The Forgotten Women of Darts – Part Two: When Women's Darts Started Making Headlines (1937–1939)

 

In the first part of this series, we went back to the 1920s and 1930s and discovered that women were already competing against men in the News of the World Championship.

Eileen Turnage, an 18-year-old from Essex, reached the last eight of the Chelmsford Area Final in 1936.

A year later, Mrs A. Morgan went even further, winning the Winchester Area competition and qualifying for the News of the World Grand Finals.

Both were remarkable achievements for the time.

But as I've continued looking into the history of women's darts, something else has become apparent.

By the late 1930s, women weren't simply making occasional appearances in men's tournaments.

There were women's competitions attracting thousands of entries, darts was receiving national publicity, and the BBC was even broadcasting a women's final.

And perhaps most surprisingly, the woman who helped bring darts to a much wider female audience wasn't a professional player.

It was the Queen.

A royal game of darts

In December 1937, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited a community centre in Slough.

During their visit, they came across a dartboard and decided to have a throw.

The Queen scored 21.

The King managed 19.

Now, before anyone gets too excited about the Queen beating the King, there was apparently a slight advantage involved.

She was allowed to stand a foot closer to the board.

So perhaps not quite the level playing field we might expect today.

But the result wasn't really the important part.

The following day, photographs of Queen Elizabeth playing darts appeared in national newspapers.

And suddenly darts was attracting attention from people who might never previously have considered picking up a set of arrows.

Historical accounts describe a considerable increase in interest among women, with the British Darts Council reportedly receiving enquiries about where women could learn to play.

It's difficult to know exactly how many women were inspired by those photographs.

But there is something quite interesting about the whole episode.

At a time when darts was still strongly associated with working-class pubs and predominantly male players, the Queen had been photographed enjoying the game.

And if the Queen could play darts, why shouldn't other women?

Two thousand women enter a darts competition

This is probably my favourite discovery from this period so far.

On 19 April 1938, a women's darts final was broadcast by the BBC.

That might not sound particularly extraordinary today.

But remember, we're talking about 1938.

There was no television darts as we know it, no professional women's circuit and certainly no Women's Series.

The broadcast was on the wireless.

And here's the remarkable part.

The competition had attracted approximately 2,000 entrants.

Two thousand women entering a darts competition in 1938.

I certainly wasn't expecting to find that.

The final took place at the Adam and Eve pub in Homerton, London.

The finalists were Miss Champion from Ware and Mrs Westlake from London.

Unfortunately, the contemporary account I've found doesn't provide their first names, something that seems to happen rather frequently when researching women's sport from this period.

But at least we know something about their performances.

Miss Champion lives up to her name

The BBC broadcast featured commentary from Charles and Mrs Garner, who described the action for listeners.

The players competed at 501, with double-in and double-out rules.

The match was played over three legs, with two on the short throw and one on the long throw.

Miss Champion won the opening leg.

Mrs Westlake levelled the match.

And in the deciding leg, Miss Champion proved the stronger player.

The contemporary report mentions her hitting treble 20 and finishing on double top.

She won the match 2–1.

And there was something rather amusing about the prizes.

Miss Champion received a canteen of cutlery.

Mrs Westlake, the runner-up, received a fox-fur cape.

Not quite the prize funds we're accustomed to discussing today.

But then again, this was nearly 90 years ago.

The BBC broadcast was subsequently discussed in the 8 July 1938 edition of Radio Pictorial.

What particularly interests me is that the final wasn't simply mentioned in passing.

The magazine treated women's sporting broadcasts as something worth discussing in their own right.

And that's an important distinction.

Women's darts was no longer necessarily just a novelty involving the occasional woman taking on the men.

Here was an organised competition involving thousands of women, with its final considered worthy of national radio coverage.

I would love to know more about Miss Champion and Mrs Westlake.

Were they regular competitors? Did they play for pub teams? Did either continue playing after the war?

At the moment, I don't have those answers.

But I suspect their names may appear in other newspaper archives somewhere.

Women were hitting 180s too

Another interesting development came in 1938, when the News of the World introduced its Treble 20 Guild.

The idea was to recognise players who could provide the required confirmation that they had scored 180.

We tend to associate 180s with the professional game today, but naturally players were recording maximums long before television made them famous.

And women were among them.

Historical records relating to the Guild acknowledge that numerous women had qualified during the pre-war years.

Unfortunately, I haven't yet found a reliable complete list of those female players.

That's something I'd particularly like to uncover as this series develops.

Because there is a difference between knowing that women were playing darts and having evidence that some were producing genuinely impressive performances.

A 180 is a 180, regardless of whether it was thrown in 1938 or 2026.

Of course, one maximum doesn't tell us how strong a player was over an entire match.

But it certainly suggests that some women were taking their darts seriously.

From the public bar to the upper classes

Another aspect of darts during the late 1930s is how its appeal was spreading across society.

The game had traditionally been associated with pubs and working-class communities.

But darts was increasingly appearing in social clubs, organised events and even fashionable gatherings.

One particularly unusual name connected with this period is Lucy Baldwin, wife of former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.

In August 1938, Lady Baldwin was reported to have won a women's darts competition at the Astley Horticultural Show.

Her prize was a silver perfume set.

There's something rather wonderful about that.

At one end of the country, ordinary women were playing darts in their local pubs.

At the other end of the social scale, the wife of a former prime minister was winning a darts competition at a horticultural show.

It doesn't necessarily mean the social barriers surrounding the game had disappeared.

They certainly hadn't.

But it does suggest darts was becoming a pastime enjoyed by a much wider range of people.

And women were part of that change.

Was there really a women's darts boom?

I think we have to be a little careful here.

It's tempting to look at the Queen's appearance, the BBC broadcast and the growing number of women's competitions and conclude that women's darts was suddenly booming everywhere.

But we don't yet have enough evidence to establish how widespread or permanent that growth was.

What we can say is that there was clearly considerable activity.

We have evidence of women competing against men in the News of the World.

We have a women's competition attracting around 2,000 entrants.

We have national radio coverage.

We have reports of women recording maximum scores.

And we have examples of darts attracting women from very different social backgrounds.

That is already considerably more than I expected to find when I started researching this series.

And I suspect there are many other competitions whose results have never made it into modern darts records.

Perhaps they appeared in local newspapers for a week and were then forgotten.

Perhaps some were organised by employers, social clubs or individual pubs.

Perhaps some of the better female players of the era never entered the larger competitions at all.

There is still a lot to discover.

Then came 1939

By the summer of 1939, darts had become an established part of British popular culture.

Women were increasingly visible within the game, although it remained a predominantly male pastime.

And then everything changed.

On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland.

Two days later, Britain declared war.

The Second World War would transform almost every aspect of everyday life.

Sport was no exception.

But I don't think we should automatically assume that women's darts simply stopped.

In fact, that's one of the questions I want to investigate next.

With so many men serving in the armed forces, women took on new responsibilities in workplaces and communities.

Did that create more opportunities for women to play darts?

Were there competitions in factories, military establishments or social clubs?

Did women's teams continue playing during the war?

And what happened to players such as Miss Champion, Mrs Westlake and the women who had been competing during the late 1930s?

Were they still playing when peace returned?

Or did an entire generation of female darts players gradually disappear from the record?

I don't know yet.

But that's the next part of the story.

A history that deserves remembering

When I began this series, I thought we would probably spend a little time on the early years before moving towards the more familiar names of the 1970s onwards.

Instead, we've already found enough material for two articles covering the period before the Second World War.

And some of the discoveries have genuinely surprised me.

The idea that 2,000 women entered a darts competition in 1938, with the final broadcast by the BBC, is particularly fascinating.

How many darts fans today would know that happened?

I certainly didn't.

And that is really the point of this series.

Not to take anything away from the achievements of the modern players, but to discover the women who helped establish the game long before most of us were watching.

Women's darts has a much longer history than its modern television coverage might suggest.

