Buxton's Lorraine Winstanley talks BDO, women’s darts, hopes for the sport’s future - as well as her own

"We fly out to Holland on Thursday," said the former World Masters winner.

"The Dutch Open carries heavy WDF points so I'll be hoping for a good start on that rankings table next weekend. It's the biggest tournament there is with over 6,000 entries across the board of men's, women's and youth categories, so it's a massive event and one I'm looking forward to."

Winstanley started the year by reaching the quarter-finals of the world championships, brushing aside Casey Gallagher in the last 16 before bowing out of the competition at the hands of Lisa Ashton, who went on to reach the final.

"I thought I was a bit unlucky," reflected Winstanley.

"I missed my doubles. I wasn't miles off and if my finishing had been the same as the day before when I played Casey then it might have been a different story but you've got to hit the doubles to win the games and on that occasion, I didn't."

The tournament made its first appearance at the Indigo at The O2 in London after the BDO announced plans to leave its long-standing Lakeside home last summer.

"Lakeside is full of nostalgia and will always be the 'Home of Darts' but it is a little bit dated.

"At the time when the change was announced I was a bit dubious about it but as a venue the Indigo at the O2 was brilliant. It was really good. It wasn't overly expensive either and the environment was so nice.

"It's a fantastic arena - we just needed bums on seats.

"I think a lot of people were dubious about buying tickets because of the change in venue and maybe thought 'I'll sit back and see what it's like' with perhaps a view to next year, but I can't speak for everyone.

"I think it was always going to be less attended because a lot of people go to the Lakeside for the Lakeside experience and aren't too fussed about who is playing. It was always going to be different," said Winstanley, who was disappointed to see the drop in prize funds available.

"We were promised almost double the prize-fund earlier in the year. To get a call just a few days before the tournament starts to say 'you're actually playing for less than you were last year' and not sure on how much that would be was disheartening," she said.

"As much as you are playing for the title, the pennies have to come along with that because it costs so much to do the tour and to try to achieve your dream - with the world championships being the prize at the end of it. We would all like to be world champion but the title doesn't pay the bills.

"It costs so much to get there, there should be a decent financial reward at the end of it."

And added: "I initially thought the ladies were being hard-done-by until I realised what the men were getting - the men's draw really did take a hit and I feel for them. To get £23,000 when you were promised £100,000 - that was heartbreaking."

All at a time when the women's game is flourishing.

Fallon Sharrock made it through to the third round of the PDC World Championships, becoming the first woman to win a match at the Alexandra Palace event, while Ashton became the first woman to win a PDC Tour Card at Q-School.

"She played brilliantly to earn herself a tour card and she's probably the most consistent ladies player - certainly over the last couple of years. She's always there or thereabouts all the time, consistency has been key and she's the perfect example of it," said Winstanley, who was competing in Wigan for a second successive year as one of 16 female participants.

"It's a brilliant experience," she added.

"It's fab playing under such professional conditions and knowing exactly where you're supposed to be and exactly when you're supposed to be on. To play among such a massive field of talent was always going to be tough.

"I think the women's game could potentially be in a very strong position - it's showing the strength in depth - we just need the financial backing and someone with a bit of faith to invest in the ladies' game.

"I'm hoping there'll be exciting times ahead and if it's going to happen, now is the time for it to happen. It's now or never and I think we deserve a little bit more than we're getting now, so it would be great for it to happen."

The WDF have this month announced plans to establish two new major tournaments within the next 12 months in the form of a world masters style event and a world championship style event, as well as new ranking systems.

Winstanley will be following events closely as well as competing on the BDO tour.

"It'll be interesting to see how that pans out," she said. "There are possibly lots of different tournaments on the horizon, with the chance of being in two world championships because they're looking at doing a masters style tournament and a world championships style tournament. I'll be trying to follow both and accrue points along the way for both this year, so it'll be a busy year!"

And one which she has high hopes for.

"I feel confident looking ahead.

"Last year wasn't the most consistent year for me, it was perhaps one of my worst years on the tour, but I still managed to come out ranked world number eight, so that's not bad for having a not-so-brilliant year.

"There is always room for improvement so I'm practicing hard and looking forward to the rest of the year," she added.