Marko Kantele

{{short description|Finnish darts player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox darts player | image = | name = Marko Kantele | fullname = | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|8|24|df=y}} | birth_place = Mäntyharju, Finland | hometown = Vääksy, Finland | since = 1989 | darts = 18g Target | laterality = Right-handed | music = "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden | BDO = 1996–2008 | PDC = 2008– | currentrank = | BDO World = Last 16: 2005 | World Masters = Last 16: 1997, 2004 | World Darts Trophy = Last 32: 2004, 2005 | Int. Darts League = Last 32: 2005 | Dutch Open = Last 1024: 2025 | PDC World = Last 64: 2009, 2018 | Matchplay = | Grand Prix = | UK Open = Last 128: 2019, 2020 | Premier League = | results = {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''Irish Open''' | 2024 | '''PDCNB Euro Qualifier''' | 2017 (x2), 2018 (x2), 2022 | '''PDC World Qualifier''' | 2008 }} '''''SDC Tour''''' {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''SDC Finland'''| 2015 | '''SDC Sweden'''| 2014 }} '''''PDCNB Tour''''' {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''PDCNB Denmark'''| 2023 | '''PDCNB Finland'''| 2017, 2018, 2023 | '''PDCNB Iceland'''| 2019, 2021, 2023 | '''PDCNB Latvia'''| 2022, 2024 | '''PDCNB Norway'''| 2017 | '''PDCNB Sweden'''| 2018, 2023, 2025 }} | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's Darts}} {{MedalCountry | {{FIN}}}} {{MedalCompetition | WDF World Cup}} {{MedalSilver | 2001 Kuala Lumpur | Men's pairs}} {{MedalSilver | 2001 Kuala Lumpur | Men's team}} {{MedalSilver | 2001 Kuala Lumpur | Men's overall}} {{MedalSilver | 2007 Rosmalen | Men's pairs}} {{MedalBronze | 1997 Perth | Men's team}} {{MedalCompetition | WDF Europe Cup}} {{MedalSilver | 2006 Ennis | Men's pairs}} {{MedalSilver | 2008 Copenhagen | Men's pairs}} {{MedalBronze | 2004 Tampere | Men's singles}} {{MedalBronze | 2004 Tampere | Men's team}} {{MedalBronze | 2004 Tampere | Men's overall}} {{MedalBronze | 2006 Ennis | Men's overall}} {{MedalBronze | 2018 Budapest | Men's team}} }} '''Marko Kantele''' (born 24 August 1968) is a Finnish darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and World Darts Federation (WDF) events.

==Career== Kantele made his major debut in the 1997 Winmau World Masters, beating defending champion Colin Monk in the first round but lost in the second round to Mark Day. He returned to the Masters five years later, losing in the second round to Ted Hankey. Kantele made a third appearance at the Masters, beating Bobby George and Remco van Eijden to reach the last 16 where he lost to Martin Atkins. He also played in the 2004 World Darts Trophy, losing in the first round to Robert Wagner.

Kantele qualified for the 2005 BDO World Darts Championship, beating Tony O'Shea in the first round before losing in the second round to Simon Whitlock. He also played in the International Darts League the same year, winning his opening group game against Mario Robbe but lost to Raymond van Barneveld and Atkins, eliminating him from the group stages. He also played in the 2005 World Darts Trophy, but lost in the first round to Vincent van der Voort. Kantele reached the last 32 of the 2006 World Masters and reached the last 32, losing to Darryl Fitton. Kantele reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 WDF World Cup but failed to qualify for the World Championship.

Kantele won the PDC World Finland Qualifying Event, beating Asko Niskala in the final. The win earned him a spot in the 2009 PDC World Darts Championship and made him Finland's first ever representative.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/WorldChampsDetail/0,,10180~1408022,00.html |title=Kantele Wins World Championship Place |access-date=27 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203072352/http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/WorldChampsDetail/0%2C%2C10180~1408022%2C00.html |archive-date=3 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He beat Lourence Ilagan 5–2 in legs in the preliminary round, but lost 3–1 in sets to Ronnie Baxter in the first round. Afterwards, Kantele began playing in PDC Europe events competing for the European Order of Merit.