And we're only just getting started.

---

Coming next: Women's Darts During the Second World War

In Part Three, I'll be looking at what happened to women's darts between 1939 and 1945.

Did the war bring women's competitive darts to a halt, or did the changing role of women in British society create new opportunities?

And did any of the leading female players from the 1930s reappear after the war?

That's where the research takes us next.

Can you help?

I'm continuing to research the history of women's darts for Quest For Q School.

If you have old newspaper cuttings, tournament programmes, photographs or family stories involving female darts players, I'd be very interested to hear from you.

In particular, I'd love to find out more about Miss Champion of Ware and Mrs Westlake of London, who contested that remarkable BBC-broadcast final in 1938.

There must be many more stories still waiting to be discovered.

The Forgotten Women of Darts is a Q4QS historical series tracing women's involvement in the game from the earliest organised competitions through to the modern professional era.

Sources and Further Reading

This article forms part of the Q4QS series The Forgotten Women of Darts, researching the history of women's involvement in competitive darts.

The following sources have been used to help establish the historical background, events and developments covered in this instalment.

• Dr Patrick Chaplin – A Brief History of Ladies Darts (1937–1997)
  Research into the growth of women's darts, Queen Elizabeth's appearance in 1937 and the development of organised women's competition.
  https://patrickchaplin.com/2019/05/22/a-brief-history-of-ladies-darts/

• Dr Patrick Chaplin – Darts on the Wireless
  Historical research into early BBC darts broadcasts and the increasing popularity of the game during the 1930s.
  https://patrickchaplin.com/2019/05/22/darts-on-the-wireless/

• Radio Pictorial – 8 July 1938
  Contemporary coverage of the women's darts final between Miss Champion and Mrs Westlake, broadcast by the BBC in April 1938.
  https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Radio-Pictorial/Radio-Pictorial-1938-07-08-S-OCR.pdf

• Dr Patrick Chaplin – Darts in England, 1900–1939: A Social History
  Manchester University Press, 2009. Historical background on darts, its popularity and the changing participation of women during the inter-war years.

• Historical Perspectives of Women in Darts
  Academic research discussing women's involvement in darts, social barriers and the development of competitive opportunities.
  https://eprints.chi.ac.uk/id/eprint/7837/1/FINAL%20VERSION%20-%20The%20impact%20of%20Fallon%20Sherrock%20and%20the%20increasing%20prominence%20of%20women%20within%20professional%20darts%20events.pdf

Research note: Particular acknowledgement is given to darts historian Dr Patrick Chaplin, whose extensive work documenting the early history of darts has provided valuable leads and historical context for this series. The articles are independently written for Quest For Q School, with the intention of developing the research further as additional contemporary records and personal accounts become available.

Yesterday's Darts Results: Jayden Walker Hits 115.62, Lee Evans Shines in Llanelli and Vince Tipple Wins in Evesham – 19 October 2026

Monday brought another 58 tournaments into the Q4QS Database, and there were some remarkable performances among them.

The headline has to be a 115.62 average from junior player Jayden Walker in Salisbury. We also had a 109.98 from Lee Evans in a Llanelli final, a 111.33 at the North Star Club in Calne and some excellent darts at Bengeworth Club in Evesham.

There were seven WADC Vault competitions, eight Junior Volts events and plenty of local and regional tournaments to look through.

What particularly interested me was the mixture of established players, youngsters and local regulars producing some of the day's strongest performances.

Jayden Walker produces a remarkable 115.62 in Salisbury

I'm not sure how many people would have expected the highest average of Monday's results to come from a Junior Volts competition, but that's exactly what happened at Stratford Social Club in Salisbury.

Jayden Walker defeated Zachary Petty 3–0 in the final, completing an impressive nine victories.

But the result only tells part of the story.

Walker recorded a remarkable 115.62 average against Jacob Stott, followed by another three-figure performance of 100.20 against Joshua Stott.

He also produced averages of 88.41 against Zachary Byford and 79.11 in the final.

Nine victories, two averages above 100 and a tournament title. That's an exceptional evening at any level, never mind junior darts.

Charlie Grearson, Joshua Stott and Zachary Petty all finished with six victories, but Walker was clearly the standout performer.

I always think it's important to remember that individual averages can be affected by the length of a match. Even allowing for that, 115.62 is an extraordinary figure.

Lee Evans produces 109.98 in the Llanelli final

One of my favourite performances from Monday came at Cambrian Sports Bar in Llanelli.

Lee Evans defeated Nenin Jones 3–0 in the final, averaging 109.98.

Producing your best darts in a final is always impressive, and Evans certainly managed that.

His other leading averages were:

• 95.94 against Tyrone Pritchard
• 92.02 against Roger James
• 91.09 against Adrian Davies

Evans finished with six victories, while Jones and Roger James both collected five.

Jones also produced an excellent 103.66 average against Oscar Bourne.

This was a particularly strong evening at Cambrian Sports Bar, with both finalists contributing three-figure averages.

Vince Tipple takes the title at Bengeworth Club

The Monday Vault competition at Bengeworth Club in Evesham produced another strong set of results.

Vince Tipple defeated Paul Jones 3–2 in the final, finishing with seven victories.

Tipple's best average was 90.57 against Jones, and he also recorded 85.89 against Alfie Lewis and 85.23 against Jason Reeve.

However, the highest average of the competition came from Shaun Vernall, who produced 96.97 against Luis Cowley-Bryenton.

Jones also impressed, recording 88.50 against Tipple.

Vernall finished with six victories and Jones with five, but Tipple came through a close final to secure the title.

It's another good example of why I like looking beyond the highest average. Vernall produced the best individual performance, but Tipple was the player who ultimately won the tournament.

Ashley Melvin impresses in Salisbury

Stratford Social Club also hosted its regular adult Vault competition, and there were some very good averages recorded.

Des Stevens defeated Luke Yates 3–2 in the final, with both Stevens and Ashley Melvin finishing on six victories.

Melvin recorded two separate 96.97 averages, against Kelsey Haigh and Jamie Rhodes.

Liam Glister also collected six victories, while Yates finished with five.

Although Melvin produced the strongest individual averages, Stevens did enough to take the title.

With Walker's exceptional Junior Volts performance taking place at the same venue, Stratford Social Club certainly had a memorable Monday.

Scott Mc records 111.33 in Calne

At the North Star Club in Calne, the highest recorded average was 111.33 from Scott Mc against Daniel Fitchett.

That's the second-highest individual average in Monday's report.

I should mention that the player is recorded as Scott Mc in the results, so I'm keeping that name as supplied rather than assuming a full surname.

The tournament itself was won by Gary Hiscock, who defeated Aidan Wiltshire 3–1 in the final.

Hiscock finished with six victories and recorded a best average of 88.41 against Lee Andrews.

Rich Griffee also produced 96.97, while Alfie Barney and Shoey Ayres both recorded 91.09.

A strong night at one of the regular Wiltshire venues.

Other impressive Monday performances

There were several more results worth picking out.

At Hindley Social Club, Jonathan Kavanagh defeated Anthony Paul Hitchen 4–2, recording a 105.47 average against Jason Walkley and 95.13 against Connor Mather.

At the Academy in Basingstoke, Jason Collins defeated Paul Hogan 3–0. Hogan and Callum Grealis both recorded 103.66 and 100.20 during the competition.

At the Clive Arms in Cardiff, Kurt Parry defeated Jose Van Angeles 3–1, producing a 102.48 average against Edward Manley.

At the Green Star in Smallthorne, Carl Batchelor defeated Ash Dale 3–0, winning eight matches. His leading averages were 100.20, 98.02, 91.09 and two performances of 88.41.

At Wattsville National Club, Connor Hopkins defeated Alec Small 3–1. Hopkins recorded two 100.20 averages, along with 95.94.

