Down The Barrel by Down The Barrel

ISSUE 1 - APRIL 2016

EE your FR y monthl darts e zin a g a m e

GARY ANDERSON

“TH ER E’S PL EN TY MO RE TO CO ME.”

ALAN NORRIS

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR CHUCK

KEVIN PAINTER

ANSWERS OUR 20 QUESTIONS

PLUS

Premier pics - equipment focus - JABBA’S JABBer

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CONTENTS 4-5 | NEWS FROM THE OCHE | Need to catch up with the latest developments from the darts world? Never fear, within two pages you’ll be up to speed with all the latest from a hectic month on the big stages. 6-9 | GARY ANDERSON | “There’s plenty more to come.” He’s your back-to-back World Champion, defending his Premier League title and now speaking exclusively to Down The Barrel. Catch The Flying Scotsman talk about conquering unchartered territory and keeping his crowns close to his throne.

10-11 | AIMING HIGHER | Alan Norris has enjoyed a ﬁrst 14 months in the PDC that many professionals could only dream of - but he’s not content resting on his laurels. The popular Scotland-based Yeovilian sets his targets on going even better in 2016.

12-13 | PREMIER PICS | What a month it’s been in the Premier League. Recap on all of the action to date from the stunning tournament and relive just how we got to Judgement Night. All the thrills and spills from eight nights of drama. 14 | EUROPE OR BUST | March may only just be nearing an end, but the PDC has already twice ventured overseas this year with the European Tour. Check out what happened at last month’s Dutch Darts Masters, as well as last weekend’s German Darts Masters. 16 | BDO FAN? | This is the page for you. It has been a particularly busy few weeks for the BDO. 17 | EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT | Fancy yourself as a budding Michael van Gerwen or Adrian Lewis? You’ll be after the best value gear to get you even close to their giddy heights, then. This month we take a look at some of the latest releases. 18 | TOP TWEETS | You can’t move on Twitter for darts-related tweets - but have you seen all of these? We bring you the funniest, most informative and down-right crazy messages from players, pundits and fans alike. 19 | UNDER PRESSURE | Ever wondered who your favourite player rooms with on tour? What they listen to in the car on the way to the venue? Or how they think you could improve your game? We grill a PDC professional in our quick fire quiz. 20 | DARTING DATES | Get ready to plan your next darts fix as we bring you the hottest events across the continent for the next month. Big tournaments, floor outings and selected exhibitions - you’ll find them all here. 22 | NEXT MONTH | The end - but only for this edition! Take a look at what’s planned for your next edition of Down The Barrel and find out how you can subscribe to ensure you never miss a copy. Keep visiting us at www.downthebarrel.co.uk, follow us on Twitter at @dtb180 and like our Facebook page. A Down the Barrel publication. For more information and to advertise email info@downthebarrel.co.uk Pictures: Lawrence Lustig/PDC unless otherwise stated Design and words copyright of Down the Barrel

21 | JABBA’S JABBER | World number 23, ﬁve-time ProTour winner, fans’ favourite - and now a columnist for Down The Barrel. Jamie Caven requires little introduction as he prepares to give you, the darts fan, a unique insight into life behind the scenes on tour.

welcome to down the barrel Hello and welcome to the first edition of Down The Barrel - your brand new e-magazine that aims to cover every single arrow thrown in the sport across the world! Thank you for taking the time to download, open and flick through the digital pages of the sport’s newest, brightest, freshest and biggest publication. Every month we will bring you in-depth analysis of and insight into darts’ major tournaments and competitions, while speaking to the sport’s biggest names. To give you a taste of what to expect over the months to come, we have worked tirelessly to produce an edition bursting at the seams with darting action and exclusive interviews. We will bring you the latest from the PDC, BDO and Soft Tip darts worlds, as well as getting you - the fan - involved with our pages dedicated to your tweets, opinions and pictures. We are delighted to have reigning, back-to-back World Champion Gary Anderson as our first cover star. He has enjoyed the best 16 months of his career and although admitting he’s been left emotionally battered he tells us he has no intention of easing off just yet. Turn to pages 6-9 for our exclusive interview After taking to life in the PDC like a duck to water, 2016’s newcomer of the year Alan Norris is already aiming higher. We catch up with Chuck ahead of a massive year on pages 10-11. Want to catch some live darts this month? Page 20 is exactly what you need as our calendar contains all the important dates. Get in touch if you want to see your event featured! We’ve got a real fans’ favourite to give us his take on the month’s developments – and he’ll be back every month. Jamie ‘Jabba’ Caven pulls no punches in his first monthly column on page 21. So, if you eat, sleep and breath darts - you’re in the right place! Make sure you subscribe via www.downthebarrel.co.uk to make sure you never miss out on an edition. Our website will also be your first port of call for the latest and biggest news. Support us online and get involved with the hottest debate by liking facebook. com/downthebarrel180 and following us on Twitter @dtb180. Instagram more your thing? Give dtb180 a follow for plenty of pictures from behind the scenes. Search for us on Vine and YouTube for videos. Happy reading and we hope you like! Chris and Jim

