Exclusive Stephen Bunting Interview

Stephen Bunting

Nickname: The Bullet

Born: 9th April 1985

Hometown: St Helens, Merseyside, England

Darts: Target Bullet Darts 12 Grams

Major Title Wins: BDO World Championship 2014

Current PDC Ranking: 19

Declan McCormick: Hello Stephen, firstly thanks for giving up your time to answer a few questions. You have been playing well since joining The PDC at the beginning of 2014. Have you got any targets on where you would like to be in the Order of Merit come the end of the year?

Stephen Bunting: I want to be ranked as high as possible, my target is to break into the top 16 by the end of the year and I believe that is very achievable. 

Declan: You have recently changed back to your old set up that helped you win the BDO World Championship. Do you feel you can win a major in the PDC with these darts?

Stephen: I believe so. The target Gen 2 darts are amazing but I felt I was not as consistent and my confidence was not as high with them. I won the lakeside with the darts I am throwing now so there is a lot of confidence with those ones. I believe these darts will help me win many majors. 

Declan: The World Series was a great event that is spreading the word of darts around the globe. How did find the experience?

Stephen: It was amazing. Playing in countries I could never have dreamed of going to was surreal. The atmosphere in all the World Series events was epic and I can't wait for the finals in Glasgow. 

Declan: You have enjoyed many memorable moments during your career, including winning the BDO World Championship, but what is your proudest achievement to date?

Stephen: My proudest achievement has to be winning the lakeside. I had several attempts to try and win the title and fortunate for me I eventually won it. I must say being involved in the premier league and the experience that came with that has to be a close second. 

Declan: St Helens has produced a lot of top darts players over the years including yourself and Dave Chisnall. Is there a reason why so many from St Helens become professional?

Stephen: I don't think so. There is a lot of great players in St. Helens but just like Stoke. St Helens isn't the biggest town but there is a great darting interest and a lot of pub teams in the town. I think there must be something in the water. 

Declan: Finally, if you could pick any player to be your doubles partner who would it be?

Stephen: I would have to say Dave Chisnall. He is a close friend and also one of the best dart players in the world.

Exclusive Simon Whitlock Interview

Simon Whitlock

Nickname: The Wizard
Born: 3rd March 1969
Nationality: Australian
Darts Weight: 22 Grams
Major Title Wins: 2012 European Championship
Best World Championship Finish: Runner-Up
Current PDC Ranking: 11



Declan McCormick: Hello Simon, thanks for giving up your time to answer a few of these questions. Your form has been good this year, do you feel like you are returning to your excellent best that we all saw when you moved to the UK?

Simon Whitlock: I think I could’ve done better this year but I’m getting there. I have changed a few things with my set up and I always knew that it might be a case of taking a step back before I can move forward. I feel like I’m on that upward curve now though and I’m looking forward to the rest of the seasons.

Declan: We are approaching the final string of tournaments in a busy few months leading up to the World Championships, what targets have you set for the remainder of 2015?

Simon: I haven’t really set any specific targets in terms of results this year. I just want to keep improving and get back to where I was a couple of years ago and I believe that if I keep doing what I’m doing then I can be even better.

Declan: You have changed your darts on several ocassions over the past few years, are you confident in your current setup and do you plan on keeping it the same for the foreseeable future?

Simon: I knew I had to make a change and I will be sticking by it. I just need to keep playing to get used to the new set up so I plan to keep it as it is as I know I can play a lot better with more practice.

Declan: The World Series was a fantastic event to watch and it is putting darts on a global map. How does it feel to play in front of your home fans who see you as their darting hero?

Simon: I really enjoyed playing in the World Series. It is always great to go back to Australia. The game there is in good shape and is getting even better. I always get a good reception in most places luckily, but I always get goosebumps in my walk-ons in Australia.

Declan: You have had some memorable experiences since you burst onto the PDC scene in 2010 most notably being runner up in the World Championships when being unseeded and registering a 9-darter in the Premier League, but what has been your proudest moment so far?

Simon: I think the nine-darter in the Premier League has to be up there and I am proud to have reached the World Championship final but my proudest moment is definitely winning the European Championship in 2012. Not that many players win majors in the modern age of darts with so many good players around so I’m so pleased to have achieved that.

Declan: Thanks for your time Simon and good luck for the rest of the year.

Red Dragon Inferno 24 Gram Darts Review

After 2 years of using my beloved Robert Thornton darts, I have finally found a dart that is worthy enough to take their place, the Red Dragon Inferno 24 Gram. It is approaching a big day in my short/non existent career so far, this Friday 18th September 2015, I will be participating in my first ever competitive match down in the local pub and I will be armed with the highest quality of tungsten about. It is testament to these darts that I will be using them on my début despite only picking them up for the first time 2 weeks ago, a decision that wasn't easy but I am confident that it's the right one.

Some basic information about the Inferno Darts:
Weight- 24 Grams
Tungsten- 90% Tungsten alloy
Dimensions- 6.5mm x 50.8mm
Thread- 2BA
Weight Distribution- Centre
Barrel Profile- Parallel
Front Profile- Round
Grip Type- Dual grooves
Grip Zone- Full length

What you get:
Darts- x3 Darts per set
Flights- x1 Set Hardcore Black Standard
             x1 Set Hardcore Orange Standard
Shafts- x1 Set aluminium medium orange Red Dragon printed
Wallet- x1 Leather Red Dragon Wallet

First of all, I'm no Gok Wan, but the black and orange throughout these darts works a treat and it certainly caught my eye whilst scrolling through Red Dragon's new 2015 range and 2 days after placing my order they were in my hand and they didn't disappoint. The orange stems and flights along with the barrel will make sure that you have the nicest looking darts down at the pub.

The dual grooves grip on the Inferno darts remind me of both World Champion Gary Anderson and 'The Machine' James Wade's darts, the only difference being that they are finished off with PDV black effect surface finish, giving them that extra bit of grip that may prove the difference between scoring 85 or 100. I would rate the grip at about 3/5 (1= smooth, 5= aggressive) which I think is just about right, enough to avoid slips and not so much that it catches on your fingers upon release. For the first time ever, I have kept the original stems that are provided with the darts as the extra length seems to work, but it is up to the individual to decide whether to change the stem size.

The Inferno's are ideal for any player that is looking for a long and thin dart at a very reasonable price. The grip intensity is perfect thanks to the black coating and the sleek look has completely won me over. The Thornton darts have been put away in a safe place, maybe not forever, but for the foreseeable future and I will keep you all updated about my upcoming match via my Twitter account, fingers crossed that the Infernos can do the trick!