Making a perfect start to her 2023 WDF
World Championship campaign, Lorraine Winstanley didn’t drop a single leg en route to a 2-0 victory over Veronika Ihasz.
Winstanley has had to wait for her first match at Lakeside this year, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as she explains post-match. “It allows you to watch the first couple of days at home, all the coverage on YouTube and then it gave me time to come down and soak up a bit of the atmosphere,” she says.
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Schedule Thursday at Lakeside 2023 including Lisa Ashton, Leonard Gates and defending champion Neil Duff
A former finalist at Lakeside back in 2019, where she was defeated by Mikuru Suzuki, Winstanley has some good memories of this iconic venue. “There’s just no place like it,” she smiles. “It gives me goosebumps when I drive through the gates. It’s the home of darts!”
Having been a stalwart of the women’s game over the past decade, Winstanley has also seen the progression to where the prize money for the winner this year is a record £25,000. “We’re seeing players from all over the world whereas before it was very much UK and Europe heavy. It really has become a World Championships in recent years.”
The favourite for overall victory this year though, is undoubtedly, Beau Greaves. “She’s different gravy and she has been for a long time. She has been one that hasn’t struggled with that transition from being on the scene as a 12-year-old, she’s made made that transition beautifully.”
In the quarter-final, Winstanley will face Dutchwoman, Aileen de Graaf, who came through a thriller with Nicole Regnaud.
