After a couple of trips earlier this year to the farm – Bradmoor, not Jeremy Clarkson’s – both the ADC and WADC Winmau Championship Tours came to a conclusion, with the final four events taking place in Leicester.
Ever chivalrous, Darts World went with the ladies first – and to the WADC. If Lisa Ashton had woken up next to a magic lamp on Sunday 27th July, her three wishes would likely have been: win the Women’s Matchplay in Blackpool and bag all four WADC events in Leicester. Yes, that’s technically five wishes – blame the genie. His rules, not mine.
The first wish became reality as she defeated Queen of the Palace, Fallon Sherrock, on the Winter Gardens stage to land that particular trophy on the Ashton mantelpiece. Then she went and did a Beau Greaves-style execution job on the field, taking all four titles at the Mattioli Arena.
The first victory of the quartet came via a 5-2 win over Angela Kirkwood. Among the Lancashire Rose’s scalps was Trina Gulliver MBE in the quarter-finals, with Lisa consistently averaging in the low to mid-80s throughout.
Quick cuppa and a sandwich later, the Bolton legend was back at it – this time triumphing over Jo Locke 5-3 to make it back-to-back wins. Neither player was at their best, but the 54-year-old was closer to hers and calmly gobbled up consecutive titles.
Onto Sunday, and clearly Ashton had filled her bowl with Shredded Wheat, as she completed her hat-trick by edging former table-topper Gemma Hayter in a last-leg decider – shortly after doing the same to Jo Locke. Perhaps her standout performance was a 92 average while breezing past oche legend Deta Hedman 4-1 in the last 16.
All eyes were on whether Ashton could leave the East Midlands unbeaten – and the only answer was a resounding yes. Steph Clark became the fourth woman to fall in a final to the Lancastrian, losing 5-2. Simply breath-taking from the quadruple BDO Women’s World Champion, who must feel unbeatable. Fitting, since over the past seven days, that’s exactly what she was – 24 straight wins, including three at the Winter Gardens. Take a bow, the one and only Lisa Ashton. Now, where’s that MBE, King Charles?
Lisa unsurprisingly ended the tour top of the mountain just ahead of Gemma Hayter and those two will take their place in the ADC Global Championship line up. The six additional players heading to MODUS in November’s Grand Finals are: Jo Locke, Angela Kirkwood, Deta Hedman, Even Watson, Steph Clarke and Eleanor Cairns.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
