-0), and the quarter-finals against Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
player Fred McMullan
Fred McMullan
Fred McMullan is a retired Northern Irish professional darts player who competed in the 1980s.McMullan played at the World Darts Championship three times. In 1985, he beat Peter Locke of Wales in the first round and then beat Bobby George to reach the quarter-finals but was defeated by Cliff...
(4-0), but was narrowly defeated in the semi-finals by fellow Englishman John Lowe
John Lowe
John Lowe is an English darts player who was one of the best-known men in darts during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the United Kingdom. Lowe is one of only five players to have won the World Championship 3 times.-Biography:Lowe won the World Championship title in three different decades -...
, 5-3. He reached the semis again in 1990
1990 BDO World Darts Championship
The 1990 Embassy World Darts Championship was held at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey from 5–13 January 1990. It saw Phil Taylor win the first of fifteen world titles, beating his mentor Eric Bristow 6-1 in sets. Taylor beat Russell Stewart, Dennis Hickling, Ronnie Sharp...
, but once again fell short of the final, losing 5-0 to eventual winner Phil Taylor.
Big Cliff made a habit of winning the Dartsathlon (an event made up of having 15 darts at various doubles, trebles, Bullseyes, 25s and 501 legs) in the early - mid 80s winning the event four times in 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. He also won the Autumn Gold Masters in 1984 and 1986 the British Matchplay in 1979, British Gold Cup in 1984, Jersey Open in 1982 and 1983 and the Danish Open in 1981 and 1983. He came to the fore, however, with his 1977 win in the Marlboro Masters.
Lazarenko was one of the sixteen players who defected from the BDO to form the PDC. Although he managed to maintain his popularity with the fans, he never managed to repeat his performances in the PDC World Darts Championship
PDC World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship is a world championship competition for the sport of darts, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation . It was introduced following a dispute in 1994 with the British Darts Organisation, which has run its own world championship since 1978...
, with several first-round exits to his name, and only managing a quarter-final at best in 1999. In other PDC tournaments, however, Lazarenko showed great promise: he reached the semi-finals of the 1995 World Matchplay
1995 World Matchplay Darts
The 1995 Websters World Matchplay was the second annual World Matchplay darts tournament organised by the World Darts Council . The Winter Gardens, Blackpool played host to the event for the second year running.Seven former world champions were in the field...
, beating Dennis Smith
Dennis Smith (darts player)
Dennis Smith is an English darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation events. He is a stalwart on the PDC circuit, having been playing on the circuit since 1994 but has yet to capture a major title to add to his collection of Open wins...
, Shayne Burgess
Shayne Burgess
Shayne Burgess is an English darts player who is one of the few examples of players that has switched from the British Darts Organisation to the Professional Darts Corporation and back - he announced his intention to return to the BDO in early 2007, but remains a competitor in the PDC...
and Nigel Justice along the way, before losing to Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley is an English professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively...
. He was also a Matchplay quarter-finalist in 2001
2001 World Matchplay Darts
The 2001 World Matchplay was a darts tournament held in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool. This was the second World Matchplay tournament to be sponsored by UK bookmaker Stan James...
.
In the mid-2000s, Lazarenko suffered from ill health, losing a lot of weight, and ceased competing in darts tournaments. However, in the 2007 UK Open Darts
2007 UK Open Darts
The 2007 Blue Square UK Open was the fifth year of the PDC darts tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, players competed in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion...
at the Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Lazarenko made a welcome return to the big stage, and won two matches in one night, en route to the second round. He then won another game the next night, before finally falling in the third round. In 2008 it was announced that Lazerenko would compete in the BetFred League of Legends along with the likes of Bristow, Lowe, George and Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson (darts player)
Robert Charles "Bob" Anderson is a former world darts champion. He was ranked as world number one for over three years in the late 1980s. Nicknamed The Limestone Cowboy, he lives in Clevedon in Somerset.-Before Darts:Anderson threw his first darts maximum at the age of just five...
. Lazarenko reached the semi-finals of the tournament, losing to Keith Deller
Keith Deller
Keith Deller is an English darts player, who won the Embassy World Professional Darts Championship in 1983. He was the first qualifier ever to win the championship and remains one of the youngest champions in history...
.
BDO
- 1979: First round (lost to Terry O'DeaTerry O'DeaTerry O'Dea is a retired Australian professional darts player.O'Dea played in ten successive BDO World Darts Championships with his best run coming in 1982 and 1986 where he reached the quarter finals. O'Dea also played in four World Masters tournaments, reaching the quarter finals in...
