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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

ADC National Finals Weekend 2026: Women's Vault Finals and UK & Ireland Classic – Who Can Take the Titles?

 

Two national titles, £16,200 in combined prize money and a place in the ADC Global Championship at stake

The ADC National Finals Weekend continues at Bradmoor Farm in Aylesbury, and two of the competitions particularly interest me.

The Women's Vault National Finals brings together qualifiers from the women's circuit, with £3,000 in prize money available. Alongside it, the UK & Ireland Classic offers £13,200, with the champion collecting £3,000 and, perhaps more importantly, qualification for the ADC Global Championship.

Both are straight knockout competitions, so there is no opportunity to recover from a poor group stage. One bad match, and you're going home.

I've been looking through the Q4QS database to see who might be worth following. There are some obvious contenders, but there are also a few interesting stories that might not immediately stand out from the rankings.

Women's Vault National Finals – Can Recent Form Make the Difference?

One thing that strikes me about the women's competition is the contrast between players who have been competing regularly on the PDC Women's Series and those who have built their form through local Vault tournaments.

It makes the event particularly interesting because the averages tell us only part of the story.

Gemma Hayter brings Women's Series form

On the available Q4QS figures, Gemma Hayter looks one of the strongest contenders.

Her Q4QS average is 78.68, and she has won eight of her last ten recorded matches.

More importantly, her recent performances have come against some very strong opposition.

At PDC Women's Series Event 22, Hayter reached the final with a tournament average of 79.83 before losing to Beau Greaves.

She also reached the quarter-finals of Events 21 and 23, with Greaves again ending her run in the latter.

Among her recent victories are wins against Aurora Fochesato, Aoife McCormack and Robyn Byrne.

If she reproduces that standard, she will be difficult to beat.

However, the nature of knockout darts means that being the strongest statistical player doesn't necessarily make you the eventual winner.

Jo Locke has been mixing it with established names

Jo Locke is another player whose recent record deserves attention.

She reached the semi-finals of PDC Women's Series Event 20, averaging 74.75 across the tournament before losing to Aileen de Graaf.

Her results include a 5-3 victory over Deta Hedman, as well as wins against Kim Holden and Kirsi Viinikainen.

Locke also reached the semi-finals of a recent mixed Vault tournament at Bradmoor Farm itself, winning six matches before Sean Holley ended her run.

That experience of the venue might be useful, although I wouldn't put too much weight on it.

With seven wins from her last ten recorded matches, she looks capable of going a long way.

Rebecca Allen is another player moving in the right direction

Rebecca Allen has an interesting mixture of youth and senior competition experience in the database.

She won the JDC Nations Cup 2026 with a 64.70 tournament average and has since been competing on the PDC Women's Series.

Her recent Women's Series results include a last-32 appearance, followed by a quarter-final at Event 24, where Beau Greaves stopped her.

Allen's eight wins from her last ten matches suggest that she is finding results at the right time.

I wouldn't necessarily put her ahead of Hayter on the figures, but she certainly belongs in the conversation.

The Welsh contingent and the local Vault specialists

Sue Davies has one of the more eye-catching recent records.

She has won her last ten recorded matches and collected a succession of WADC Vault titles at Caernarfon and Denbigh.

Her best recent tournament average was 67.92, and she has produced individual match averages above 80.

That is excellent winning form, although the standard and format of opposition will be different here.

Tracy Ford-Jenkins has also been busy in Wales, reaching a quarter-final at Arrows in Resolven and winning seven of her last ten matches.

Meanwhile, Tracey Dean has reached a Severn Darts Organisation Challenge Series final, although her most recent results have been less encouraging.

It will be interesting to see whether the confidence gained from local events can translate into results on a national finals stage.

A rivalry worth watching

Two names I noticed were Juliet Findley and Millie Jolley.

Both have been competing regularly in WADC events at The Men of March.

Findley has collected several titles there, while Jolley reached a recent final before losing to Findley.

There have also been occasions when Jolley has got the better of her rival.

If the draw brings them together again, it would be an interesting continuation of a rivalry that has already developed on the regional circuit.

Neither has the overall average of the leading Women's Series players, but both know how to win matches.

Don't overlook the younger players

Katie-Lee Parish has JDC Girls Series experience, while several others in the field are building their competitive records through women's and mixed tournaments.

I always think these national finals are valuable for players who might not yet be among the leading names.

Even one or two victories against established opponents can be an important step forward.