At Nantyffyllon Non Political Club in Maesteg, Mike Huntley defeated Bryan Williams 3–2, finishing with eight victories. Huntley produced 100.20, 96.97, 95.94 and 91.09.

At Legends Sports Bar in Wisbech, Brett Claydon defeated Scott Carter 3–1, winning eight matches and recording 97.28, 96.97 and 88.41.

At the Banckers Draught in Minehead, Dave Fisher defeated Jack Walker 3–0, completing eight victories. Dan Williams produced the highest average of the competition at 100.20.

And at the 49 Club's Under-60 Series, Billy Titchener defeated Ian Stringer 4–2, finishing with seven victories. Kirky Godbeer recorded the event's highest average of 75.15.

There was plenty of quality across the country, but what stood out was the number of players producing several strong performances in the same competition.

WADC: Anna Pearce wins in Plymouth as seven Vault events take place

There were seven WADC Vault 3.0 competitions in Monday's results, and I'm pleased to see the regular women's tournaments continuing across different parts of the country.

At Legends Darts Lounge in Plymouth, Anna Pearce defeated Heather Toney 3–1, completing five victories.

Pearce recorded averages of 59.33 against Jodie Hawton and 57.30 against Toney.

Toney produced the competition's highest average of 63.09.

Elsewhere, Monday's WADC winners were:

Winner	Venue	Final result
Stacey Price	Bagley Sports & Social Club, Shrewsbury	Beat Emma Tapp 3–1
Janet Hardman	Derby Arms, Birkenhead	Beat Leanne Topper 3–1
Kate Drake	Hotshots Sports Bar, Bletchley	Beat Gill Clark 3–1
Anna Pearce	Legends Darts Lounge, Plymouth	Beat Heather Toney 3–1
Angharad Bessent Smith	Loughor WMC, Swansea	Beat Gaynor Jones 3–0
Kelly Stevens	Newark Railway Sports & Social Club	Beat Nikki Rainbow 3–0
Amanda Harwood	Pinches Cue Club, Norwich	Beat Lynsey Childs 3–2

Janet Hardman recorded the highest WADC average of the day, 69.91 against Molly Brash, while Stacey Price produced 66.80 against Emma Tapp.

Angharad Bessent Smith also impressed, recording 63.51 in the Swansea final.

These competitions may not always produce the headline averages, but they are an important part of grassroots darts. Regular competitive opportunities matter, and it's encouraging to see the WADC programme continuing across so many venues.

Junior Volts: Ben Lundstrom breaks 100 as eight competitions take place

Jayden Walker's 115.62 wasn't the only excellent performance from Monday's Junior Volts programme.

There were eight Junior Volts competitions in the results, with some very encouraging averages.

Ben Lundstrom produces 100.20

At McNamara's Sports Bar and Academy, Ben Lundstrom defeated Ralph Healing 3–0 in the final, finishing with six victories.

Lundstrom produced an outstanding 100.20 average against Freddie Kaufman and followed that with 88.41 in the final.

He also recorded 78.93 against Francis Woods.

Healing finished with five victories and recorded 76.42 against William Shaw.

That's an impressive collection of performances from Lundstrom, particularly when you consider he backed up his three-figure average by winning the tournament.

Cooper Cornish wins at Highbridge

At Highbridge Social Club, Cooper Cornish defeated Tai Anderson 3–2, winning six matches.

Cornish produced the highest average of the competition, 74.00 in the final, while Anderson recorded 72.31 in the same match.

Cornish also recorded 69.14 and 68.32 during the evening.

Archie O'Driscoll finished with five victories, while Anderson collected four.

A good competitive final, with Cornish doing enough to take the title.

Other Junior Volts winners

Winner	Competition	Final result
Rowan Fielding	Barry Town United AFC, Barry	Beat Isaac Munro-Morris 3–1
Jay Cottier	Bradley House Bar, Uttoxeter	Beat Jaicee Hill 3–1
Cooper Cornish	Highbridge Social Club	Beat Tai Anderson 3–2
Mason Lyon	MK Sports Bar & Lounge, Milton Keynes	Beat Presley Lamb 3–0
Ben Lundstrom	McNamara's Sports Bar and Academy	Beat Ralph Healing 3–0
Jayden Walker	Stratford Social Club, Salisbury	Beat Zachary Petty 3–0
Jamie Johnson	Empire Clubs, Lancing	Beat Kai Pullinger 3–1

Alongside those results, Mason Lyon produced an 81.24 average in Milton Keynes, Noah Howe recorded 71.00 in Uttoxeter and Jamie Johnson collected eight victories in Lancing.

The junior competitions are becoming an increasingly interesting part of these daily reports. Walker's performance was exceptional, but there are plenty of other youngsters producing good darts on a regular basis.

Monday's highest recorded averages

Here are the leading individual match averages from the named tournaments in Monday's report.

Player	Average	Venue
Jayden Walker	115.62	Stratford Social Club, Salisbury
Scott Mc	111.33	North Star Club, Calne
Lee Evans	109.98	Cambrian Sports Bar, Llanelli
Jonathan Kavanagh	105.47	Hindley Social Club
Nenin Jones	103.66	Cambrian Sports Bar, Llanelli
Paul Hogan	103.66	The Academy, Basingstoke
Callum Grealis	103.66	The Academy, Basingstoke
Adrian Lingard	102.48	David Street Club
Kurt Parry	102.48	Clive Arms, Cardiff
Ben Lundstrom	100.20	McNamara's Sports Bar and Academy

These are individual match averages, not tournament-wide averages. The separate entry labelled "Retry later" has been excluded.

My five standout performances

1. Jayden Walker – Nine victories, two averages above 100 and a remarkable 115.62 in the Junior Volts competition at Salisbury.
2. Lee Evans – A 109.98 average in the Llanelli final, backed up by several other performances above 90.
3. Ben Lundstrom – A 100.20 Junior Volts average, followed by an 88.41 performance in the final.
4. Carl Batchelor – Eight victories at Smallthorne, with averages of 100.20, 98.02 and 91.09.
5. Vince Tipple – Seven victories and the Bengeworth title, coming through a close final against Paul Jones.

Special mentions go to Jonathan Kavanagh, Mike Huntley, Connor Hopkins, Ashley Melvin and Scott Mc.

Another 58 tournaments added to Q4QS

Monday's results offered another reminder of just how much is happening across grassroots darts.

There were excellent performances from experienced players, some impressive local tournament victories and another strong showing from the Junior Volts.

For me, the biggest story was Jayden Walker's 115.62. It's not every day that a junior player produces the highest average across an entire day's results.

But there was plenty more to appreciate.

Lee Evans delivered his best darts in a final, Vince Tipple came through a competitive field in Evesham, and seven WADC competitions provided more opportunities for women to compete.

With another 58 tournaments added to the Q4QS Database, all of these results contribute to the growing picture of player performance across the country.

You can explore the rankings and player statistics at Quest For Q School.

Yesterday's Darts Results: Bobby Short Hits 107.36, Andrew Hibbert Dominates and Jo Locke Wins WADC National Title – 18 October 2026

Sunday brought another 88 tournaments into the Q4QS database, and there was plenty to talk about. With ADC Vault 19 continuing around the country, the WADC National Singles Finals taking place and another busy programme of Junior Volts competitions, it was a proper Sunday of grassroots darts.

The graphic highlights Ryan Fuller's victory in Plymouth, Joseph Lauridsen's Junior Volts success in Exeter and Sharon McNulty's WADC win in Stroud. All thoroughly deserving of recognition.

But when I started looking further into the results, a few other performances really stood out.

Bobby Short produced a 107.36 average in Blaenavon, Andrew Hibbert recorded four averages above 90 on his way to victory at Bardon Hill, and there was another interesting result involving James Welding, who had won twice on Saturday.

And the women's darts certainly deserves its own section, particularly with a national title decided.

Bobby Short produces 107.36 in Blaenavon

One of Sunday's outstanding performances came at Blaenavon Constitutional Club, where Bobby Short defeated Ryan Davies 3–0 in the final.