NEWS The latest news from the world of darts.

eter Wright’s hopes of a weekend of Players Championship double delight were scotched by eventual winner Stephen Bunting as the St Helens star landed a second PDC event crown. Snakebite enjoyed a scintillating run to his ﬁrst title of 2016 on March 12, battling back from 5-3 down to Betway Premier League rival Adrian Lewis to prevail 6-5 at Barnsley’s Metrodome. However, he was denied a second stab at the £10,000 top prize a day later when Bunting built on 6-5 triumphs over Robert Thornton and Adrian Lewis to meet Michael van Gerwen.

Although van Gerwen had fired home a nine-darter in the semi-finals to help beat Ian White, as well as a treble-bull checkout needing 150 on his way to a 6-0 drubbing of Dave Pallett, the final proved a game too many. The former Lakeside champion held his nerve to win 6-4, landing his first PDC event since a 2014 UK Open qualifier in his second competition following his switch from the BDO. Kyle Anderson (pictured) – fresh from his first major quarterfinal appearance at the Coral UK Open – completed Sunday’s last four line-up. But, having already won two previous games 6-5, he found himself on the receiving end of the scoreline versus van Gerwen. Reigning World Champion Gary Anderson breezed past Jan Dekker and Cristo Reyes 6-0 and 6-2 respectively, only to tumble 6-4 against Steve West. Sixteen-time global winner Phil Taylor also exited at the third round stage, losing by the odd leg in 11 to Matt Clark having defeated Barry van Peer 6-1 and Ronny Huybrechts 6-0. Joe Cullen, Andrew Gilding and Mensur Suljovic all enjoyed encouraging Sundays by reaching the quarterfinals, taking home £2,250 each for their efforts.

ichael van Gerwen hailed the merits of hard work whilst backing Peter Wright to become a future major winner as he basked in Coral UK Open glory. The Dutch dynamo successfully defended the title he won 12 months ago at Butlins Minehead, triumphing 11-4 over Snakebite. He entered the weekend off the back of another dazzling Betway Premier League display, nailing four maximum 170 checkouts and even a nine-dart ﬁnish during the course of the tournament. Van Gerwen produced a masterclass against Wright in a repeat of the 2015 ﬁnal as he again swept to victory with a relentless display, taking charge with an early 4-1 lead before the Scot pulled back to 5-3.

A 105 finish from van Gerwen was followed by finishes of 88, 76 and 74 as he took five straight legs to move to the brink of victory, with Wright taking the 14th leg and then missing double 12 for a sensational nine-darter, only to see the Dutchman step in to complete victory with a 64 finish. “I played really well and I’m really pleased to win another trophy,” said van Gerwen, who has now won six PDC events during 2016 and averaged 106.68 in the final. “I had four 170 finishes, a ninedarter and won the tournament so it’s fantastic. “I’m working really hard and I’m glad it’s paying off at the moment. I love this game and I love winning, this is a wonderful feeling. “Peter is growing into one of the best players there is and he’s getting better and better – but I’m glad I beat him today. I did the right thing at the right moment and he’s a fantastic player, and sooner or later he is going to win a tournament.”