And occasionally, somebody arrives at an event like this and produces a performance well above anything their previous figures suggested.

Q4QS Six to Follow – Women's Vault National Finals

1. Gemma Hayter – The strongest recent scoring record in the supplied field, backed by a PDC Women's Series final.

2. Jo Locke – Women's Series semi-finalist with strong opposition experience and recent success at Bradmoor Farm.

3. Rebecca Allen – JDC Nations Cup winner and a recent Women's Series quarter-finalist.

4. Sue Davies – Multiple recent WADC Vault titles and ten consecutive recorded match wins.

5. Juliet Findley – A regular winner at The Men of March who knows how to navigate tournament matches.

6. Millie Jolley – My outside selection, with recent finals experience and an established rivalry with Findley.

My statistical preference would be Hayter, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Locke or Allen involved at the business end.

UK & Ireland Classic – A Much Deeper Field

The UK & Ireland Classic is a rather different proposition.

There are 32 qualified players, a £13,200 prize fund and a place in the ADC Global Championship for the winner.

And looking at the entry list, I think this is a very difficult tournament to predict.

The field contains players with substantial PDC Challenge Tour and Development Tour experience, recent England Masters success, and an impressive number of Vault winners.

Several of the players are averaging comfortably into the 80s.

The interesting question is whether recent winning momentum or experience against stronger opposition will prove more important.

Archie Self and Chas Barstow arrive in outstanding form

If I were looking purely at recent results, Archie Self and Chas Barstow would be near the top of my list.

Self has won his last ten recorded matches and recently collected two titles at the England Masters & Classic.

In one of those events he averaged 92.49 across eight victories, while another title came with a 91.50 tournament average.

His recent wins include victories against Callum Francis, Harry Lane and Ben Townley.

He followed those performances by winning a Vault tournament at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Newbury, averaging 88.00.

Barstow's recent figures are equally impressive.

He also has ten consecutive recorded wins and claimed an England Masters & Classic title with a 93.94 tournament average.

Perhaps the most striking result was his 5-0 victory over Robbie Martin, in which Barstow averaged 110.51.

That is an extraordinary performance, particularly against somebody who has been playing as well as Martin.

Barstow also recently won an unbeaten Vault tournament at the Sportsman Club in Winchester.

If these two reproduce their best form, they will take some stopping.

Robbie Martin has a point to prove

Robbie Martin is another player I would expect to be involved.

He has won nine of his last ten recorded matches, with a Q4QS average of 85.67.

Recent performances include a 91.29 tournament average when winning at Dorchester Trinity Club, another Vault victory at The Newtown in Poole, and a final at St Ives Club.

But there is an interesting additional storyline.

Martin reached an England Masters & Classic final and lost 5-0 to Chas Barstow.

Should the draw bring them together again, Martin would have the opportunity to put that result behind him.

His recent performances suggest he has the ability to do exactly that.

Lewis Pride and Callum Goffin – Can Experience Count?

Lewis Pride has the highest Q4QS ranking among the supplied Classic entrants, sitting at number 70 with an average of 87.68.

His recent PDC Challenge Tour results include a 97.15 match average in a 5-1 victory over Dean Brown.

Callum Goffin is ranked number 100 and has an overall average of 85.84.

However, Goffin has won only three of his last ten recorded matches.

That contrast is worth noting.

Both have the scoring ability to challenge anyone here, but the recent results suggest that Pride is arriving in somewhat better form.

A knockout competition can change very quickly, though, and a player who has struggled for results can suddenly find his game.

A familiar name from the National Finals Weekend

William Borland has already enjoyed a good run during the weekend.

He reached the semi-finals of the Level Up RISE Final, averaging 81.86 across the event before losing to Adam Winspear.

His victories included a 5-2 win over Dylan Sinclair with a 93.05 average.

He also reached the quarter-finals of the Level Up qualifier, averaging 89.60.

That means Borland has already demonstrated that he can produce results in the National Finals environment.

Whether the additional matches help him settle or leave him with less energy is something we cannot know, but his recent form makes him a serious contender.

Colin McCaughern also reached the Level Up RISE quarter-finals, losing to Winspear, and comes into the Classic with nine wins from his last ten recorded matches.

The Vault winners who cannot be ignored

This is where the depth of the field really becomes apparent.

Michael Wiles has collected several Vault titles at the Len Forge Centre in Southend, regularly averaging around the 80 mark and sometimes considerably higher.