Short finished with eight victories and produced an excellent 107.36 average against Mathew Howells.

But it wasn't a one-man show.

Davies recorded 103.66 against Dylan Ruck-Havard and another three-figure average of 100.20 against Bryan Wright. He finished with six victories.

That meant three averages above 100 between the two finalists, which is an impressive standard for a local Vault competition.

Short had also featured prominently in Saturday's results, so it was another productive weekend for him.

Andrew Hibbert dominates at Bardon Hill

If I were choosing one of the most complete tournament performances of Sunday, Andrew Hibbert would be right near the top.

At Bardon Hill Sports Club in Coalville, Hibbert defeated Elliott Neary 3–1 in the final and won eight matches.

His four leading averages were:

• 100.20 against Leon Baumber
• 96.97 against Will Ogg
• 94.33 against Elliott Neary
• 91.09 against Ben Hickling

Four averages above 90, including a ton-plus performance, is a particularly impressive collection.

Neary deserves credit too, reaching the final with seven victories, while Jack Beasley recorded 90.18 against Matthew Essex.

It is easy to get carried away by one exceptional average. Hibbert's performance was different because the quality appeared repeatedly throughout the competition.

Ryan Fuller wins a close final in Plymouth

At Legends Lounge in Plymouth, Ryan Fuller defeated Nick Miller 3–2 to claim the Vault 19 title.

Fuller recorded eight victories, with Miller collecting seven.

Interestingly, both players produced an identical highest average of 83.50.

Miller achieved his against Lennon Nicholls, while Fuller recorded his against Lee Noonan.

Miller also averaged 76.45 in the final, with Fuller producing 76.02 against Tyler Skews.

Andrew Cook was another player worth mentioning, recording 75.45 against Miller and finishing with five victories.

With 63 matches recorded, this was a substantial competition, and Fuller came through a closely contested final to take the title.

Dylan Cowley ends James Welding's winning run

One result I found particularly interesting came at the Hoop and Mallet in Warrington.

On Saturday, James Welding won two tournaments at the venue, collecting 14 victories across the two competitions.

On Sunday, he reached another final.

This time, however, Dylan Cowley defeated Welding 3–2 to claim the title.

Cowley finished with eight victories, while Welding added another six to his weekend's tally.

Welding recorded the highest average of the competition, 91.09 against Ian Woodward, and also produced 87.37 in the final.

Cowley averaged 88.58 in that deciding match.

That's quite a weekend for Welding, even though he couldn't complete a third tournament victory. Equally, Cowley deserves credit for coming through against a player who had clearly been in excellent form.

More excellent performances around the country

There were several other Vault results worth highlighting.

At Eastleigh Working Men's Club, Jason Collins defeated Mike Gillet 3–2, with eight victories for Collins and seven for Gillet. James Roberts recorded 107.36, while Gillet produced 100.20 and Collins 95.94.

At the Phoenix Club in Waterlooville, Leo Howard defeated Steve West 3–0 and finished with seven victories. Ricardo Ulrich produced 100.20, while West recorded 98.02 and 95.94.

At Longton Snooker and Pool Club in Stoke, William Gilchrist defeated Dylan Hulse Morgan 3–0. Bailey Ward recorded an excellent 103.66 and another average of 90.18.

At the Cue Club in South Wigston, Ben Flanagan-McClelland defeated Cayliss Fisher 3–0. His leading averages of 96.97, 93.94, 88.41 and 86.71 suggest another particularly consistent performance.

At the C's Club in Chelmsley Wood, Pete Hughes defeated Danny Lauby 3–1, recording 96.97 against David Barnett and finishing with seven victories.

And at Foots Cray Social Club, George Whyte defeated Dan Perfect 3–1, winning eight matches and recording two averages of 81.24.

It is a reminder of just how much competitive darts is taking place every Sunday, often with some very respectable standards.

WADC: Jo Locke wins the Red Dragon National Singles Finals

There was a major women's title decided on Sunday, with the WADC Red Dragon National Singles Finals, carrying an advertised £4,000 prize fund.

Jo Locke defeated Tracey Dean 5–2 in the final, completing six victories to take the title.

Locke also produced the competition's highest individual average, a superb 90.18 against Lauryn Salter.

She averaged 76.47 in the final and recorded further performances of 73.92 against Dean and 73.09 against Angela Barrow.

Lauren Bloomfield finished with five victories, while Bek Charles, Kerry O'Connor and Dean each collected four.

Locke had already featured prominently in Saturday's WADC results, winning the National Finals Money In, Money Out Knockout. That makes this a particularly impressive weekend, with two titles across the two days.

Seven more WADC Vault competitions

The National Finals weren't the only women's darts taking place.

• Sharon McNulty won at the Queen Victoria in Stroud, beating Rachel Gardiner 2–0 and collecting six victories.
• Susan Power won at Eastleigh WMC, defeating Elsie-Mai Tarrant 2–0, with both players recording a best average of 57.81.
• Kayleigh Brown won at Highways Sports and Social Club in Colchester, defeating Georgia Worrall 3–1.
• Danielle Evans won one of the Red Rose Darts Hub events in Preston, beating Andrea Holland 3–0.
• Eileen Harrison won the other Preston competition, defeating Danielle Evans 3–1.
• Susan Ramsay won at the Phoenix Club in Waterlooville, beating Caz Roberts 3–0 and recording a 66.80 average against Aimee Jeffery.
• Loz Jones won at Y Bodunig Inn in Dyserth, defeating Janet Hardman 3–1. Hardman recorded the competition's highest average of 66.80.

That's eight WADC competitions in total, including the National Singles Finals.

One thing I particularly like about these results is the mixture of players appearing at different levels. The national competitions provide the headlines, but the local Vault events are equally important in providing regular opportunities to compete.

Junior Volts: A busy Sunday for the next generation

Sunday's results also included 17 Junior Volts competitions, and there were some very encouraging performances.

Jack Taylor produces a 96.97 average in Leeds

At Woodhouse Cricket Club in Leeds, Jack Taylor defeated Max Priestman 3–1 in the final, finishing with eight victories.

Taylor produced the highest Junior Volts average I found in Sunday's report: 96.97 against William Sykes.

Priestman also impressed, recording 83.50 and collecting seven victories.

That is an excellent standard for a junior competition.

Leo Howard wins in Waterlooville

At the Phoenix Club, Leo Howard defeated Finley Lewis 3–0, winning seven matches.

Howard recorded a 91.09 average against Riley Pratt, along with 79.11 and 77.08 in other matches.

Interestingly, Howard also won the adult Vault 19 competition at the same venue, defeating Steve West 3–0.

Winning both a Junior Volts event and a Vault competition on the same day is a notable achievement.

Toby Clements impresses at Shepperton

At Shepperton Sports Club, Toby Clements defeated Harry Draper 3–0 and finished with seven victories.

His averages included 85.89, 83.50, 80.52 and 79.11.

That is another example of the consistency I often find more interesting than one exceptional performance.

Harvey-Lee Nelson-Harris continues his form

At Mossley Tavern in Rugeley, Harvey-Lee Nelson-Harris defeated Jake Whitehead 3–2, winning nine matches.

He produced averages of 77.74, 75.15 and 73.32.

Having also featured in Saturday's results, he is another junior enjoying a productive weekend.

Joseph Lauridsen wins in Exeter

At the Kings Pub in Exeter, Joseph Lauridsen defeated Aaron Rea 3–1.

Lauridsen recorded 70.31 in the final and 66.86 against George Miller.

Rea produced 61.21 in the final, making this one of the stronger South West junior performances of the day.