aryl Gurney, Alan Norris, John Henderson, Joe Murnan and Kevin Painter will all battle for glory at both May’s Gibraltar Darts Trophy and European Darts Matchplay after double qualifying success. However, Phil Taylor – who won a spot in the European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg – was left to rue a 6-4 defeat to Ross Smith in his final game of the March 11’s opening qualifier, as he missed out on a spot in Gibraltar. Two previous Gibraltar Darts Trophy runners-up, Jamie Lewis and Steve Beaton, qualified to return to ‘The Rock’ from May 6-8, while Stuart Kellett sealed his spot at the Victoria Stadium in style with a nine-dart finish during his win over Steve Hine. Former Austrian Open winner Justin Pipe and Australian ace Kyle Anderson also won places in Gibraltar alongside experienced stars Andy Hamilton, Mark Walsh and Wayne Jones, former Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting and UK Open semi-finalist Joe Cullen. Both Lewis and David Pallett, another Gibraltar Darts Trophy qualifier, were denied places in the European Darts Matchplay – to be held in Hamburg from May 13-15 – with narrow losses to Ricky Williams and Chris Dobey respectively in the night’s second qualifier. Former Austrian Open finalist Jamie Caven defeated Hamilton as he qualified, while Richie Corner, who hit a nine-darter in a UK Open Qualifier earlier this year, knocked out Brendan Dolan as he progressed. Andrew Gilding, Darren Webster and Jonny Clayton all sealed their places with 6-0 wins in their decisive matches, while South Africa’s Devon Petersen, Kent youngster Josh Payne, Essex’s Jamie Robinson and Chepstow’s Jonathan Worsley also qualified. 5

gary anderson the flying scotsman “I have won the Worlds and Premier League both twice and that’s alright by me” 6

Words: Chris Sweet Pictures: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

eigning Betway Premier League champion Gary Anderson may be “battered” and immensely proud of a trophy cabinet boasting two World Championships - but he insists he isn’t ﬁnished yet. The Flying Scotsman has enjoyed a 16-month spell that has catapulted him into darts legend, not only twice lifting the global crown at the sport’s spiritual home of Alexandra Palace but also scooping a second Premier League crown. With the PDC unable to split Anderson and world number one Michael van Gerwen in their player of the year award, the duo’s Order of Merit rivalry is almost as close with barely £150,000 separating the pair at the start of 2016 - a comfortable £417,500 ahead of Adrian Lewis in third. As Anderson targets a third Premier League crown

- only Phil Taylor has won more - he concedes the physical demands of the year of his sporting life are taking their toll. The ever-expanding World Series has taken Anderson to almost every corner of the earth. Combined with the Prem, European Tour, a further eight majors and the bread and butter of the ProTour, time with his young family in sunny Somerset is understandably at a premium for the 45-year-old. But even though his feet are still yet to touch the ground, heavy hitter Anderson has no intentions of taking his foot off the gas just yet. He said: “I’ve not got a clue what 2016 holds. The last year has been fantastic but it has drained me. I’ve had just 30-odd days at home in the last 12 months. “It’s been very enjoyable and I’ve been all over the 7

“My My body is not as young as it used to be and it takes a few days to recover after tournaments now.” world – Dubai, Japan, Australia and New Zealand – and loved every minute, but the whole body feels like it has taken a battering. “My body is not as young as it used to be and it takes a few days to recover after tournaments now. If I never win another tournament in my life I can retire a very happy man. I have won the Worlds and Premier League both twice and that’s alright by me. “Once a game and tournament is done, I’m always on to the next one. As before in the Worlds, I struggled to sleep the night after I had won the final. “Again, I was staring at the four walls of my hotel room until 4.45am and then had to get up at 8am to start a busy morning of interviews. But, darts-wise, I was already thinking ahead to the next tournament – the UK Masters at Milton Keynes.” As mentor to rising star and Premier League debutant Michael Smith, Anderson has had more than a vested interest in the emergence of one of the game’s undoubted future superstars. Already ranked eighth in the world and increasingly a regular at the business end of majors, Smith is developing from fancied hopeful to consistent top class performer. No one is more aware of that than Anderson, with the pair close off the oche and often sharing babysitting duties for their little ones. And with Smith eyeing up a major as Anderson sings his praises to the highest pitch, the youngster’s sage warned: “I’m over the moon for Michael but the only problem he’s got is that he’s going to come up against me. People forget he’s only 25 years old, he’s not been playing for that long, he’s got a lot to learn. “But, talent-wise, people talk about MvG, this guy is different class – he just hasn’t shown it properly on the stage yet. When he finds his feet the lot of us are in trouble. He’s over the moon – he’s some boy and some talent. He just may have to be careful about asking for a babysitter.” Anderson’s path to back-to-back world titles showed signs of some of the strain a long year had taken on performances, uncharacteristically busting two ton-plus checkouts in the semi-final and final. 8