) - 1980: Semi Final (lost to Bobby GeorgeBobby GeorgeRobert Francis George is an English darts player and presenter. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra...
) - 1981: Third place (beat Tony BrownTony Brown (darts player)Tony Brown is a former English professional darts player. He reached the World Professional Darts Championships semi-finals four times, losing twice to Eric Bristow and twice to John Lowe....
, lost to Eric BristowEric BristowEric Bristow MBE is a British darts player, whose skill at the game in the 1980s helped turn it into a worldwide spectator sport.- Early career :...
in semi-finals) - 1982: Second Round (lost to Nicky VirachkulNicky VirachkulNicky Virachkul was a professional darts player who competed in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He competed in the third WDF World Cup darts tournament in 1979 and won the singles title...
) - 1983: Quarter Final (lost to Jocky WilsonJocky WilsonJohn Thomas Wilson known as "Jocky" Wilson, is a former Scottish darts champion. He retired from the game in 1995.Wilson was twice World professional Darts Champion in 1982 and 1989...
) - 1984: First Round (lost to Ceri MorganCeri MorganCeri Morgan is a retired darts player.He made his World Championship debut in 1979, beating Barry Atkinson in the first round before losing to Tony Brown in the second round...
) - 1985: Semi Final (lost to John LoweJohn LoweJohn Lowe is an English darts player who was one of the best-known men in darts during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the United Kingdom. Lowe is one of only five players to have won the World Championship 3 times.-Biography:Lowe won the World Championship title in three different decades -...
) - 1986: First round (lost to Dave LeeDave Lee (darts player)Dave Lee is an English former darts player who played for the British Darts Organisation.Lee made his World Professional Darts Championship debut in 1983, defeating Canada's Tony Holyoake in the first round before losing in the second round to Eric Bristow. After a first round exit in 1985, Lee...
) - 1987: Quarter Final (lost to John Lowe)
- 1988: Second Round (lost to Paul Reynolds)
- 1989: First Round (lost to Wayne WeeningWayne WeeningWayne Dirk Weening is an Australian darts player.Weening made seven BDO World Darts Championship appearances with his best performance coming in 1993, reaching the quarter-finals by beating Rod Harrington and Albert Anstey before losing to Alan Warriner...
) - 1990: Semi Final (lost to Phil Taylor)
- 1991: Second Round (lost to Dave WhitcombeDave WhitcombeDave Whitcombe is an English professional darts player who won several major tournaments and reached two World Championship Finals. He had a long professional career between 1980 and 1992.-Biography:...
)
PDC
- 1994: Group Stage (lost both group games to Alan WarrinerAlan Warriner-LittleAlan Warriner-Little is an English professional darts player. He currently lives in Crosby, Cumbria and plays with the nickname The Iceman...
and Richie GardnerRichie GardnerRichie Gardner is a former English professional darts player, who had some success during the 1980s and was one of the 16 top players who formed a breakaway organisation during an acrimonious split in the game during 1992-94....
) - 1995: Group Stage (beat Graeme Stoddart but lost to Peter EvisonPeter EvisonPeter Evison is a darts player who has enjoyed a long career in the game. His greatest achievements were to win the 1989 Winmau World Masters and the 1996 World Matchplay. He has also come close to winning the World Championship on a number of occasions.Before appearing in a major tournament...
) - 1996: Group Stage (lost both group games to Shayne BurgessShayne BurgessShayne Burgess is an English darts player who is one of the few examples of players that has switched from the British Darts Organisation to the Professional Darts Corporation and back - he announced his intention to return to the BDO in early 2007, but remains a competitor in the PDC...
and Phil Taylor) - 1997: Group Stage (lost both group games to Peter Evison and Steve Raw)
- 1999: Quarter Final (lost to Shayne Burgess)
- 2000: First Round (lost to Dennis SmithDennis Smith (darts player)Dennis Smith is an English darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation events. He is a stalwart on the PDC circuit, having been playing on the circuit since 1994 but has yet to capture a major title to add to his collection of Open wins...
) - 2001: Second Round (lost to Roland ScholtenRoland ScholtenRoland Scholten is a Dutch professional darts player who plays for the Professional Darts Corporation and formerly for the British Darts Organisation. He is nicknamed Tripod or The Flying Dutchman and uses Hey Ya by Outkast as his walk-on. He is currently ranked 45th in the PDC...
) - 2002: First Round (lost to Roland Scholten)
- 2003: First Round (lost to John PartJohn PartJohn Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...
) - 2004: Second Round (lost to Steve MaishSteve MaishSteve Maish is a darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events. He uses the nickname Mr Magic for his matches....
)