Other Junior Volts winners

There were plenty more young players to recognise:

Winner	Venue	Final opponent
Kyrun Davies	Cogan Coronation, Penarth	Archie Melhuish
Ethan Challis	Crawley Green, Luton	Jayden Major-Smith
Addison Hefferon	Hotshots, Milton Keynes	Mika Usher-Yu
Freddy Farmer	Nou Range, Waltham Abbey	Freddie Gould
Fraser Waterworth	Soccer Zone, Halesowen	Charlie Lowin
Rowan Chadwick	Gamlingay Social Club	Josh Lloyd
Joshua Pravato	Banckers Draught, Minehead	Teddy Corbett
Teddy Penston	The Big Fish, Leigh-on-Sea	Eddie Waters
Ethan Goudy	The Bull Room, Stowmarket	Aiden Fulcher
Louie Cobb	Rock Avenue Club, Gillingham	Tyler Harris
Archie Chippendale	Tong Moor, Bolton	Leo Rowe
Evan Matthews	Towy Sports Bar, Carmarthen	Efan Pugh

The range of locations is encouraging. Junior darts isn't confined to a handful of established centres, and the regular competition these players are getting should be a significant benefit as they develop.

Alan Slater wins a high-quality final in Gillingham

At the Plough & Cheques in Gillingham, Alan Slater defeated Freddy Turner 3–1 to win the Vault competition.

Both players finished with six victories, and the standard of darts was particularly good.

Slater recorded 103.66 against Charlie Smith, while Turner produced 100.20 against Harry Hannam and 93.94 against Smith.

Slater averaged 88.39 in the final.

This was another competition where both finalists deserve recognition, even though only one could take the title.

Sunday's standout averages

These are the leading individual match averages recorded in Sunday's results.

Player	Average	Venue
Bobby Short	107.36	Blaenavon Constitutional Club
James Roberts	107.36	Eastleigh WMC
Ryan Davies	103.66	Blaenavon Constitutional Club
Bailey Ward	103.66	Longton Snooker & Pool Club
Alan Slater	103.66	Plough & Cheques, Gillingham
Ricardo Ulrich	100.20	Phoenix Club, Waterlooville
Andrew Hibbert	100.20	Bardon Hill Sports Club
Ryan Davies	100.20	Blaenavon Constitutional Club
Mike Gillet	100.20	Eastleigh WMC
Freddy Turner	100.20	Plough & Cheques, Gillingham

These are individual match averages, rather than tournament-wide averages.

There were also strong performances in the Junior Volts competitions, particularly Jack Taylor's 96.97 and Leo Howard's 91.09.

My five standout performances

1. Bobby Short – Eight victories, a 107.36 average and the Blaenavon title.
2. Andrew Hibbert – Eight victories and four averages above 90 at Bardon Hill.
3. Jo Locke – WADC National Singles champion with a 90.18 average, completing a successful National Finals weekend.
4. Leo Howard – Winner of both the Junior Volts and adult Vault competitions at Waterlooville, including a 91.09 junior average.
5. James Welding – Another final in Warrington after winning twice on Saturday, even though Dylan Cowley took Sunday's title.

Special mentions go to Ryan Fuller, Alan Slater, Jack Taylor, Toby Clements and Sharon McNulty.

Another 88 tournaments added to Q4QS

Sunday's results really demonstrated the range of darts being played across the country.

We had established players producing three-figure averages, local regulars winning their Vault competitions, an important national women's title and junior players producing performances that would be competitive in plenty of adult tournaments.

And that's what I enjoy about looking through these results. There is always something beyond the obvious headline.

The highest average doesn't necessarily win the tournament. Sometimes the player with the most consistent performances takes the title. Sometimes a deciding leg separates two players who have barely been apart all evening.

With another 88 tournaments added to Q4QS, there is plenty more information going into the rankings and player statistics.

MODUS Super Series Week 12 Preview: Joe Hunt, Archie Self and Jack Aldridge Head a Strong Field

 

A recent PDC Challenge Tour champion, players fresh from ADC National Finals Weekend and some familiar rivalries make Week 12 of the MODUS Super Series an interesting prospect.

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 12, and looking through the Q4QS database, there are several reasons why this could be a particularly competitive week.

Joe Hunt arrives with an impressive recent record, Archie Self has been collecting titles, Jack Aldridge has produced some excellent Challenge Tour performances, and Tommy Lishman has already demonstrated that he can beat some of the strongest players in the field.

There are also players arriving directly from the ADC National Finals Weekend, where several have enjoyed good runs.

What interests me most is the mixture of experience and recent form. Some have been competing regularly on the PDC Challenge Tour, others have been producing excellent performances in the ADC Vault competitions, and there are players who have been making progress through the Development Tour.

As usual, I've been looking at the available Q4QS figures to see what they might tell us about the week ahead.

Joe Hunt – The Man to Beat?

If we were choosing a favourite purely on recent results, Joe Hunt would have a very strong case.

He is the highest-ranked player in the supplied field, sitting at number 34 in the Q4QS rankings with an overall average of 88.97.

But it is his recent Challenge Tour form that really stands out.

Hunt won PDC Challenge Tour Event 23, winning all eight matches and averaging 95.71 across the tournament.

That is an exceptional standard to maintain over an entire event.

Among his victories were a 5-1 win over Jack Tweddell with a 99.48 average, a 5-3 victory over Harrison Leigh averaging 98.61, and a particularly interesting 5-4 win over Jack Aldridge, in which Hunt averaged 100.87.

He followed that success with another good run on the Challenge Tour and recently reached the final of a money-in, money-out competition during ADC National Finals Weekend.

There he averaged 87.87 across eight matches before losing to Roger Crook.

His last ten recorded matches show nine victories and just one defeat.

Of course, the MODUS format presents a different challenge. Producing one outstanding tournament is impressive, but sustaining a high standard across several days is another matter.

Nevertheless, Hunt arrives with plenty of reasons to feel confident.

Archie Self – Perhaps the Form Player

While Hunt's Challenge Tour victory is difficult to ignore, Archie Self has arguably been just as impressive in recent weeks.

Self won two events at the England Masters & Classic, averaging 92.49 and 91.50 respectively.

He also recorded a 96.61 tournament average in another event, despite eventually losing to Jarred Cole.

His recent results include a Vault victory at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Newbury, where he averaged 88.00.

And during ADC National Finals Weekend, he reached the semi-finals of the UK & Ireland Classic, averaging 93.59 before losing to eventual champion Lewis Cook.

That is a substantial body of good form.

There is also an interesting connection with another Week 12 player.

Self defeated Nathan Potter in the semi-finals of PDC Development Tour Event 22, ending a run in which Potter had averaged 88.68.

Both now have another opportunity to test themselves against each other.

With nine wins in his last ten recorded matches, Self certainly deserves to be considered among the leading contenders.

Jack Aldridge – The Numbers Are Impressive

One player whose figures particularly caught my attention was Jack Aldridge.

His overall Q4QS average stands at 90.82, the highest of the players with established averages in this week's supplied field.

That doesn't necessarily make him the favourite, but it does suggest a player who is capable of producing a consistently high scoring standard.

Aldridge recently reached a PDC Challenge Tour final, losing to Patrik Williams after six victories.

He had previously reached the quarter-finals of Challenge Tour Event 23, where Joe Hunt defeated him.

Interestingly, the database also records Aldridge beating Hunt during their more recent Challenge Tour involvement.

So there is already some history between two of the strongest players in the competition.

Aldridge's most recent appearance came in a World Championship qualifier, where he averaged 93.84 across three matches before losing to Carl Wilson.

He has won eight of his last ten recorded matches.

If he can maintain something close to his overall average, he should be a difficult opponent throughout the week.

Tommy Lishman – A Player Who Can Beat Anybody

Tommy Lishman is another player who could have a major say.

Ranked 49 in the Q4QS database, Lishman has an overall average of 88.06.

His recent results include reaching the last 32 of a PDC Players Championship event, where he averaged 91.78 across four matches.

One of his most notable victories was a 6-5 win over Joe Hunt, with Lishman averaging 93.66.