Headlines following the tournament suggested the 2014 Players Championship Finals winner was considering wearing spectacles, only for the prospect of having to alter his throw to accommodate the glass wear and a delivery that sees the flight just millimetres from his face prove too much trouble. However, a 170 finish against Lewis showed the miscounts were mere blips - and maybe not Anderson’s biggest concern during an eventful month. “The nightmares I was having was that I was turning up as World Champion and going out in the first round,” Anderson explained. “I can’t even explain how nervous I was. I was thinking ‘please get past that first round, if it ends after that it ends after that, but just don’t go out in the first round’. “It was a tough match, then, against Daryl Gurney – he had it in the bag, but missed doubles at the wrong time. Hitting doubles is what it’s about and I was more than happy with the way I was playing. “I can’t remember the set (to win the title). I was making mistakes with counting and the crowd were getting rowdy. To hit 170 when you go for them meant that Adrian must have been sitting on something, it means you were concentrating on that set and leg. It definitely helps and it gave Adrian something to think about. “He had already taken out a 131 when I was on a double and it hurt. It was a funny game overall, there were some great darts, but I was expecting fireworks and consistently big scores. Adrian was the same, but it didn’t quite happen like that. We plodded on and I made it over the line first. “With the bust scores, I made a similar mistake the night before on 148. I could’ve sworn I was on two, I thought I’ve checked out but when I’ve gone to collect my darts it was a four and not a two. “With some of the counting in the final, I was getting frustrated and I was struggling with the way I was playing. I was looking at scores but my brain was all over the place. It was a hard game.”

alan norris ‘CHUCK’

aving shown “the bottle to make that switch” and subsequently reaped rich rewards in his debut year, rising PDC ace Alan Norris knows the sky’s the limit. The former Lakeside finalist’s breezy nine-dart finish at 2015’s Q-School now seems a distant memory thanks to an opening season capped with a run to the William Hill World Championship quarter-finals and the best newcomer gong at January’s glitzy annual awards ceremony. Although the much-travelled Chuck admits results alone would not have been enough to earn the accolade at the Dorchester, a ProTour win, another perfect leg and glimpses of his talent at televised majors lessened the shock. Norris – born in Yeovil, Somerset, but now living in Scotland after spells in Spain, Sweden and Holland – said: “It wasn’t really too much of a surprise. It would have been more of a surprise if I just went on results. “Nothing is a done deal with these sorts of things, the judges take into consideration different things and you never know about the panel and who is on it. “It was a great evening and a really proud moment for me. There were only five trophies being given out on the night, those are the only five they give out during the year and you can only win the one I did once – I’m delighted.” Defeated by Stephen Bunting in the BDO World Championship final in 2014, Norris remained patient for a year before moving across. Any regrets? None whatsoever, with the 43-year-old world number 34 quick to appreciate just how to get on in the PDC. “The talent’s there (in the BDO), you’ve got to have the bottle to make that switch,” he said. “I was asked at Christmas what the challenges are with the PDC and I’ve got 127 of them – they all play on the tour. “All of the players can throw darts and you get out of the tour what you put in, in terms of commitment and practice. All I have got to concentrate on is throwing my darts and

“DARTS IS THE SECOND MOST WATCHED SPORT ON THE TV BEHIND THE PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL” let those darts do the talking.” Expanding further on his competition, Norris joked: “There are a lot of youngsters coming through – they should stay at school, get a proper career and let us old boys carry on. There’s plenty of young talent coming through, the future looks really healthy. “Darts is the second most watched sport on the TV behind the Premier League football, which is quite amazing. It’s all good and heading in the right direction.” Starting the year just £16,500 off the world’s top 32 – safe in the knowledge his pot will only ﬁll in the two-year rankings – Norris is evidently looking up, rather than behind. And although his current profession differs considerably to previous employment that took him around Europe and Scandinavia, some habits are hard to shake as he plots a further climb. Norris said: “I was in sales for 14 years and some things never change – I always set myself targets and goals. If you don’t, you don’t have anything to aim for or to judge progress on. “I’m very conﬁdent going forward. I have got nothing in terms of money to come off rankings, unlike some of the players currently above me. If I can have a similar season to 2015, then that will be great. “I always try to go one better than the year before. We’re straight back to business, I’m ready and raring to keep climbing. My practice routine is pretty up in the air at the moment, but I just get on the board as much as I can. “I practice every day – unless Man City play midweek, when I’ll probably watch them. I feel I’m steadily getting better. I’m putting in more practice that when I was with the BDO and I work on different things in different ways. “I’m changing some material this year, with new stuff coming out, but it’s all good and going well so I can’t complain.” 11

Images by Lawrence Lustig/PDC

TEN STARTED BUT ONLY EIGHT WILL REMAIN following Thursday (March 31) evening’s Elimination Night in the Betway Premier League.

