Chris Wickenden is along time friend of DartsWorld and, after our early recognition of this superb Midlands talent with our Amateur Award, it’s a pleasure to check in on his progress as often as we can.
Among the emerging names on the PDC Challenge Tour, few have cultivated momentum quite as impressively as Chris. The Warwickshire thrower, affectionately known as Pugs, currently occupies a lofty position on the secondary circuit and has placed himself firmly within touching distance of the sport’s most coveted commodity – a full-time PDC Tour Card.
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He is also engaging, individual and interesting as a personality as our recent interview outlines:
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Recently, Wickenden spoke exclusively to Bang On Target. Beginning, he discovered the origins of his nickname are surprisingly straightforward.
“Pugs comes from when I was younger at school. I was about 10 and had a shaved head with a blonde fringe. One of the older lads said I looked like Pugsley off The Addams Family, and it’s stuck ever since.”
Wickenden’s rise has not been linear. Having first pursued professional ambitions more than a decade ago, his progress was abruptly interrupted by one of darts’ most debilitating afflictions.
“I stopped playing due to dartitis. At the time, I was playing some good stuff and picking up a few local titles when, bang, the dreaded D-word hit. I carried on trying to play through it for a while, which was very frustrating. Then, during one local league game, I got accused of cheating because I was stepping over the oche, and all hell broke loose. After that, I decided to put the arrows down and took up golf, fishing and whatever else I could sink my teeth into.”
Years later, an invitation from former teammates reignited his passion for the game.
“To be honest, darting-wise I wasn’t great back then – just a half-decent pub player trying to break into the county team. Eight years later, some of my old teammates got a side together and asked me to play again, so I picked the darts back up. I played all season and the dartitis was still there. I lost all my games but enjoyed the craic with the lads and turned up every week.”
Persistence has since yielded tangible rewards. A maiden Challenge Tour title in Hildesheim, victories over established names and a growing collection of ProTour appearances have underlined his burgeoning credentials.
“Of course, that’s the ultimate goal – to be there full-time. It would be great to make darts my living, and that’s the dream and what I’ll work towards.”
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For Wickenden, the destination is unmistakably clear. After years of adversity, frustration and reconstruction, the prospect of permanent residence among the sport’s elite no longer appears aspirational. It appears increasingly attainable.
Images: ADC and Chris Sargeant / Tip Top Pics