Johnny Haines has also been in excellent form, with victories at Frimley Green, Wheatley, Didcot and Banbury. His Didcot title came with a 91.53 average.

Sean Holley has been particularly successful around Chinnor and Bradmoor Farm, including a recent unbeaten tournament victory at the National Finals venue.

Ciaran Forde won at Barnsley WMC with an 86.11 average and followed that with finals at Staincross and Sheffield.

Harrison Leigh has been playing on the PDC Development Tour and reached the quarter-finals of the World Youth Championship Finals, where Luke Littler ended his run.

And Lewis Cook has been collecting Vault titles in Braintree, as well as appearing in the PDC World Youth Championship Finals.

I could make a case for several of these players reaching the last four.

That is why I think the Classic is such an attractive tournament.

Q4QS Six to Follow – UK & Ireland Classic

1. Archie Self – Two recent England Masters & Classic titles and ten consecutive recorded wins.

2. Chas Barstow – Outstanding recent scoring, including that 110.51 average against Robbie Martin.

3. Robbie Martin – Consistent tournament runs, several recent titles and the ability to average well into the 90s.

4. Lewis Pride – The highest-ranked player in the supplied Q4QS field, with proven Challenge Tour scoring ability.

5. William Borland – Already a semi-finalist during the National Finals Weekend and arriving in strong form.

6. Johnny Haines – My outside selection from a very strong field, with several recent Vault titles and a 91.53 tournament average at Didcot.

There are some very good players missing from that six, which probably says more about the strength of the competition than it does about those left out.

Two Competitions, Two Different Challenges

What I like about these two tournaments is that they provide a useful comparison.

In the Women's Vault National Finals, the leading Women's Series players appear to have a scoring advantage, but there are plenty of regional winners who arrive with confidence and tournament experience.

In the UK & Ireland Classic, the overall standard is exceptionally competitive. Even the players outside my Six to Follow have recent results that would make them favourites in many ordinary Vault events.

The knockout format adds another complication.

There are no second chances, and the player with the best average across the last few months isn't necessarily the player who produces the best darts when the deciding leg arrives.

For the Women's Finals, my preference is Gemma Hayter.

For the Classic, I find it much harder to separate Archie Self and Chas Barstow, although Robbie Martin and Lewis Pride certainly have the ability to win.

I'll be following both competitions with interest.

And whatever happens, these are precisely the sorts of events that make the Q4QS database interesting to explore. We can compare the form beforehand, but the players still have to go out and produce it.

Tournament information

ADC Women's Vault National Finals 2026

• Venue: Bradmoor Farm, Aylesbury

• Prize fund: £3,000

• Winner: £800

• Format: 501 singles, knockout

• Tournament details and draw

ADC UK & Ireland Classic 2026

• Venue: Bradmoor Farm, Aylesbury

• Prize fund: £13,200

• Winner: £3,000 plus qualification for the ADC Global Championship

• Format: 501 singles, knockout

• Tournament details and draw

The previews are based on the supplied entry lists and Q4QS database records. Averages, rankings and recent form are statistical guides rather than guarantees of tournament performance.

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

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

This week's selections are Jenson Macey, Eileen Harrison and Lee Hughes.

As I've said before, the Weekly Spotlight isn't simply about finding the three players who won the most tournaments or produced the highest averages.

Of course, outstanding performances deserve recognition. But so does consistency, improvement, determination and simply putting yourself in contention time after time.

And I think this week's three selections demonstrate that rather nicely.

We've got a junior winning tournaments and making an impression in open competition, a WADC player reaching three finals in two days, and an experienced Welsh circuit regular enjoying another excellent week.

Three very different stories.

---

Jenson Macey — Q4QS Rank #3,674

Player Profile

Jenson Macey is building a very impressive record in the Q4QS database.

Across 408 recorded matches, Jenson has won 324, giving him a 79.4% win rate.

He's competed in 73 recorded events, winning 21 of them, alongside another 12 runner-up finishes and 10 semi-finals.

His overall match average stands at 66.87, with a Q4QS Average of 65.61. However, his recent performances have been considerably stronger, with a last-ten match average of 76.76.

His best recorded average is 92.37, and he's already recorded victories over players including Riley Milligan and Leo Howard.

That's an encouraging record for a player who is also testing himself against experienced opposition in open tournaments.

This Week

Jenson began the week in excellent fashion, winning Sunday's Junior Volts at The Phoenix Club in Waterlooville.

He saved one of his best performances for the final, beating Joshua Price 3–0 with a superb 92.02 average.