Eight rounds of the explosive tournament have been and gone, with Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and – more recently – defending champion Gary Anderson setting the pace. However, the battle to remain in the competition will reach a dramatic conclusion in Cardiff as two players bow out in the race for the play-offs. Who will make the cut? Let us know at @dtb180 and relive the action from the past few weeks with these pictures. 12

eur pean t ur

A closer look at the recent happenings on the European Tour

orld number one Michael van Gerwen refused to rest on his laurels after landing his third Dutch Darts Masters with a breath-taking defeat of Daryl Gurney. The Northern Ireland ace’s sensational run to his first PDC final was ended by the imperious van Gerwen, who slammed home a 112.26 average in his 6-2 triumph on home soil. Love may have been in the air for many on Valentine’s Day, but former global champ MvG was not in the mood for sharing as he saved his best performance of the weekend to topple Gurney in front of more than 4,000 fans at the Evenementenhal. The dynamic Dutchman had already defeated John Henderson in Saturday’s second round, before seeing off Justin Pipe, Dave Chisnall and Mervyn King on his way to the final, landing a 170 checkout in his semi-final defeat of King. Reflecting on taking the £25,000 first prize having won five European Tour events last year, Mighty Mike said: “It feels incredible. It’s fantastic for myself and for the home crowd, and in the final I played good darts. “I hope I can carry this on for the rest of the season but I’m playing well and I’m very pleased with this performance. I want to win as many tournaments as possible and I showed today that I was the best in this tournament.” Van Gerwen kicked off the final with a stunning 152 checkout, with Gurney levelling with a 180 and a 116 finish only to see the Dutchman reel off five 180s in 14

three legs as he fired in legs of 13, 11 and 12 darts to move 4-1 up. Tops for a 14-darter saw van Gerwen move to the brink of victory, and though Gurney responded with double eight for a 14-dart finish, van Gerwen landed another maximum to set up tops for a 13-darter and the title. Gurney’s run to a first PDC final earned him £10,000 prize money as he moved into the world’s top 32 for the first time, after he impressed with some superb displays throughout the Dutch Darts Masters. The Northern Irish qualifier began Sunday’s action with a 105 average as he knocked out Betway Premier League star Peter Wright, before he bettered that with nine 180s and a 106.84 average in a 6-4 quarter-final win over world number three Adrian Lewis. He then dropped just one leg against Austrian ace Mensur Suljovic in the semi-finals, but found the world number one too strong in the decider. “I’m happy just to get to the final and I lost to the best player in the world,” said Gurney. “I take my hat off to him because he’s the best day-in, day-out.” Suljovic’s run to the last four saw him reach that stage for a second successive European Tour event, while King booked his semi-final spot in incredible style by coming from 5-0 down to defeat Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas. Lewis, Chisnall and van de Pas were joined in the quarter-finals by resurgent Simon Whitlock, with the Australian returning to top form after opting to start wearing glasses whilst playing at the turn of the year.

Pics from @OfﬁcialPDC

ichael van Gerwen overcame both illness and a 3-1 deﬁcit to beat Peter Wright and successfully defend his German Darts Masters

crown. The world number one - who had beaten Snakebite in the year’s previous European Tour event final barely a month earlier - recovered from a shaky start to race to victory. He said: “This was probably the worst final we have played but it doesn’t matter how you win as long as you do it. “I’ve not been well for the past two weeks. I’ve felt sick and not played great in the Premier League.” Neither player found their rhythm straight off in the final in Munich and it took van Gerwen 19 darts to open his account before Wright won two legs in a row, the second with double-double 18s. The Scot gave himself daylight at 3-1 courtesy of a 158 check-out before van Gerwen ramped up the pressure and eventually levelled with an 85 finish in leg eight. From then on, van Gerwen looked the likely winner and when Wright missed double 16 to force a deciding leg, the world number one clinched the £25,000 winner’s cheque with a 70 finish. It was a difficult route to the final for van Gerwen, but he showed his class throughout on day three at the BallHaus Forum.