That result is particularly relevant when assessing this week's field.

It demonstrates that Lishman is capable of matching one of the leading contenders in a competitive environment.

His recent form is a little less convincing than some of the others, with five wins and five defeats in his last ten recorded matches.

But I wouldn't read too much into that without considering the standard of opposition.

Players competing regularly at a high level are naturally going to encounter stronger opponents.

Lishman might not have the same winning momentum as Hunt or Self, but his scoring ability makes him a genuine threat.

Nathan Potter – Development Tour Form Worth Watching

Nathan Potter arrives with some strong recent Development Tour performances.

He reached the semi-finals of Event 22, winning seven matches and averaging 88.68 before losing to Archie Self.

During that run he defeated Kaya Baysal 5-3 with a 99.62 average.

Potter also competed in the World Youth Championship Finals, where he was eliminated by Arthur Allston.

His overall Q4QS average is 86.15, with seven victories in his last ten recorded matches.

I think Potter is one of the more interesting players in the field.

He has demonstrated that he can put together a long run against strong opposition, and his Development Tour performances suggest that his scoring is capable of reaching a considerably higher level than his overall average.

The question is whether he can reproduce that form consistently throughout the MODUS week.

Graham Usher – Plenty of Experience and Recent Success

Graham Usher is another player who arrives with a good recent record.

He won an event at the British Open & Classic, averaging 86.00 across eight victories.

He also reached another final during that competition, losing to Harry Lane.

His recent results include victories over Harrison Leigh, Jack Nankervis and Adam Winspear.

Usher has won eight of his last ten recorded matches, although his most recent appearance at ADC National Finals Weekend ended in defeat to Jack Walker.

His overall average of 85.22 might place him slightly behind the leading names statistically, but there is plenty of evidence that he can compete with them.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him involved in the latter stages of the week.

Robbie Martin and Stuart Dutton – The ADC Connection

Two other players worth discussing are Robbie Martin and Stuart Dutton.

Martin has been enjoying an excellent run of results around the South and South West.

He won a Vault event at Dorchester Trinity Club with a 91.29 tournament average, reached the semi-finals at Stratford Social Club in Salisbury, and collected another title at The Newtown in Poole.

He also reached the final at St Ives Club in St Leonards.

Most recently, Martin made the quarter-finals of the UK & Ireland Classic, averaging 91.49 before losing to Lewis Cook.

That is a very encouraging result against a strong national field.

Dutton has also been playing well.

He won a Vault event at Danny's Bar in Banbury, averaging 89.76, and reached finals at both Bradmoor Farm and Riverside Club in Wycombe.

His recent record includes a 95.69 average in a victory over Chris Howse.

He reached the last 32 of the UK & Ireland Classic, where Sean McKeon ended his run.

Both players have been regularly competing in knockout and round-robin events, and both have demonstrated the ability to maintain good averages across a tournament.

That could prove useful in the MODUS environment.

Ricardo Ulrich, Graham Hall and Grant Sampson

The remaining players also bring some interesting backgrounds to the competition.

Ricardo Ulrich has been competing on the PDC Challenge Tour, reaching the quarter-finals of Event 20 with an 86.55 tournament average.

His recent results include victories over Harry Ward, Ryan O'Connor, Simon Stevenson and Jack Tweddell.

He also competed in a European Tour host-nation qualifier, averaging 90.31 in his most recent appearance before losing to Richard Veenstra.

Ulrich's overall Q4QS average of 84.92 puts him within reach of several players above him in the rankings.

Graham Hall has been competing on the Challenge Tour as well as in domestic competitions.

He recently reached a final at the Batchley Tuesday Open and made the last 32 of the UK & Ireland Classic, where he lost to Johnny Haines.

His overall Q4QS average is 84.72, although some of his recent domestic tournament figures have been lower.

That makes him a difficult player to assess, but certainly not one to dismiss.

Grant Sampson is the player for whom the database provides the least evidence.

His recorded appearances come from European Q-School, where he produced tournament averages of 74.51, 81.29 and 77.48.

He has wins over Stefan Schmitz and Leon Ebmeier in the available records.

With only three events represented in his Q4QS profile, I wouldn't want to draw too many conclusions about his overall standard.

And that is worth remembering when looking at statistics. A lack of data doesn't necessarily mean a lack of ability.

David O'Hara is also named in the supplied entry information, but without a matched Q4QS statistical profile. Rather than invent a form assessment, I'll leave him as an unknown quantity for now.

What Will Decide Week 12?

Looking at the overall averages, the leading players are reasonably close.

Jack Aldridge heads the established averages at 90.82, followed by Joe Hunt at 88.97 and Tommy Lishman at 88.06.

Archie Self, Nathan Potter, Graham Usher and Robbie Martin are all capable of producing tournament averages well above their overall figures.

That suggests we could see some excellent darts.

But the MODUS Super Series is not simply about producing one outstanding performance.

Players have to return to the board repeatedly, recover from defeats, and manage the pressure of a league table where every leg can become important.

A player who averages 95 in one match and 75 in the next may find himself struggling against somebody who consistently produces something in the mid-to-high 80s.

That is one of the things I enjoy about this format.

It rewards consistency, but still leaves room for somebody to find their best game at exactly the right moment.

Q4QS Six to Follow

After examining the available performances, these would be my six selections for Week 12.

Joe Hunt – The highest-ranked player in the supplied field, fresh from a Challenge Tour title with a 95.71 tournament average.

Archie Self – Multiple recent titles, excellent scoring figures and a semi-final appearance at the UK & Ireland Classic.

Jack Aldridge – The highest established overall average in the field at 90.82, with recent Challenge Tour final experience.

Tommy Lishman – Proven scoring ability at Players Championship level and a previous victory over Joe Hunt.

Nathan Potter – A Development Tour semi-finalist capable of producing averages approaching 100.

Robbie Martin – My slightly less obvious selection, with excellent Vault form and a 91.49 average at the UK & Ireland Classic.

Graham Usher and Stuart Dutton would be very close to making that list.

My Prediction

If I had to choose one player based purely on the available figures, I would probably lean towards Joe Hunt.

Winning a Challenge Tour event with a 95.71 average is difficult to ignore, particularly when followed by another final during ADC National Finals Weekend.

But Archie Self's recent consistency is equally impressive, and Jack Aldridge has the overall scoring figures to challenge both.

I also think Tommy Lishman could be a dangerous opponent if he finds the form he showed on the Players Championship circuit.

The interesting thing is that this doesn't look like a week where one player stands miles ahead of the others.

There are several players capable of winning, and I suspect the opening group matches will tell us quite a lot about who has settled into the format.

I'll be following the results through the week, particularly to see whether the recent Challenge Tour and ADC form carries over into the MODUS Super Series.

Q4QS will be keeping an eye on Week 12 as the action unfolds, with results and performances helping to build the picture of who is emerging as the strongest contender.

This preview uses the Q4QS Database and the supplied Week 12 player export. Rankings, averages and form refer to recorded performances and are statistical indicators rather than guarantees of future results.

Q4QS Weekly Spotlight: Three Players Who Caught My Eye This Week

 Another week of grassroots darts, and another three players who caught my eye.

This week has been a little different, with the ADC National Finals Weekend providing some of the biggest stories alongside the usual programme of local Vault tournaments and junior competitions.

As always, I've tried to look beyond simply counting tournament victories or picking out the biggest averages.

There's more to a good week of darts than that.

Sometimes it's about reaching a final when nobody particularly expected you to. Sometimes it's about playing consistently across several events. And sometimes it's about a younger player proving that they can compete with experienced opposition.

This week's selections are Juliet Findley, Joey Cole and Rhodri Phillips.

Three players with very different stories, but all three deserving a little recognition.

---

Juliet Findley — Q4QS Rank #9,671

Player Profile

Juliet Findley might not have the largest statistical record in the Q4QS database, but there's already enough there to suggest she's capable of competing with some very established names.

