Two-time world champion Gary Anderson has launched a scathing attack on the Winmau Blade X dartboards used at Professional Darts Corporation events, branding them 'absolutely rank'. The Scottish star, currently ranked world number 11, made his feelings clear after Scotland’s dominant 8-0 victory over Norway in the last 16 of the BetVictor World Cup of Darts on Saturday.
Anderson, who reverted to using black points on his darts after previously favouring golden ones, explained that the switch was a direct response to the new boards. 'I’ve had to because the boards are absolutely rank,' he said. 'They are the worst dartboards ever. Don’t quote me on it, you ask anyone on the circuit that’s playing, even ask the PDC, even ask that manufacturer, they will tell you the boards are absolutely shocking.'
The 53-year-old added that the darts are entering the board too straight, forcing him to change his points to gain a better angle. 'We’ve been at it for months. We’ve been talking about it. Not a player on the circuit is happy with these boards and nothing is getting done about it, so that’s why I’ve gone to the black points,' he said.
Anderson’s comments come despite Winmau having extended its long-standing association with the PDC for another decade in January, an agreement that saw the introduction of the Blade X dartboard to the main stage. In a statement released to Oche180, Winmau responded by saying feedback from other players and the PDC had been positive, and that independent performance data showed a 'meaningful reduction' in rejected darts compared to the previous Blade 6 Triple Core board.
The manufacturer added: 'We remain committed to working closely with the PDC and any player to ensure the standard of equipment provided at these fantastic events continues to deliver the highest levels of performance.' The controversy highlights a rare public rift between a top player and a long-standing equipment partner, with Anderson insisting that the issue has been ignored for too long.
Source: Oche180