In the quarter-finals he produced a final leg worthy of a world number one and averaged 108 as he avoided a potential upset against Chris Dobey. Dobey produced the performance of his life, rattling in finishes of 86, 130, 143 and 87 to put van Gerwen on the back foot needing to win both the last two legs. But the Dutchman lived up to his billing and after levelling the match with a 111 check out he pulled out an 11-darter with two maximums and a showbiz double 12, double 10 finish to edge through. In the semi-finals, he came through a scrappy clash with the in-form Joe Cullen to secure a 6-1 victory and reach the final two. Cullen couldn’t find the form that had seen him demolish Gary Anderson 6-0 in the previous round and was easily brushed aside, despite a 180 in the opening leg which was the tournament’s 200th. Wright was also impressive throughout and coasted in to the semi-finals with a 6-2 despite a brave display from James Richardson The Scot then made it through to a fourth career European Tour final with a 6-4 victory over number two seed Michael Smith - who beat Ian White to reach the final four. 15

BDO NEWS F

ormer Lakeside champion Scott Mitchell boasted a 100 per cent doubles conversion rate as he raced to the Isle of Man Okells Classic title at the expense of Geert de Vos. The Dorset-based farmer notched a 97.88 average in his 6-2 triumph, taking out 138 for one leg whilst also hammering three 180s and seven 140-plus scores. Victory for Scotty Dog represented a return to form having exited the Pokerstars Open in the quarter ﬁnals a day earlier at the festival on March 12-13. Mitchell had checked out in 11, 13, 15 and 11 darts in his last 16 clash with Simon Stainton only for a two-hour delay for live streaming to derail hopes of Saturday glory. He told the Bournemouth Echo: “I was a bit narked from

the day before. I went out of the Open to an outsider in Ryan Joyce. To be fair, he went on to make the final and played brilliantly. “Because it was live-streamed I had a two hour break and was not happy. It was not expected and I think I played with a bit of vengeance the next day to prove what I could have done. “It was a really good performance and all the more pleasing as it was with a new set of darts that I have only had for around six weeks.” Joyce’s impressive run to the Open final was halted by Tony O’Shea, with Lisa Ashton defeating Deta Hedman to take the women’s competition honours. WDF world number one Hedman bounced back in fine fashion in the Women’s Classic, however, beating Rhian Griffiths to the title as Ashton bowed out in the semis.

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EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT World Champion Gary Anderson has set his sights on a history-making treble signing a new contract with Unicorn. The Scot has penned a new deal which will take the partnership with Unicorn to the 10 year mark and he is aiming for a third consecutive World Championship crown to celebrate. “It is no coincidence that I have produced the best darts of my life since joining up with Unicorn in 2011. I was the nearly man. Well, now I’m not. To win back-to-back World Championship titles has been a huge achievement. To win three on the spin is the ultimate,” he said. Phil Taylor fans will be able to get their hands on the darts that have helped propel him towards the top of the Betway Premier League table ahead of schedule. Target had originally intended to release the Power 9Five Gen 3 later this year, but has since announced both steel and soft tip varieties will be available from April 1. Alongside the complete sets, Target – who also boasts the likes of Adrian Lewis and Dave Chisnall on its books – will release their Power Titanium G3 Silica Shafts on the same day. Incorporating Target’s grip style technology, the titanium shafts are coated in titanium nitride. Completing the range are Power Flights, including Vision Vapor, Edge, No6 and Vapor-S – Taylor’s new ﬂight shape.

Winmau has extended its support of the Scottish Darts Association by backing three events in the country. The prestigious BDO British Internationals in Association with Winmau will run from 8-10 April at the Glenrothes Recreation and Social Club. The Winmau Scottish Youth U18 Tour aims to unearth the next generation of top talent, with the Winmau Scottish Youth Masters the latest addition to the calendar. Red Dragon Darts has launched the latest generation of its Plasma range. The 90 per cent tungsten darts are available in a selection of barrel designs, weighing 20, 22, 23,24, 25 or 26 grams. Priced at £29.90, the eye-catching Plasma coating design is “obsessed with performance and wide-eyed styling”, according the company’s website. Each purchased pack includes a RD Tri-Fold Pro wallet, two sets of Hardcore ﬂights, polycarbonate shafts and 2BA threads. 17

ON THE

SOCIAL A selection of tweets from the world of darts.

www.downthebarrel.co.uk 18

twitter.com/DTB180

facebook.com/DownTheBarrel180

Name?