Kantele represented Finland with Petri Korte in the 2012 PDC World Cup of Darts and together they were beaten 4–5 by Croatia in the first round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pdc.tv/page/PDCWorldCupArticle/0,,10180~2598931,00.html |title=Cash Converters World Cup RD1 |publisher=PDC |date=3 February 2012 |accessdate=3 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206031856/http://www.pdc.tv/page/PDCWorldCupArticle/0%2C%2C10180~2598931%2C00.html |archivedate=6 February 2012 }}</ref> His best result in the rest of 2012 was in reaching the semi-finals of a Scandinavian tour event in Finland where he lost 1–6 to Ulf Ceder.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=4178 | title=2012 SDC Finland Results | publisher=Darts Database | accessdate=12 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Marko Kantele 2012 |url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/PlayerDetails.aspx?playerKey=89 |work=Darts Database |accessdate=12 February 2013 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130212183919/http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/PlayerDetails.aspx?playerKey=89 |archivedate=12 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He finished 11th on the SDC Order of Merit.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1btozo6hx1t3czmfbaflnog05/title/SDC%20Season%20Ends%20On%20High | title=SDC Season Ends On High | publisher=PDC | accessdate=12 February 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029231734/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1btozo6hx1t3czmfbaflnog05/title/SDC%20Season%20Ends%20On%20High | archive-date=29 October 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In January 2013 he entered the PDC's Q School to try and earn a two-year tour card but he finished joint 95th having played all four days with his best result being a last 64 defeat.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1kb9fnz50anlu1b7fwl98sb868/title/pdc-qualifying-school-day-four | title=PDC Qualifying School Day Four | publisher=PDC | accessdate=28 October 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125042212/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1kb9fnz50anlu1b7fwl98sb868/title/pdc-qualifying-school-day-four | archivedate=25 January 2013 }}</ref> In September, Kantele lost in the final of the Sawo Open to Veijo Viinikka.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResultsPrize.aspx?EventKey=5281 | title=2013 Sawo Open Player Prize Money | publisher=Darts Database | accessdate=28 October 2013}}</ref>

In the second Swedish event on the 2014 Scandinavian Pro Tour, Kantele won the title by defeating Jarkko Komula 6–4.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=5588 | title=2014 SDC Sweden Results | publisher=Darts Database | accessdate=24 November 2014}}</ref> He also reached the final of the Nordic Cup, but lost 4–2 against Daniel Larsson.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=5467 | title=2014 Nordic Cup Results | publisher=Darts Database | accessdate=24 November 2014}}</ref> Kantele played in his first World Cup since 2012 in 2015 and first with Kim Viljanen and they were beaten 5–4 by South Africa in the opening round with Kantele missing one match dart.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/rjv0onelm17g1nkud1m6pz07w/title/bwin-world-cup-of-darts-day-two | title=bwin World Cup of Darts Day Two | publisher=PDC | accessdate=12 June 2015 | archive-date=15 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715151616/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/rjv0onelm17g1nkud1m6pz07w/title/bwin-world-cup-of-darts-day-two | url-status=dead }}</ref> He won the final event on the 2015 Scandinavian Darts Corporation Pro Tour by edging past Magnus Caris 6–5.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=5960 | title=2015 SDC Finland Results | publisher=Darts Database | accessdate=8 January 2016}}</ref>

Kantele and Viljanen lost 5–1 in the first round of the 2016 World Cup to Wales.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/world-cup-of-darts/article/1bfpme0b763nm1pl5m4bgj70ms/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-day-two | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605195339/http://www.pdc.tv/world-cup-of-darts/article/1bfpme0b763nm1pl5m4bgj70ms/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-day-two | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 June 2016 | title=Betway World Cup of Darts Day Two | publisher=PDC | accessdate=28 December 2016}}</ref> In 2017 Viljanen missed two match darts in the first round as they were knocked out 5–4 by Wales.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1q7y8125vezne19f6ghkggr6pp/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-day-one| title=Betway World Cup of Darts Day One| publisher=PDC| accessdate=10 June 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612165748/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1q7y8125vezne19f6ghkggr6pp/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-day-one| archive-date=12 June 2017| url-status=dead}}</ref>

By finishing second on the 2019 European Q-School Order of Merit, he earned a PDC Tour Card for 2019–2020.

