Dobey Maxes Hildesheim Gala Glory

Hollywood Chris Dobey claimed both honours in Germany, defeating Martin Schindler and Dirk van Duijvenbode on Friday and Saturday evening respectively to cap off a memorable exhibition weekend in Deutschland.

The celebrated Halle 39 in Hildesheim enjoyed a highly anticipated renaissance on the international darts landscape last weekend, as the inaugural Winamax Hildesheim Darts Gala brought elite names and capacity crowds back to one of Germany’s most cherished venues.

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Having disappeared from the PDC calendar following the final staging of the German Darts Championship in 2025, the historic arena once again became the focal point of European darts, hosting a star-laden two-day exhibition extravaganza that attracted in excess of 4,000 spectators.

Among an illustrious cast featuring Raymond van Barneveld, Nathan Aspinall, Jonny Clayton, Martin Schindler, Devon Petersen and Dirk van Duijvenbode, it was England’s Chris Dobey who emerged as the pre-eminent figure of the weekend. The Bedlington thrower produced a sequence of commanding performances across both evenings to establish himself as the undisputed protagonist of the gala’s maiden edition.

Friday’s proceedings commenced with round-robin encounters, where Martin Schindler announced his intentions with a comprehensive whitewash victory over Devon Petersen. Elsewhere, Raymond van Barneveld began his campaign by overcoming fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode, while Nathan Aspinall subsequently edged the five-time World Champion in a pulsating deciding-leg affair.

Dobey’s own campaign gathered momentum with successive victories, including a notable triumph over German number one Schindler, securing his progression to the latter stages. In the knockout phase, “Hollywood” demonstrated his composure and clinical finishing by defeating Aspinall before overcoming Schindler in a dramatic deciding-leg final to capture the first title of the weekend.

Raymond Van Barneveld, Darts Player, Netherlands, Winamax Hildesheim Darts Festival 2026

If Friday established Dobey as the man to beat, Saturday merely reinforced that status. The world number seven resumed his imperious form with further emphatic displays. While Dirk van Duijvenbode and Raymond van Barneveld headed their respective groups, Dobey once again negotiated the preliminary phase with remarkable assurance, including another emphatic victory over Devon Petersen.

Arno Merk, entrusted with representing German interests on the second evening, acquitted himself admirably despite suffering narrow defeats against both van Barneveld and Nathan Aspinall.

As the tournament progressed towards its denouement, Dobey elevated his game further still. A ruthless 4-0 dismantling of Aspinall in the semi-finals secured another place in the showpiece encounter, where van Duijvenbode awaited following his victory over van Barneveld.

Any expectation of a closely contested finale quickly evaporated. Delivering perhaps his most authoritative display of the weekend, Dobey produced a flawless exhibition to dispatch the Dutchman 4-0 and complete an emphatic double triumph, thereby crowning himself the unequivocal champion of the inaugural Winamax Hildesheim Darts Gala.

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The event represented the ninth instalment of PDC Europe’s increasingly expansive gala calendar in 2026, following successful visits to Wetzlar, Frankfurt, Leipzig, the Nürburgring, Neu-Ulm, Bamberg, Magdeburg and Mannheim.

Although these exhibitions do not contribute towards ranking positions, they have become an increasingly valuable component of the professional landscape, providing elite performers with invaluable stage exposure while simultaneously fostering a closer rapport with supporters.

Following the resounding success of the Hildesheim spectacle, PDC Europe has already confirmed the continuation of its gala series into 2027, with further engagements scheduled in Bremen, Jena, Cologne and Lingen, ensuring that the appetite for elite darts entertainment across Germany remains as fervent as ever.