Kevin Painter

3 Darts?

Winmau

4 Nickname?

questions

2 Age? The Artist

World Ranking?

c? 6 Walk-on musi I Predict A Riot - Kaiser Chiefs 7 Best mate on tour?

He doesn’t play any more, but when he did it was Wayne Mardle.

8 Biggest

joker on tour?

10 Worst

dressed on tour?

with kevin painter

15 Favourite

tv programme?

That 70’s Show - I love it. I watched eight on the trot the other day!

sport 16 Favourite than darts?

other

Football - I am a huge Ipswich Town fan

Wes Newton - he’s always messing 17 if i wasn't a darts player... around and pulling pranks Still be on the building site. I had been a ground worker from when I left school 9 Best dressed on tour? It has to be me, obviously! at 16 until turning pro in 1996 if my house 18 save... Matt Edgar - he dresses like a tramp

11 most as a

satisfying achievement pro?

was on fire i'd

The pictures of my daughter

one tip for a budding this ls, Fina hip 19 ions mp Cha s yer professional Apart from winning the Pla is my 20th year as a professional. That’s still satisfying and If you want to turn pro, be ready for plenty of something not a lot of people can say disappointment because there’s much more of

12 Favourite

venue?

It used to be the Circus Tavern when we played there, but it has to be Alexandra Palace now. That’s where I get my best results.

13 Favourite

band/artist?

14 Favourite

food?

I’d have to say The Stranglers Indian. I do like a chicken tikka, which isn’t very Indian, I know.

that than joy when you play. You’re going to have to make a lot of sacrifices which affects everything in your life. thing 20 one about me

nobody knows

Within three months of passing my driving test I wrapped my brand new chocolate Mark I Ford Capri around a lamppost, 100 yards from where I lived. 19

APRIL

CALENDAR 1st

The Ridon Glass Showdown in Southsea, England v Rest of the World. More details www.dartshop.tv The Main Event, Saskatoon, Canada Virginia Beach Classic, USA White Mountain Shootout, USA BICC Inter-County matches

21st

APRIL 2016

Betway Premier League 12, Bournemouth

European Tour 3-4 Qualiﬁer, Muelheim, Germany

2nd

T Electronics Lakeside Champion of Champions. Tickets 01252 836464 Armageddon, Hermitage Leisure Centre, Whitwick. Visit darts.mdapromotions.co.uk for tickets

22nd

Unicorn Development Tour 5-8, Muelheim, Germany

3rd

BICC Inter-County matches

Betway Premier League 10, Shefﬁeld

23rd

Unicorn Development Tour 5-8, Muelheim, Germany

7th

BICC Inter-County matches

Players Championships 3-5, Barnsley

8th

28th

BDO British Internationals, Glenrothes, Scotland Players Championships 3-5, Barnsley BDO British Internationals, Glenrothes, Scotland Charlotte Open, USA

9th

14th

The Edinburgh Darts Classic, The Corn Exchange. www.dartshop.tv for tickets

16th

Tiptree Heath FC presents Kevin “The Artist” Painter. Call 07917 424059 for tickets Bulls German Masters and Open, Bochum

Bulls German Masters and Open, Bochum

Betway Premier League 13, Birmingham

Winmau Denmark Open

30th

BDO British Internationals, Glenrothes, Scotland

Betway Premier League 11, Belfast

24th

Estonian Open (lasts until May 1)

Players Championships 3-5, Barnsley

10th

23 - Scarlets Darts Masters, Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli. Tickets exclusively from tickets.scarlets.co.uk

17th

29th

Winmau Denmark Open Players Championship 6, Barnsley

Holding a darts event in May or later that you want to see featured on this page? Drop us a line at info@downthebarrel.co.uk with the details!