Two days later, he was back in action at DiceHeads in Gosport, where he collected another Junior Volts victory.

His run included a 79.11 average against Aiden Styler and a 79.84 against Sausage Sharp before beating Riley Pinhorne in the final.

But it was Thursday's performance that made his week particularly interesting.

Playing in the open Vault 19 event at Fareham Social Club, Jenson reached the final after defeating a succession of opponents, including Gary Daniels in the semi-final.

He eventually lost 3–1 to Lloyd Walker, but averaged 84.35 in defeat.

So that's two junior tournament victories followed by a final in open competition.

For me, that's the standout part of Jenson's week.

It's one thing to be successful against players of a similar age. It's another to take that form into open competition and reach a final against experienced opponents.

A very good week indeed.

---

Eileen Harrison — Q4QS Rank #28,722

Player Profile

Eileen Harrison is a rather different selection this week, and that's precisely why I wanted to include her.

Her Q4QS record is still relatively small, with just 19 recorded matches across four events.

But she's won 13 of those matches, giving her a 68.4% win rate.

More interestingly, three of those four events have ended with Eileen reaching the final, while the other produced a semi-final appearance.

Her overall match average currently stands at 39.27, with a best of 50.09.

She hasn't yet completed the six events required to qualify for a Q4QS Average, so it's still early days as far as building a meaningful statistical profile is concerned.

But that's not what caught my attention.

This Week

On Sunday, Eileen competed in two separate WADC Vault 3.0 tournaments.

At Red Rose Darts Hub in Preston, she reached the final after recording victories over players including Grace Pownall, Kelsey Bradshaw and Celia Allen.

She eventually lost 3–1 to Gracie Willmitt, but produced her best recorded average of 50.09 in the final.

She also reached the final at The Dart and Pint in Oldham.

This time her run included a 3–2 semi-final victory over Wendy Murray before she narrowly lost 3–2 to Celia Allen.

Two finals in one day.

Then on Monday, she was back at Red Rose Darts Hub, reaching yet another WADC final.

After victories over Grace Pownall, Niamh Sergeant, Rachel Tapley and Netty Cork, she eventually lost 3–0 to Jo Clements.

Three finals in two days. Three runner-up finishes.

And not a tournament victory among them.

That's exactly the sort of week I think deserves a mention.

There's sometimes a tendency in darts coverage to concentrate on the winners and forget everyone else.

But reaching three finals in such a short period is an achievement in itself, particularly for somebody whose recorded tournament history is still developing.

It's also a good reminder of why the WADC circuit matters.

Not every player is going to average 70, 80 or 90. Not every tournament is going to attract a huge field.

But competitive darts needs opportunities for players at different levels to participate, improve and enjoy meaningful competition.

Eileen certainly made the most of those opportunities this week.

And I hope a tournament victory isn't too far away.

---

Lee Hughes — Q4QS Rank #2,235

Player Profile

Lee Hughes has a considerably more established record in the Q4QS database.

He's played 305 recorded matches, winning 254 of them for an excellent 83.3% win rate.

From 48 recorded events, Lee has collected 14 tournament victories and another 16 runner-up finishes.

His overall match average is 73.31, while his Q4QS Average stands at 72.62.

His best recorded average is 107.36, achieved against Cai Redman earlier in the year.

He's also recorded victories over some very capable opposition, including Kurt Parry, Jeff Bass and Mike Huntley.

One particularly notable result in his profile is a 3–0 victory over Jonny Clayton, achieved in a Vault event at New Inn, Ton Pentre, in May.

So there's clearly plenty of ability there.

This Week

Lee started his week on Sunday at the Clwb Emrys Elite Finals Day at Rack & Flight Club.

He reached the final after a run that included a 4–2 victory over Jeff Bass, averaging 77.62.

He eventually finished runner-up to Andrew Kerry.

On Monday, he went one better.

Playing at Duffy's in Pontypridd, Lee collected another Vault tournament victory.

Among his results was an impressive 3–1 win over Mike Huntley, averaging 79.76.

And he wasn't finished.

On Wednesday, Lee reached another final at the Clwb Emrys Circuit event at Rack & Flight Club in Treorchy.

He beat George Humphreys 3–0 in the quarter-final with a 79.11 average, then defeated Owen Black 3–1 in the semi-final with an 80.38.

The final went the way of Cai Redman, who won 3–1, with Lee averaging 72.38.

That completed a sequence of three finals in four days, including one tournament victory.

