Peter Wright sees off James Wade to win the European Championship and take first TV major since January 2022

Peter Wright has been crowned the 2023 European Championship winner after seeing off the challenge of James Wade in Dortmund for his first TV major since winning the 2022 World Championship.

In a battle of two of the most experienced players on Tour, Wright started the brighter, breaking throw in the opening leg but as shown in the semi-final, you can't give Wade a sniff and in trademark fashion, the Machine took out a sumptuous 157 to break straight back in leg 2. After breaking the again though, it was Wright who went off for the break leading 3-2.

Following the interval, Wright began to accelerate ahead, upping his level and reeling off a run of legs to move four in front at 6-2. Wade would hold throw in leg 9 to stop the rot and after both players missed a dart at the bull for leg 10, when Wright failed to clean up Wade was on hand to make take another leg back and head off for the break at 6-4.

A new session and a new set of darts for Peter Wright after the break. The different set got off to the perfect start as well with a break of throw in leg 11. A hold of throw followed and Wright had rebuilt his four leg lead. Notably, he was now also closer to the finish line than to his opponent. A 13-dart leg was a great response from Wade though, showing signs he wasn't giving up just yet. But as Wright took the last two legs of the session to move with one of the title, Wade looked as if his race was run.

As the players returned to the stage, it looked like it wouldn't take long for Wright to wrap up. But a trio of missed match darts from 'Snakebite' allowed Wade to get the first leg of the session. The following leg though, Wright would make no mistake, sealing the win on double 8 to return to the winners circle.