FROM today you can order our 582nd Issue in full colour print. It’s packed with our regular features, a focus on Q School, star name Columns and reports and results of all types from across the UK and wider Darts World.
On the OCHE
CONGRATULATIONS Michael Smith
Hindsight often makes people believe certain things were inevitable, or at least they claim to do so. The achievements of Michael Smith prove much of such sentiment to be utter nonsense. If you believed Twitter and other such echo chambers, not a single soul believed that Bullyboy would come up short. Yet, any honest darts fan knows this is not the truth.
For many months, if not years, the St. Helens man has had to put up with vast amounts of harsh criticism and personal abuse. Even some sensible observers thought that the mental block was too great and that Smith was destined to be the best player never to win a major title.
For what it’s worth Darts World did not believe this and sensed a change in the new World Champion back in 2021. Our feature story ‘Meet Squire Smith’ (Issue 576) showed Michael as he really is, rather than the lazy cutouts that have been painted elsewhere.
What a response he has produced. The newly minted World Champion seems to be having a fine time of it and even found time to win in Bahrain before making the Semi at The Masters. Add in his Grand Slam triumph and the World No.1 spot he now holds and perhaps, the wait, if not the negativity, was worthwhile.
Darts will have at least four main World Champions in 2023 but they will be set out differently than previously. The second of whom was crowned last weekend. Huge congratulations to Robert Thornton who defended his WSDT World Crown with seemingly the minimum of fuss and bother.
The WDF restructure sees the 2023 event held back until early December in an attempt to get on to a two-year cycle and snaffle a piece of the calendar for the showpiece event. Both Men’s and Women’s events will be based on the 2022 qualifiers whilst the two-year calendar gets underway for its 2024 debut.
December also saw The Netherlands hosting the first of the prestigious ‘Old majors’ to be held outside the UK. The Winmau World Masters was subjected to a root and branch revamp and saw the beginning of a power shift in the WDF with two Dutch players Aileen de Graaf and Wesey Plaisier claiming the senior titles; a pattern was repeated at this month’s Dutch Open.
There are more organisations, opportunities, and activities than ever. Therefore there will be more controversies, storms in proverbial tea cups, and political machinations than ever as well. Already the WDF has lost its chief development officer who seems to have committed the cardinal sin of ‘development’?
Darts World continues to celebrate 50 years and the special edition publications and products have gone down a treat with all concerned. We would again like to thank contributors, advertisers, and especially readers for everything you bring.
For the first time in many years, we are back to being a monthly magazine. Issue 582 marks the 13th consecutive month that we have published either a Print, Extra or Souvenir magazine.
2023 looks likely to be a bounty year for darts and we look forward to sharing it with you, as always.
—–ENDS—–
Images: Darts World Magazine
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