==World Championship results== ===BDO=== * 2005: Second round (lost to Simon Whitlock 1–3)

===PDC=== * 2009: First round (lost to Ronnie Baxter 1–3) * 2018: First round (lost to John Henderson 0–3) * 2020: First round (lost to William O'Connor 0–3) * 2021: First round (lost to John Henderson 2–3) * 2024: First round (lost to Radek Szagański 2–3)

===WDF=== * 2025: First round (lost to Dalibor Šmolík 1–3)

==Performance timeline== '''PDC''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 2009 !! 2010 !! 2012 !! 2015 !! 2016 !! 2017 !! 2018 !! 2019 !! 2020 !! 2021 !! 2022 !! 2023 !! 2024 !! 2025 |- | colspan="15" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|World Championship}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center;"| DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center;"| DNQ |- | style="background:#efefef;"| UK Open | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Did not qualify |- | colspan="21" align="left" |'''PDC Non-ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;" | World Cup | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR |- | colspan="17" align="left" |'''Career statistics''' |- |- bgcolor="efefef" | align="left" |'''Year-end ranking''' | style="text-align:center;|90 | style="text-align:center;|151 | style="text-align:center;|155 | style="text-align:center;|- | style="text-align:center;|- | style="text-align:center;|116 | style="text-align:center;|112 | style="text-align:center;|103 | style="text-align:center;|84 | style="text-align:center;|- | style="text-align:center;|178 | style="text-align:center;|129 | style="text-align:center;|154 | style="text-align:center;|238 |}

'''BDO''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 1997 !! 2002 !! 2004 !! 2005 !! 2006 !! 2007 !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016 |- | colspan="15" style="text-align:left" |'''BDO Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;" | {{nowrap|World Championship}} | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| Did not participate | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"|Did not participate |- | style="background:#efefef;"| World Darts Trophy | style="text-align:center;"|NH | style="text-align:center;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|DNP | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"|Not held |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|World Masters}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L16 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|L32 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|L16 | style="text-align:center;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L32 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L40 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L144 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L272 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L272 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| L272 |- |}

'''WDF''' {| class="wikitable" ! Tournament !! 2022 !! 2024 !! 2025 |- | colspan="5" style="text-align:left" |'''WDF Ranked major/platinum events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|World Championship}} | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|World Masters}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|L128 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| RR |- |}

'''PDC European Tour''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:50%; margin:0" |- ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2014 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Did not participate | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ADO 1R | colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|Did not participate |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2017 | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|GDO 1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDM 2R | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2018 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDO 2R | colspan="11" style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDT 2R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2022 | style="text-align:center;"|IDO DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|GDC 1R | colspan="10" style="text-align:center;"|Did not participate/qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|GDT 1R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2023 | style="text-align:center;"|BSD DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDO 1R | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|DDC 1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDM 2R | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2024 | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDO 1R | style="text-align:center;"|GDC DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|FDT 1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|CDO 1R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2025 | style="text-align:center;"|BDO DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDT 1R | colspan="12" style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify |- |}

'''PDC Players Championships''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:28%; margin:0; font-size:84%" ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! 23 !! 24 !! 25 !! 26 !! 27 !! 28 !! 29 !! 30 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2019 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|DUB 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|DUB 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2020 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"|MIL Did not participate | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|NIE 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|NIE 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|NIE 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|NIE 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|NIE 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|COV 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|COV 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|COV 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|COV 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|COV 1R |- |}

'''PDC World Series of Darts''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:50%; margin:0" ! Tournament ! 2021 ! 2022 ! 2023 ! 2024 |- |align=left| Nordic Darts Masters |{{TournLR|2021 Nordic Darts Masters|1R}} |{{TournLR|2022 Nordic Darts Masters|1R}} |{{TournLR|2023 Nordic Darts Masters|1R}} |{{TournLR|2024 Nordic Darts Masters|1R}} |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{DartsOrakel|Marko Kantele}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kantele, Marko}} Category:1968 births Category:People from Mäntyharju Category:Finnish darts players Category:Living people Category:Professional Darts Corporation former tour card holders Category:PDC World Cup of Darts Finnish team Category:Sportspeople from South Savo Category:20th-century Finnish sportsmen Category:21st-century Finnish sportsmen