PDC & Winmau Forge a Decade-Long Future with New Blade X Dartboard
In a landmark announcement, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has revealed a significant extension of its partnership with Winmau, the renowned darts equipment manufacturer. This collaboration, which has already thrived for four years, is now set to continue for at least another ten years. The highlight of this renewed commitment is the introduction of the Winmau Blade X dartboard, which will become the official board for all PDC stage events, showcasing its innovation in 17 different countries by 2026.
Winmau will also remain the title sponsor for key developmental tours, including the Challenge Tour, Development Tour, and the World Youth Championship, underscoring their dedication to nurturing future darts talent.
PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter emphasized the shared vision for darts’ future, praising Winmau’s “unmatched commitment to innovation, quality, and performance.” Tom Brown, CEO of Nodor Group and Winmau, echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in presenting the Blade X on darts’ biggest stages and their collective drive for the sport’s global growth.
Modus Super Series Kicks Off Season 13 with a Surprise Winner
The Modus Darts Super Series has launched into its 13th season, delivering immediate excitement. The first week saw a surprising victory by Steve Green, who triumphed 4-2 over Henry Coates in the final. Green’s path to victory included a full-distance semi-final win against Danny Ayres, while Coates overcame Lee Cocks 4-2.
Adding to the anticipation, the organizers have announced a unique ‘Royal Rumble’ tournament for this year. Inspired by wrestling, two players will start on stage; the winner stays, the loser is eliminated, and the next player steps up. Players enter the oche one by one, with the winner of the final match being crowned champion. Details on starting positions and match formats (likely single-leg contests) are expected soon.
UK Open Amateur Qualifier: Neil Wild Secures His Spot
The second UK Open Amateur Qualifier of the season took place in Solihull, with Neil Wild earning his coveted ticket to Minehead. Wild defeated David Sumner 5-3 in the final, securing his place at one of darts’ most prestigious events.
Asian Tour Dominance: Muramatsu’s Double, Leung & Arihara Shine in Dubai
The PDC Asian Tour commenced its new season with four tournaments held in Dubai, showcasing intense competition and remarkable performances.
- Haruki Muramatsu’s Double Triumph: “Rising Sun” was unstoppable on Saturday, first winning an all-Japanese final against Motomu Sakai 5-4, coming back from a 2-4 deficit. Hours later, he secured his second title with a dominant 5-1 victory over Altantülkhüür Myagmarsüren of Mongolia, achieving an average close to 100.
- Man Lok Leung’s Breakthrough: On Sunday, with Muramatsu exiting in the Last 32, the door opened for others. Man Lok Leung seized the opportunity, defeating Alain Abiabi 5-3 in the final of Event 3.
- Ryuta Arihara’s Comeback Win: The first weekend concluded with a third Japanese triumph as Ryuta Arihara staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a 1-4 deficit to beat Christian Perez 5-4 in the final of Event 4.
After the opening weekend, Haruki Muramatsu leads the rankings with $5,300. Other top contenders include Man Lok Leung ($3,400), Ryuta Arihara ($2,900), Motomu Sakai ($2,700), and Altantülkhüür Myagmarsüren ($2,250), who currently holds a qualifying spot for the PDC World Championship as the highest-ranked Mongolian player.
European Tour Qualifiers: Krcmar’s Double Success in East Europe
The first four European Tour Qualifiers of the year were hotly contested in Slovakia, with winners earning tickets to upcoming European Tour events.
- Boris Krcmar’s Clutch Performance: Krcmar secured his spot for the European Tour premiere in Krakow, famously surviving match darts against Andras Borbely in a thrilling 6-5 final.
- Wojciech Brulinski’s Debut: Poland’s Wojciech Brulinski will make his European Darts Trophy debut in Göttingen, after a 6-5 victory over Boris Krcmar.
- Krcmar’s Second Qualification: Krcmar quickly bounced back, securing his second qualification for the European Tour event in Wieze with a dominant 6-0 whitewash over Pal Szekely in the final.
- Patrik Kovacs’ Decider Win: Patrik Kovacs will be seen in Munich, having won his qualifier in a deciding leg against Dominik Moravcik.
WDF Weekend Extravaganza in Romania: Champions Crowned
Bucharest hosted a massive WDF weekend featuring three tournaments, culminating in stage finals on Sunday evening with callers Richard Ashdown and Nick Rolls.
Bucharest Open (Bronze Tournament):
- Men’s Winner: Neil Duff defeated Harry Lane 5-2.
- Women’s Winner: The experienced 68-year-old Paula Jacklin claimed victory with a 5-3 win over Emine Dursun. Irina Armstrong reached the semi-finals.
Romanian Classic (Silver Tournament):
- Men’s Winner: Jenson Walker triumphed 5-1 over Moreno Blom, showcasing an 84-average.
- Women’s Winner: Germany’s Irina Armstrong navigated a tough path, including a decider against Kirsi Viinikainen, to beat Deta Hedman 5-2 in the final with a 75-average.
Romanian Open (Silver Tournament):
- Men’s Winner: In a surprising final, Cayden Smith defeated Mladen Radosavljevic 5-2.
- Women’s Winner: World Champion Deta Hedman secured the title with a 5-1 victory over Kirsi Viinikainen. Irina Armstrong reached another semi-final, rounding off a strong weekend.
Canada’s Snoflake Open: Suderman and Sato Claim Titles
A WDF Bronze-ranked tournament, the Snoflake Open, was held in Canada, seeing new champions emerge.
- Men’s Winner: Evan Suderman clinched the men’s title with a dominant whitewash (6-0) over Shane Rattigan in the final.
- Women’s Winner: Japan’s Shiori Sato secured the women’s title, defeating Kosuzu Iwao 5-1 and demonstrating a solid 70-average in the final.
German Darts Federation (DDV) Updates
The DDV has announced the cancellation of a previously scheduled ranking tournament for February 14-15, 2026. This means the third and final open DDV tournament of the season, the Oelsnitz Open, will take place on April 18-19. Registration is already open.
Additionally, numerous DDV state ranking tournaments were held, with winners emerging from Berlin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia, showcasing regional talent.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
