Cairns reveals added motivation ahead of Lakeside final: "My mum always said never let anyone dull your sparkle"

Eleanor Cairns becomes the latest St Helens talent to come through the Darts Academy to compete at Lakeside in a World final as she faces Wibke Rieman on Sunday 10 April.

A rising star, she competed in the JDC Super 16 final losing to Luke Littler and has also captained her county and represented England at youth level.

There is added motivation always for Cairns with the 17-year-old losing her Mum 24 hours before her senior county debut.

“My mum always said never let anyone dull your sparkle, and that still means the most to me today,” she said to Fen Regis Trophies. “Age 13 [when I hit my first 180], I was so happy and shouted at my mum going ‘look, mum, look!’”. 

No doubt, Cairns will think of her when she takes to the famous Lakeside stage and has been going from strength to strength in terms of her darting talent.

“Getting to play at Lakeside [is one of my biggest achievements so far],” she said. “Alongside representing my country and being signed by Target Darts.”

“I’ve played Lisa Ashton, Fallon Sherrock, Lorraine Winstanley, Anastasia Dobromyslova, Michael Smith, and Ian White. I haven’t won any, but I have taken legs and it’s all experience.”

Click here to buy your tickets for the return to Lakeside which will also be shown live on Eurosport and Discovery Plus.