s ʼ a b Jab r e b b Ja W

elcome to my first column for Down The Barrel! I’m really looking forward to working with the lads at DTB, bringing you a rarelyseen insight into life as a professional darts player. I must admit, it’s been a really busy few months so far this year – with mixed returns from the oche. A holiday after the William Hill World Championship certainly seemed to do the trick as I hit a nine-darter in European Tour Qualifier One, on my way to booking a place at Venray for the Dutch Darts Masters. Having really enjoyed this January’s PDC annual awards in London, it will be even sweeter to go back next year to collect my golden pin for that perfect leg. I went into the Coral UK Open at the second round stage, beating Gary Stone before then battling past Lee Evans 9-7. It was a great game against a great player and when I went ahead at 8-7 it was the first time I’d led. I took out 170 for the game – it’s all about taking opportunities. However, I came unstuck against Stephen Bunting on a cold second stage. I won’t make excuses, the conditions are the same for everyone. The Players Championship is up and running again and it was useful to win £2,000 – even if I was beaten in my board final by Michael van Gerwen on both days in Barnsley. He beat me 6-2 and 6-5. On the Sunday I did actually lead, but then he just went mental, like he does. It’s almost as if he’s sitting there waiting. He fired in a 170 finish, broke me in the next and didn’t really look back. Away from the competitions, I’ve had plenty of exhibitions – and even fitted in time to celebrate my 40th birthday! I went to the Betway Premier League in Nottingham as we always do and my wife Debbie and

PDC media manager Dave Allen had organised for me to do a walk-on. Thankfully it wasn’t televised as I felt a right div walking down with a big badge saying ‘I’m 40’, but it was still a really thoughtful thing to do. We also had a lovely meal with Unicorn, which was great. I’ve had a couple of events in Germany with Ian White, as well as a couple more in Cornwall and Plymouth. I’ve got a few in the South West and I get to meet some really lovely people – including one woman running the London Marathon who I’m helping to raise funds for her chosen charity. I’m also delighted to be involved with the Leicester City Football Club’s Foxes Foundation in April. They’ve already raised £1 million, giving back to the community they serve so well. I’ll be playing seven darts venues across the city on one night towards the end of the month – and can’t wait. The Premier League is really hotting up and Judgement Night looks superb. Gary Anderson has had some catching up to do after missing the ﬁrst week and then coming up against Phil and MvG. But he’s ploughed through the lot and is deﬁnitely in my top three. Adie Lewis is coming into some great form and it’s brilliant to see him catch them up, but those three will head it in my opinion. Thanks for reading – make sure you give me a follow at @jabba180 and visit www.jamiecaven.co.uk to keep up to date with my progress.

Until next time!

Jamie

competition time! E

a set of Unicorn Gary Anderson World Champion darts up for grabs thanks to our friends at unicorn darts.

ver dreamt of playing like a World Champion? Well, thanks to Down The Barrel and Unicorn Darts you could at least be kitted out like our very ﬁrst cover star. We’re delighted to announce that we have joined forces with the company that boasts more than 75 years of innovation and experience to offer you the chance to win a set of Gary Anderson World Champion 90% Tungsten darts. Using the same barrel design as used by World Champions, World Champion aluminium shafts, premium wallet and an engraved Unicorn hallmark, the model is recommended by two-time Alexandra Palace winner Anderson himself. Unicorn says: “Team Unicorn is prove to have four World Champions. No other brand has more Champions or more Championship victories. As World Champions they demand the very best. This is what they use.”

But how do you win a set? By subscribing to edition one you have automatically been entered into the draw to land them. We will be drawing one subscriber’s name at random from a hat on Thursday 21 April, with the victor notiﬁed soon after via email. But rest assured – we will only use your details to send you your copy of Down The Barrel and contact you if you take the top prize in one of our competitions. Didn’t win this month? Don’t worry, thanks to those kind people at Unicorn we’ll be running competitions for more world class equipment every month!

You may have reached the end, but never fear – edition two will be in your inbox before you know it! We’re delighted to have already conﬁrmed a Betway Premier League ace as our second cover star, with Jamie Caven ready to return with his insightful column. The ever-improving and resurgent Welsh wizard Mark Webster pops into DTB Towers, whilst we vow to bring you even more news, views, action pics and dates for your diary. Keep visiting www.downthebarrel.co.uk for all The latest news from the darts world. Like us at www.facebook.com/DownTheBarrel180 to get involved in the debate and give us a follow on Twitter at @dtb180. Thanks for reading and we look forward to speaking to you soon! 22