Kirsty Hutchinson made the decision to not play the recent PDC Women's Series finale with a goal in mind and that was securing her spot at Lakeside.
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As per the WDF criteria, winning the Welsh Open secured Hutchinson an automatic spot and with the big names not there, she spoke about the turnout for the tournament.
"I tactically decided to go to the Welsh Open. It wasn't as busy as most years but there was still a good turnout and it was still a packed out venue," said Hutchinson to Tungsten Tales.
Dream debut sealed
Previously playing at the Indigo in the BDO's final year before their demise, Hutchinson will finally make her Lakeside debut in January and it is a dream come true.
"I do find stage play very hard. I haven't got much experience after I decided to take a step back from county darts. So I'm hardly ever on that big stage, I played really well at the World's but it'll be nothing like the experience I'll have at Lakeside.
"Lakeside is the home of darts, that's where everybody dreams to be when they're playing at the amateur level. It was a totally different feeling than when I qualified to play at the O2. This is the dream now."
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Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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