And perhaps that's what impressed me most.

It's not always easy to maintain that level of consistency when playing different events against different opposition.

But Lee has managed it, and his wider record suggests that reaching finals is becoming something of a habit.

---

Three Different Reasons to Be Noticed

What I like about this week's selections is that they demonstrate three different sides of grassroots darts.

Jenson Macey is showing what can happen when a successful junior starts producing performances in open competition.

Eileen Harrison has demonstrated that you don't need to win a tournament, or produce enormous averages, to have a week worth recognising.

And Lee Hughes has shown the value of consistency, reaching three finals in four days against some very capable opposition.

There were plenty of other players who could have made this week's three, including several who won more tournaments.

But that's never been the sole purpose of the Weekly Spotlight.

I want to recognise performances, progress and stories that might otherwise pass unnoticed.

And these are the three players who caught my eye this week.

Congratulations to Jenson, Eileen and Lee.

Vault 19 Tournament Strength: Pinches Still Leads After Four Weeks, but the Chasing Pack Is Growing

 

Four weeks into Vault 19, and we're starting to get a much clearer picture of which venues are regularly attracting the strongest fields.

When I began this series, I was looking at the biggest Tournament Strength scores from individual events.

Now, with several tournaments behind many of the venues, I'm increasingly interested in something else.

Which venues can keep producing strong fields, week after week?

At the very top, the answer remains familiar.

Pinches Cue Club in Norwich still leads Vault 19 with a Tournament Strength of 1.350.

But the chasing group is developing, with Barnsley WMC joining the Top 10, Hethersett continuing to improve and Sartan producing another particularly strong tournament.

Meanwhile, in WADC Vault 3.0, Wales continues to occupy the leading positions, although a new English challenger has emerged from Cornwall.

How the Rankings Work

I'm continuing with the same method used in previous updates.

Each venue appears only once, ranked by its highest Tournament Strength recorded during the current Vault series.

That prevents a venue from occupying several positions simply because it has staged multiple tournaments.

However, I also look at the other scores to judge consistency.

A venue producing one exceptional field is interesting.

A venue producing strong fields repeatedly tells me considerably more.

Vault 19 – Strongest Venues After Four Weeks

Rank	Venue	Highest Tournament Strength
1	Pinches Cue Club, Norwich	1.350
2	Faringdon Football Club	1.329
3	Tipton Sports Academy	1.297
4	Bedlinog Rugby Club	1.285
5	Bagley Sports & Social Club	1.280
6	The Brookside, Syston	1.278
7	Barnsley WMC	1.274
8	The Gardeners Arms, Ipswich	1.270
9=	Hethersett Social Club	1.265
9=	Sartan Club	1.265

Highest individual Tournament Strength per venue, using results through 10 October 2026.

Pinches Still Sets the Standard

There is no change at No.1.

Pinches' opening Tournament Strength of 1.350 remains unbeaten.

But as I've mentioned throughout this series, what makes Pinches particularly impressive isn't simply that opening score.

It's what has happened since.

Its first three Vault 19 tournaments produced:

1.350 → 1.340 → 1.331

Now its latest tournament, played on 8 October, has recorded 1.304.

That's a slight reduction, but it is still another very strong field.

Four events, all above 1.300.

That is a much stronger indication of a genuinely difficult regular venue than one exceptional opening tournament.

Pinches has now provided four consecutive pieces of evidence.

At this stage, it remains the benchmark for everyone else.

The Chasing Pack Is Getting More Interesting

Faringdon Football Club remains second with 1.329, followed by Tipton Sports Academy at 1.297.

Bedlinog Rugby Club, which made its appearance in the leading group last week, remains fourth with 1.285.

Bagley Sports & Social Club holds fifth at 1.280, while The Brookside in Syston sits sixth at 1.278.

But there is a new addition immediately behind them.

Barnsley WMC has entered the Top 10 with 1.274.

That is a strong enough figure to move ahead of several established venues.

As always, the next question is whether Barnsley can back it up.

We've already seen with Pinches that repeat performances are where the really interesting stories begin.

Hethersett Keeps Moving Up

One of the most interesting venues to follow throughout Vault 19 has been Hethersett Social Club.

Its early progression was:

1.224 → 1.237 → 1.260

Now it has reached 1.265.

That's four successive improvements.

It may not have produced the spectacular single-event figure of Pinches or Faringdon, but there is something impressive about a venue steadily strengthening its fields.

Hethersett has now moved level with Sartan's best Tournament Strength.

