To Hull And Back - Day 3 - Time For The Winmau Hat

Posted: 09.10.15 in Darts Performance Centre Blog category

Yes, still in Hull!

Thursday 8 October

Dear Diary

Another hectic day! It was the Winmau qualifiers today! I switched my BDO hat for a Winmau one and most of the social media content goes onto the Winmau Facebook and Twitter. I then retweet any key news on to the BDO pages.

It was rammed in the City Hall until quite late in the afternoon. The Men went first today and they were behind schedule. There has been quite an issue with losing players not returning to mark and volunteer chalkers (understandably) are hard to come by. So as the Men’s games were drawing to a close the Ladies and Youth were itching to start and desperately looking for a board to practise on.

In the end I worked out that all the qualifiers were being taken up to the press room where I am based so I found sanctuary in there and added the remaining qualifiers as they came into the room. Cody Harris plonked himself down next to me to fill in his Bio. So what do you want to know?

Cody is from Auckland, he has 5 kids with a 6^th on the way. Sue asked "haven’t you got a tele?" He is 30 tomorrow (Friday), likes shell fish best and his favourite football team is Hull City. I suggested that, get him in with the locals! Amazing what data you pick up hanging out in the press room. He’s a nice guy and he has Scotty Too Hotty tomorrow.

I braved the floor again as the Ladies were on the Last 64 games and provided live updates through until we had the 8 qualifiers. Two Japanese girls are amongst them, they can both play too. It won’t be too long before we have a Japanese major winner in the BDO.

When I returned to the press room it had been converted into a disco. Japanese qualifier Mayami Ouchi , after completing the “easy” part of qualifying now had the challenge of choosing walk on music. After all Japanese references in songs had been played and discarded Mayami revealed she was into surfing. Some Beach Boys classics weren’t giving her good vibrations so she has nicked Bunty’s walk on. Yes “The Bird Is The Word”. I am saying nothing!

I managed to extract a bit of photographic revenge and got David in action, only to find he had trumped me with some shots of me and Peter (and my mobile of course).  I need a hair cut!

I also bumped into The Trickster, Ricky Chilton today. Ricky is the current WDDA Winmau Champion and is looking to retain his title on Saturday. I will be covering that for Winmau. Meeting all these people you only usually interact with on FB really is a massive part of the enjoyment of these events.

I tweeted “½ day today” – as we had finished at 7.20pm-see I do irony as well as awful puns! I had a great curry and then crashed!

Big day tomorrow! The start of the stage finals-one game at a time instead of 64 at a time, easy life! 

..............................................................................................................................................

Thanks for reading and the feedback. The diary was meant as a bit of fun and for some insight on what happens behind the scenes at a tournament and in particular the social media role I undertake. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.