From 48 recorded matches, Juliet has won 30, giving her a 62.5% win rate.

She's appeared in 15 recorded events, collecting three tournament victories and reaching another two finals.

Her overall match average is 58.47, with a Q4QS Average of 56.40. Her highest recorded average is 81.64.

But averages don't tell the whole story.

Among her previous results are victories over Trina Gulliver, Tracey Dean and Mandy Smith.

Beating somebody with the experience and reputation of Trina Gulliver is certainly something worth having on your record.

And this week, Juliet added another chapter to her darts story.

This Week

Juliet began by winning Wednesday's WADC Vault 3.0 tournament at The Men of March.

She defeated Millie Jolley 3–0 in the final, producing an excellent 79.11 average.

That would have been a perfectly respectable week's work on its own.

But Saturday was something else entirely.

Competing at the ADC National Finals Weekend, Juliet reached the final of the Women's Vault National Finals, an event carrying a £3,000 prize fund.

Her route included victories over Caroline Breen, Sarah-Louise Kennedy, Rachel Harrison and Peri Yarrow.

She was particularly convincing in the latter stages, beating both Rachel Harrison and Peri Yarrow 4–0.

The final proved a step too far, with Gemma Hayter winning 5–1, although Juliet still averaged 64.59.

For many players, reaching a national final would be the highlight of their weekend.

Juliet wasn't finished.

She also reached the final of the WADC Money In, Money Out Knockout.

This time she defeated Nikki Eburne, Sue Davies, Tracey Dean and Millie Jolley.

Her 4–1 victory over Tracey Dean came with a 63.97 average, while the semi-final against Millie Jolley went all the way to a deciding leg.

The final against Jo Locke was another close contest, with Juliet narrowly losing 4–3, despite producing a 70.68 average.

Two major finals on the same day.

Two runner-up finishes.

And a tournament victory earlier in the week.

It's quite a remarkable return, particularly for someone who has only 15 recorded events in the Q4QS database.

I suspect Juliet will be disappointed not to have collected one of those Saturday titles.

But reaching two finals against strong opposition on the same day is an achievement in itself.

And it's exactly the sort of performance that deserves recognition.

---

Joey Cole — Q4QS Rank #958

Player Profile

Joey Cole is one of those players whose statistics suggest he's become a very difficult opponent on the local circuit.

He's won 230 of his 268 recorded matches, giving him an excellent 85.8% win rate.

Across 37 recorded events, he's collected 13 tournament victories and another 12 runner-up finishes.

That means he's reached the final in 25 of his 37 recorded tournaments.

An impressive level of consistency.

His overall match average stands at 77.33, with a Q4QS Average of 76.94.

He's also produced a highest recorded average of 103.66, a figure he's achieved on three occasions.

Among his notable victories are wins over Lloyd Walker, Jason Collins and Gemma Hayter.

So there's no question about Joey's ability.

But what particularly caught my attention this week was how regularly he was finding himself in the latter stages of tournaments.

This Week

Joey started his run on Tuesday by winning the Vault tournament at Locomotive Engineers Social Club in Eastleigh.

That gave him a tournament victory to begin what would become a very productive few days.

On Thursday, he was at Fareham Social Club, where he reached another final.

His route included a 3–1 quarter-final victory over Bailey Wilkinson and a convincing 3–0 semi-final win against Brandon Harper.

The final against Lloyd Walker was a particularly good contest.

Joey averaged 91.92, but narrowly lost 3–2.

It's worth remembering that a player can produce one of their better performances and still end up on the losing side.

And in this case, Joey had little time to dwell on it.

On Friday, he was back in action at Sarisbury Green Social Club in Southampton.

Once again, he reached the final.

He opened his campaign with a 91.57 average against Thomas Lacey and later defeated Michael Phillips 3–0 in the quarter-final, averaging 81.98.

A 3–0 semi-final victory over Lionel Webster followed.

But another title proved elusive, with Jason Collins winning the final 3–1.

So Joey finished the week with three finals in four days, including one tournament victory.

And while he might have hoped for another trophy or two, there's something to be said for regularly giving yourself the opportunity to win.

With 25 finals from 37 recorded events, Joey is clearly doing that rather well.

---

Rhodri Phillips — Q4QS Rank #2,238

Player Profile

Rhodri Phillips is another young player whose record is becoming increasingly interesting.

Across 358 recorded matches, he's recorded 264 victories, giving him a 73.7% win rate.

He's competed in 65 recorded events, winning 13 tournaments and reaching another 12 finals.

He's also made 12 semi-finals and 10 quarter-finals.

His overall match average stands at 66.19, with a Q4QS Average of 64.62.

His highest recorded average is an impressive 104.86, achieved against Llion Goddard in August.

And he's already recorded some notable victories over experienced opposition, particularly Sion Thomas.

That last point is especially relevant to this week's performances.

This Week

Rhodri enjoyed an excellent Sunday, winning the Junior Volts tournament at Towy Sports Bar.

But he also made his mark in open competition.

At The Glanyrafon Arms in Llandysul, he won the Vault 19 event, defeating Sion Thomas 3–1 in the final.

He averaged 73.22 in that match, having earlier beaten the same opponent 2–0 during the tournament.

His semi-final victory over Jamie Lee Evans was particularly impressive, coming with an 88.41 average.

Winning a junior event is always encouraging.

Winning an open tournament against established players is another matter.

And it suggests Rhodri is developing the ability to compete successfully beyond junior darts.

Later in the week, he also took part in the ADC National Finals Weekend.

He recorded victories in the Level Up qualifying competitions before exiting in the last 128 on both occasions.

Those results might not grab the headlines, but gaining experience in larger competitions can be valuable.

Then on Saturday, Rhodri returned to familiar surroundings at Glanyrafon Arms, where he won another Junior Volts event.

He defeated Steffan Thomas 3–2 in the semi-final, averaging 78.84, before beating Oliver Williams 3–2 in the final.

That completed a week featuring two junior tournament victories and an open Vault title.

For me, the most encouraging part isn't necessarily the number of trophies.

It's the fact that Rhodri is already demonstrating that his game can transfer into open competition.

There will undoubtedly be tougher tests ahead, but weeks like this suggest he's moving in the right direction.

---

Three Different Stories, One Common Theme

This week's three players couldn't really have been more different.

Juliet Findley reached two national finals on the same day, coming agonisingly close to a title in the WADC Money In, Money Out competition.

Joey Cole demonstrated the sort of consistency that many grassroots players would love to achieve, reaching three finals in four days.

And Rhodri Phillips continued to make progress in junior darts while also proving capable of winning against experienced open-circuit opposition.

There were plenty of other players who could have been included this week.

Some won more tournaments. Others produced higher averages.

But I don't want the Weekly Spotlight to become another rankings table.

We've already got plenty of those.

The idea is to recognise performances and stories that deserve a mention, whether that's a national finalist, a consistent local competitor or a young player beginning to make an impression.

And this week, Juliet, Joey and Rhodri certainly caught my eye.

Congratulations to all three.

Vault 19 Tournament Strength: Pinches Hits 1.350 Again as New Challengers Shake Up the Top 10

 

Week 5 update | Week ending 17 October 2026

Five weeks into Vault 19, and just when I thought the Tournament Strength picture was beginning to settle, we've had another interesting week.

Some of the familiar names remain near the top, but there are new challengers appearing, and one venue has produced a particularly impressive response to a slight drop in its recent figures.

Pinches Cue Club in Norwich has recorded another Tournament Strength of 1.350.

That's exactly the same as its opening Vault 19 score, which has led the rankings since the beginning.

Meanwhile, Cressex Social Club has made a big move, Coppenhall and Bostin Darts have entered the leading group, and WADC Vault 3.0 has produced another strong Welsh result.

The more tournaments I look at, the more interesting the comparison becomes between venues producing one exceptional field and those doing it repeatedly.