If it continues in this direction, it could become one of the more interesting venues in the entire series.

Sartan Produces Another Excellent Field

Sartan Club is another venue where looking at the best score alone doesn't tell the full story.

Its opening Vault 19 figure was 1.265.

It then dropped to 1.184, before recovering to 1.256.

Now its latest tournament, on 7 October, has produced 1.264.

That's almost identical to its opening score.

For me, that is important.

Sartan has already established itself as one of the stronger South West venues, and it is continuing to attract competitive fields.

It may only be joint ninth in the current national Top 10, but its repeat performances provide a stronger indication of consistency than that position alone suggests.

What About the Other Established Venues?

Not every venue that featured prominently in the earlier updates remains inside the Top 10.

Lindsay Constitutional Club, for example, remains close to the leading group with its best of 1.251.

North Star Club has also featured strongly during Vault 19.

The fact that venues producing Tournament Strength scores around 1.250 can now find themselves outside the Top 10 says something about the competition developing across the series.

The benchmark for reaching the leading group is rising.

And with every additional tournament, we're getting a better picture of which venues can maintain that standard.

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WADC Vault 3.0 – Wales Still Leads, but Bodmin Joins the Chase

The WADC Tournament Strength story has been particularly interesting over the past four weeks.

Initially, The 9 Darter in Port Talbot led the way.

Then Briton Ferry Workies produced a huge 1.151, while Penybanc RFC established itself as another strong Welsh venue.

Last week, Wales occupied the top four positions.

That hasn't changed.

But there has been movement further down the table, including a strong new result from Cornwall.

WADC Vault 3.0 – Strongest Venues After Four Weeks

Rank	Venue	Highest Tournament Strength
1	Briton Ferry Workies	1.151
2	Penybanc RFC, Ammanford	1.077
3	The 9 Darter, Port Talbot	0.997
4	Arrows Darts Venue #2, Resolven	0.986
5	Dereham Cricket Club	0.980
6	MK Cocktail Lounge, Bodmin	0.947
7	Castle Arms, Denbigh	0.944
8	Walton WMC	0.941
9	Copa #1, Caernarfon	0.936
10=	Fordham RBL	0.933
10=	London GAA, Ruislip	0.933

One venue per position, using its highest WADC Vault 3.0 Tournament Strength. Penybanc RFC #1 and #2 are combined as one venue.

Briton Ferry Remains the Benchmark

Briton Ferry Workies continues to lead at 1.151.

Its progression earlier in Vault 3.0 was particularly impressive:

0.961 → 0.989 → 1.151

That's a substantial improvement across successive events.

The latest rankings haven't changed Briton Ferry's position, but it remains comfortably ahead of the chasing venues.

Penybanc is second at 1.077, with The 9 Darter third at 0.997.

The difference between first and second is now 0.074, while Briton Ferry is more than 0.150 ahead of The 9 Darter.

That's a significant lead at this stage.

The 9 Darter Is Showing Consistency

One of the strongest WADC developments this week actually comes from a venue that hasn't moved in the rankings.

The 9 Darter in Port Talbot has recorded another Tournament Strength of 0.995.

Its previous best was 0.997.

That's a difference of just 0.002.

It doesn't improve its ranking position, but it does provide excellent evidence that the venue can repeatedly attract fields of a similar strength.

And that is exactly what these weekly updates are designed to identify.

Bodmin Is the New English Challenger

The biggest English addition this week is MK Cocktail Lounge in Bodmin.

Its Tournament Strength of 0.947 moves it into sixth place.

That puts it behind Dereham Cricket Club, which remains the leading English venue at 0.980, but ahead of several other established WADC venues.

It is encouraging to see another English venue producing a strong field, particularly from the South West.

Bodmin now becomes one to watch as Vault 3.0 progresses.

More Welsh Venues Are Appearing

Although England has a new challenger, Wales is still well represented beyond the leading four.

Castle Arms in Denbigh has reached 0.944, while Copa #1 in Caernarfon has recorded 0.936.

That gives Wales six venues inside the leading ten positions when the tie for tenth is included.

The strength isn't confined entirely to South Wales, either.

With Denbigh and Caernarfon appearing, we're beginning to see competitive WADC fields from further north.

That's an interesting development for the women's game.

Has England Caught Wales?

Not yet.

The first four positions remain Welsh:

1. Briton Ferry Workies – 1.151

2. Penybanc RFC – 1.077

3. The 9 Darter – 0.997

4. Arrows Darts Venue #2 – 0.986

Dereham remains England's best at 0.980, with Bodmin now joining the leading group at 0.947.

