Thibault Tricole becomes first Frenchman to play at PDC World Darts Championship in blow to Lakeside line-up

Thibault Tricole managed to qualify for the World Darts Championship on Saturday. The 34-year-old Frenchman was the best during the so-called West Europe World Championship Qualifier in Kalkar.

Tricole defeated Wesley Plaisier (7-4) in the final. Plaisier failed to become the tenth Dutchman to qualify for the World Darts Championship via this qualifier. This qualifier exists since 2010 and often produced a Dutch winner.

Only in 2011 (Jose de Sousa), 2012 (Carlos Rodriguez), 2017 (Kenny Neyens) and so 2023 did no Dutch winner emerge. Roland Scholten, Gino Vos, Jermaine Wattimena, Sven Groen, Jerry Hendriks, Yordi Meeuwisse, Jan Dekker, Chris Landman and Jimmy Hendriks were the nine previous Dutch winners.

Winners West Europe World Championship Qualifier

2010: Roland Scholten (6-4 Armando Jimenez)

2011: Jose de Sousa (6-3 Eduardo Sales Lopes)

2012: Carlos Rodriguez (6-5 Stefan Couwenberg)

2013: Gino Vos (6-3 Dick van Dijk)

2014: Jermaine Wattimena (6-3 Kenny Neyens)

2015: Sven Groen (6-3 Mario Robbe)

2016: Jerry Hendriks (6-4 Jan Dekker)

2017: Kenny Neyens (6-4 Davyd Venken)

2018: Yordi Meeuwisse (6-3 Fabian Roosenbrand)

2019: Jan Dekker (6-5 Derk Telnekes)

2020: (not played)

2021: Chris Landman (6-2 Mats Gies)

2022: Jimmy Hendriks (7-2 Max Hopp)

2023: Thibault Tricole (7-4 Wesley Plaisier)