How the rankings work

As with the previous updates, each venue appears only once in the rankings, using its highest Tournament Strength recorded during the current Vault series.

Other results are still important because they help me judge consistency, but they don't give a venue additional positions.

I'm also continuing to treat Penybanc RFC #1 and #2 as one venue.

Vault 19 – Strongest Venues After Five Weeks

Rank	Venue	Tournament Strength
1	Pinches Cue Club, Norwich	1.350
2	Faringdon Football Club	1.329
3	Cressex Social Club, High Wycombe	1.317
4	Tipton Sports Academy	1.297
5=	Coppenhall WMC, Crewe	1.292
5=	Bostin Darts 180 Bar, Blackheath	1.292
7	Bedlinog Rugby Club	1.285
8	Bagley Sports & Social Club	1.280
9=	The Brookside, Syston	1.278
9=	Pendlebury Social Club, Manchester	1.278

Highest individual Tournament Strength per venue, through 17 October. Equal scores share a position.

Pinches Is Still the Venue to Beat

I've written quite a bit about Pinches over the past month, but it keeps giving me a reason to return to it.

Its opening three events produced:

1.350 → 1.340 → 1.331

It subsequently recorded 1.324 and then 1.304.

There was a gradual reduction, although even that lowest figure remained above 1.300.

Then, on 15 October, Pinches returned to 1.350.

That gives it six consecutive Vault 19 tournaments with a Tournament Strength above 1.300.

And two of those have reached 1.350.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to argue that Pinches' original score was simply one exceptional night.

The venue has repeatedly attracted fields of a remarkably high standard.

I still wouldn't declare the competition settled after five weeks, but Pinches is building a very convincing case.

Cressex Makes the Biggest Move

One of the most eye-catching results this week came from Cressex Social Club in High Wycombe.

Its tournament on 15 October produced a Tournament Strength of 1.317.

That puts Cressex straight into third place, behind only Pinches and Faringdon.

What's particularly interesting is the difference between that figure and its previous results.

Its preceding four events had recorded 1.119, 1.119, 1.068 and 1.080.

So the latest 1.317 represents a substantial jump.

It's a good reminder that a venue can suddenly attract a much stronger field than it has been producing previously.

Whether Cressex can repeat that performance will be worth watching.

Coppenhall and Bostin Join the Leading Group

Two more venues have entered the Top 10 with identical best scores.

Coppenhall WMC in Crewe — 1.292

Bostin Darts 180 Bar in Blackheath — 1.292

Coppenhall is particularly interesting because it had already been producing respectable Tournament Strength figures before reaching this new high.

Its recent scores included 1.203, 1.182, 1.211 and 1.235 before its 1.292 on 15 October.

That suggests a venue capable of producing competitive fields fairly regularly.

Bostin's 1.292 came on 16 October, following several considerably lower scores.

Both have now moved into the leading group, but their routes there have been quite different.

That's another reason why I think the individual tournament histories are becoming as interesting as the rankings themselves.

Pendlebury Is Another New Name

Pendlebury Social Club in Manchester has also entered the Top 10.

Its two recorded Vault 19 figures are:

1.263 → 1.278

That's an encouraging start.

Two strong scores are more useful evidence than one, and Pendlebury now joins a growing group of venues that I'll be watching over the coming weeks.

What About Last Week's Leaders?

Faringdon remains second at 1.329, although it hasn't improved on that best score.

Tipton is fourth at 1.297.

Bedlinog, Bagley and The Brookside remain among the leading venues.

However, the arrival of Cressex, Coppenhall, Bostin and Pendlebury means some familiar names have slipped outside the Top 10.

That includes Sartan Club and Hethersett Social Club, both of which have best scores of 1.265.

Sartan's latest tournament dropped to 1.128, while Hethersett recorded 1.223.

Neither has suddenly become a weak venue. Their earlier strong performances still count.

But other venues have produced higher individual scores.

That's the nature of ranking by each venue's best event.

It also explains why I want to keep following the repeat performances rather than judging everything by the table alone.

WADC Vault 3.0 – Another Welsh Challenger Emerges

The WADC Tournament Strength rankings have been dominated by Wales throughout these updates.

Briton Ferry Workies has led since its outstanding 1.151, while Penybanc, The 9 Darter and Resolven have occupied the positions behind it.

This week, another Welsh venue has joined that leading group.

And this time the result has come from North Wales.

WADC Vault 3.0 – Strongest Venues After Five Weeks

Rank	Venue	Tournament Strength
1	Briton Ferry Workies	1.151
2	Penybanc RFC, Ammanford	1.077
3	Copa #2, Caernarfon	1.009
4	The 9 Darter, Port Talbot	0.997
5	Arrows Darts Venue #2, Resolven	0.986
6	Dereham Cricket Club	0.980
7	MK Cocktail Lounge, Bodmin	0.947
8	Castle Arms, Denbigh	0.944
9	Walton WMC	0.941
10	Copa #1, Caernarfon	0.936

Highest individual WADC Vault 3.0 Tournament Strength per venue. Penybanc entries are combined; Copa #1 and #2 are shown separately as recorded in the export.

Copa Gives North Wales a Place Among the Leaders

The major WADC development this week is Copa #2 in Caernarfon, which recorded 1.009 on 11 October.

That takes it straight into third place.

It also means that three WADC venues have now recorded Tournament Strength figures above 1.000:

Briton Ferry at 1.151, Penybanc at 1.077 and Copa #2 at 1.009.

All three are Welsh.

Until recently, much of the WADC story centred on South Wales.

But with Copa joining the leading group and Castle Arms in Denbigh also featuring, North Wales is beginning to make its presence felt.

Briton Ferry Remains Top

There is no change at No.1.

Briton Ferry's 1.151 remains comfortably ahead of the rest.

However, its latest event on 16 October produced 0.999.

That is an improvement on the previous week's 0.937 and another score very close to 1.000.

Briton Ferry has now recorded a variety of figures, including 0.961, 0.989, 1.151, 0.937 and 0.999.

That variation is perfectly normal.

But the fact it keeps returning to around 1.000 or better is another reason why it remains one of the standout WADC venues.

England Is Still Chasing

Dereham Cricket Club remains England's highest-ranked WADC venue at 0.980.

MK Cocktail Lounge in Bodmin follows at 0.947, while Walton WMC has a best of 0.941.

Those are strong figures, but Wales has now extended its advantage at the very top.

The first five positions are all Welsh.

And the Welsh strength is no longer coming exclusively from one part of the country.

That's probably the biggest development in the WADC picture this week.

A Word About Consistency

There's another interesting example further down the WADC rankings.

Derby Arms in Birkenhead has recorded Tournament Strength figures of 0.889 and 0.888.

Those numbers aren't enough to enter the Top 10, but they're almost identical.

That's precisely the kind of consistency I want to keep an eye on.

As more tournaments are played, it should become possible to identify venues that regularly attract fields of a particular standard, even if they never produce the single highest score.

Five Weeks In – What Have We Learned?

The main Vault 19 rankings have become considerably more competitive.

Pinches remains the benchmark, but the really impressive part is that it has now returned to its original 1.350 after several other strong performances.

Cressex has jumped into third place.

Coppenhall, Bostin and Pendlebury have joined the leading group.

And some established venues have slipped down the rankings without necessarily becoming any less competitive.

In WADC Vault 3.0, Briton Ferry remains the leader, but Copa's arrival in third place gives the Welsh story another dimension.

South Wales continues to provide some of the strongest fields, while North Wales is now making an impact too.

England has strong challengers, particularly Dereham and Bodmin, but the top five positions currently belong to Wales.

Five weeks ago, I was mainly interested in finding the biggest Tournament Strength numbers.

Now I'm beginning to see something much more useful.

Which venues are capable of producing strong tournaments again and again?

Pinches is setting an impressive example.

But with new challengers emerging every week, there is still plenty to discover before Vault 19 is over.