But this is becoming about more than a simple England-versus-Wales comparison.

What interests me is the number of different venues beginning to produce strong WADC fields.

If those venues continue attracting players, the depth of the women's Vault circuit should become increasingly interesting to measure.

And that's something I want Q4QS to keep following.

Four Weeks In – What Have We Learned?

After four weeks, the Vault 19 Tournament Strength picture is becoming clearer.

Pinches Cue Club remains the standout venue.

Its highest score of 1.350 still leads, but four consecutive tournaments above 1.300 are the real story.

Faringdon and Tipton remain the closest challengers on highest score.

Bedlinog and Barnsley have joined the leading group.

Hethersett continues to improve, while Sartan has produced another result almost identical to its opening Tournament Strength.

In WADC Vault 3.0, Briton Ferry remains the benchmark, with Penybanc and The 9 Darter providing strong Welsh support.

Bodmin has emerged as another English challenger, while Denbigh and Caernarfon show that strong women's fields are appearing beyond South Wales.

I'm still ranking venues by their single highest Tournament Strength, but the longer this series continues, the more interested I become in the other numbers.

Because there is a difference between staging one exceptionally strong tournament and being a venue where strong tournaments happen regularly.

After four weeks, Pinches is making a very convincing case for the latter.

And that is what I'll continue looking for as Vault 19 and WADC Vault 3.0 progress.

Vault 19 – Strongest Venues After Three Weeks

 

Rank	Venue	Highest Tournament Strength
1	Pinches Cue Club, Norwich	1.350
2	Faringdon Football Club	1.329
3	Tipton Sports Academy	1.297
4	Bedlinog Rugby Club	1.285
5	Bagley Sports & Social Club	1.280
6	The Brookside, Syston	1.278
7	The Gardeners Arms, Ipswich	1.270
8	Sartan Club	1.265
9	Hethersett Social Club	1.260
10	Clacton Sports Bar	1.256

One entry per venue, using its highest Tournament Strength recorded through the week ending 3 October.

Pinches Is Still the Benchmark

Three weeks ago, Pinches opened with 1.350.

That immediately became the number everyone else had to chase.

What has made Pinches particularly interesting hasn't simply been that nobody has beaten 1.350. It's what happened afterwards.

Its next two Tournament Strength figures were:

1.340

1.331

So this isn't a venue sitting at the top because of one extraordinary tournament followed by much weaker fields.

Pinches has repeatedly produced Tournament Strength scores above 1.330.

That remains some of the strongest evidence we've seen so far of a genuinely difficult regular Vault 19 venue.

The 1.350 remains the headline number.

The repeat performances are the more interesting story.

Faringdon Is Still the Closest Challenger

Faringdon Football Club remains second with its best Tournament Strength of 1.329.

Originally, I put an important caveat alongside that figure because it came from only eight players.

Since then, Faringdon has provided some useful supporting evidence.

Its subsequent 1.275 from a 24-player field showed that the venue can produce strong numbers with a much bigger entry as well.

That makes Faringdon's second place more interesting than it looked when the 1.329 first appeared.

Pinches remains clear at the top, but Faringdon is still the closest anyone has come.

Tipton Remains Third

Tipton Sports Academy's 1.297 continues to hold third place.

That was one of the figures that particularly caught my attention in an earlier update because it came from a substantial field.

It hasn't been overtaken during the latest week, but there is now a new name immediately behind it.

Bedlinog Arrives in Fourth

The biggest addition to the leading group this week is Bedlinog Rugby Club.

A Tournament Strength of 1.285 puts it straight into fourth place.

That takes it above Bagley's 1.280 and The Brookside's 1.278.

As always, one big Tournament Strength score gives me a reason to notice a venue.

What happens next will tell me considerably more.

Pinches is the perfect example of that.

So Bedlinog now becomes another venue worth watching as Vault 19 continues.

The Established Venues Are Still Hanging Around

The arrival of new challengers hasn't removed many of the venues we've been following throughout the series.

Bagley Sports & Social Club remains fifth with 1.280.

The Brookside in Syston is sixth at 1.278.

The Gardeners Arms in Ipswich, which entered the leading group last week, remains seventh at 1.270.

Then comes a familiar South West name.

Sartan Club remains in the Top 10 with a best of 1.265.

