“I’d say this is now the premier women’s event”: Lorraine Winstanley picks Women’s World Matchplay over prestige of Lakeside

Lorraine Winstanley believes the Women’s World Matchplay has overtaken Lakeside as the pinnacle of the women’s darts calendar — and she’s told Dartsnews.com, she is determined to make the most of her return to the iconic Winter Gardens stage.

“I do love Lakeside,” she said in her pre-Women's World Matchplay press conference. “But for exposure and prestige, this has taken over. I’d say this is now the premier women’s event.”

The 48-year-old is back in Blackpool after missing out last year, and while the heat in the famous venue is just as she remembers, the hunger within her feels newly reignited. “It’s nice to be back,” she smiled. “It still feels warm though – I’m already sweating! But I’m looking forward to it.”

Winstanley admits missing the cut in previous years took a toll — and underlines just how special it is to be among the eight-player field.“Of course it hurts when you don’t qualify,” she said. “This is the opportunity to showcase the women’s game on a big stage. With only eight players making it, you know you’ve done something right if you’re here.”

Her return hasn’t come by accident. After a difficult spell mentally, she’s rediscovered her form — and her desire to compete. “I never lost my love for the game,” she said. “But I was just going through the motions. Missing out on the second event hit me hard. Mentally, it took time to get over that, but this past year I’ve felt that fire again. I’m enjoying playing darts.”

She’ll take on Noa-Lynn van Leuven in the opening round — but won’t be distracted by her opponent’s recent struggles.“I’m always looking for an opportunity — but I only focus on myself. You have to be selfish in this game and just look after number one.”

Her mindset is clear: she’s not here to make up the numbers.

As one of the game’s most experienced figures, Winstanley has witnessed first-hand the sport’s evolution — and believes the PDC’s Women’s Series has been instrumental in that growth. “The PDC introducing the Women’s Series gave us options. Before that, we only had the BDO, and international travel was expensive. I once went all the way to the Romanian Open just to earn two ranking points — and I had to win it to do so!”

While she’s grateful for the increased opportunities, she’s hopeful the Matchplay itself will grow too. “There’s definitely room to increase the field here to 16. And I’d love to see more integration — not competing against the men, but having more women’s events alongside. The UK Open, for instance, could host a women’s tournament alongside the men’s.”

Winstanley credits the next generation of players with helping to reignite her motivation. Through her work with Target Darts and youth academies across the UK, she’s seen the sport’s future up close. “The kids are amazing. The talent out there is huge, and there’s no age limit in darts. Seeing what these youngsters can do gives me motivation to stay sharp, to lead by example and keep competing.”

She reflected on how different her own journey was — starting at 18 in a pub league with no youth infrastructure in sight. “There was nothing like that when I started. Now they get stage experience from a young age, which is brilliant. And of course, nobody wants to get beaten by a kid, do they?”

Darts is more than a career for Winstanley — it’s a lifestyle. “It’s my work and my only hobby. I live, breathe, eat darts — even think about it in my sleep!”

She practises regularly with fellow pro Laura Turner, though husband and former nine-dart hero Dean Winstanley has taken a back seat. “I’m trying to encourage him, but he’s busy running his business now," she explains.

As a Target ambassador, Winstanley also weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding Winmau’s exclusion of non-affiliated academies from their junior tournament.

“If it had been announced as a Winmau-only tournament from the start, nobody would have said anything,” she explained. “But linking it with the JDC caused confusion and frustration. I feel sorry for the kids who support the JDC and are now excluded just because their academy is backed by a different brand. That’s not fair.”

Looking ahead, Winstanley believes a full-time professional circuit for women could become a reality — if the game continues to grow. “We need more money, more exposure, and more competitions,” she said. “Sponsorship opportunities will follow if those things improve. I can’t say it’ll happen soon — but it’s definitely possible in the future.”

As for rising stars, she refuses to name just one — though one young talent has caught her eye. “There’s so much talent — it would be unfair to pick just one. But do keep an eye on Paige. She’s in the Girls’ Series final and already a WDF World Champion. That says it all.”