Sartan's individual Tournament Strength has moved around from week to week, but it continues to feature towards the stronger end of the Vault 19 data.

Hethersett Social Club is ninth with 1.260 after the steady improvement I highlighted previously, while Clacton Sports Bar completes this week's Top 10 at 1.256.

The Table Is Becoming Harder to Break Into

That's another thing beginning to emerge after three weeks.

The standard required simply to reach the Top 10 is becoming pretty high.

A venue now needs a Tournament Strength above 1.250 just to get into this particular group.

And there are other established strong venues sitting around that mark.

That means one good tournament can move a venue dramatically, but maintaining a place near the top is becoming more difficult as more results are added.

That's exactly what I hoped would happen with these updates.

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WADC Vault 3.0 – Wales Still Controls the Top

The WADC Tournament Strength story has developed considerably over the past three weeks.

Initially, The 9 Darter in Port Talbot led the way at 0.997.

Then Briton Ferry surged to 1.151, while Penybanc joined the leading group.

The latest picture still has a very strong Welsh look.

WADC Vault 3.0 – Strongest Venues After Three Weeks

Rank	Venue	Highest Tournament Strength
1	Briton Ferry Workies	1.151
2	Penybanc RFC, Ammanford	1.077
3	The 9 Darter, Port Talbot	0.997
4	Arrows Darts Venue #2, Resolven	0.986
5	Dereham Cricket Club	0.980
6	Walton WMC	0.941

One entry per venue, using its highest WADC Vault 3.0 Tournament Strength. Penybanc RFC #1 and #2 are treated as one venue.

Briton Ferry Remains No.1

Briton Ferry Workies remains the WADC benchmark at 1.151.

Its progression has been one of the most interesting things I've found during these updates.

Earlier in Vault 3.0 it recorded 0.961, then 0.989, before producing the 1.151 that took it to the top.

That is exactly the sort of development I want to find by revisiting Tournament Strength rather than publishing one table and forgetting about it.

Briton Ferry isn't at the top because of the first tournament I happened to analyse.

Its numbers developed as the series progressed.

Penybanc Strengthens Its Position

Penybanc is another venue where looking beyond a single result helps.

I'm treating the Penybanc RFC #1 and #2 entries as one venue for these rankings.

Its best score is now 1.077, which puts it second overall.

It has also produced 1.049.

So, like Briton Ferry, there is supporting evidence behind the headline figure.

Penybanc hasn't simply appeared in second place through one isolated strong tournament.

It has produced two fields above 1.000.

Wales Holds the Top Four

Behind Briton Ferry and Penybanc come two more Welsh venues.

The 9 Darter, Port Talbot — 0.997

Arrows Darts Venue #2, Resolven — 0.986

Then comes England's strongest venue:

Dereham Cricket Club — 0.980

That means Wales currently occupies the top four positions in the WADC Vault 3.0 Tournament Strength ranking.

Dereham isn't far behind Resolven, so the England-Wales story isn't finished.

But three weeks into the series, Wales unquestionably has the advantage at the top.

A Very Different Picture From Week One

This is why I like revisiting these numbers.

After the opening tournaments, The 9 Darter led the WADC standings.

After two weeks, Briton Ferry had jumped to 1.151.

Now Penybanc has strengthened further to 1.077.

The venues haven't necessarily become weaker when they've dropped positions.

Other venues have simply produced stronger fields.

And we're beginning to get enough repeat events to distinguish between a big one-off number and a venue regularly attracting competitive fields.

Three Weeks In – What Do We Know?

There is still plenty of Vault 19 to come, so I'm not declaring any of these rankings final.

But after three weeks, some trends are becoming difficult to ignore.

In the main Vault 19 series, Pinches remains the benchmark.

Its 1.350 is still the highest Tournament Strength recorded, but the 1.340 and 1.331 that followed are what really make it stand out.

Faringdon remains the closest challenger and has backed up its eight-player 1.329 with evidence from a much larger field.

Tipton remains third.

Bedlinog is this week's big arrival.

And familiar venues including Bagley, Sartan and Hethersett continue to appear towards the top.

In WADC Vault 3.0, the story remains Welsh dominance.

Briton Ferry leads at 1.151, Penybanc has strengthened to 1.077 and Welsh venues occupy the first four positions.

Three weeks ago, I was looking for the biggest Tournament Strength scores.

Now I'm increasingly looking for something more important.

Which venues keep producing them?

That's where the toughest venues of Vault 19 and WADC Vault 3.0 should eventually reveal themselves.