SOFT DARTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THE WORLD

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List of past STAGE COLUMN
TOP COLUMN Feature Story - STAGE 2 Featured players -
Michaël VALENTIN
Name Michaël VALENTIN
Nationality France
Rating 17.79
──At what age did you start playing darts?

I started playing darts back in 2003 in a bar just to have fun with my friends. Back then, we barely knew any rules. After a while, the bar owner taught us how to play and pushed us to create a team. I got my first FDA license in 2004 and started improving a lot as well as liking darts more and more.

──What are your biggest achievements/wins you have made in darts?
Here are my most notable achievements in soft-tip darts.
  • Best 8 in singles at La Rochelle 2011
  • Best 4 in doubles at La Rochelle 2011
  • Best 8 in team at La Rochelle 2012
  • Best 8 at THE WORLD STAGE 6 (Las Vegas) in 2013.
──General comments:

Darts are a passion; you need to enjoy playing it. Darts allows players to meet other people and to have a good time with friends not only in small tournaments but also at La Rochelle or at THE WORLD.
I am proud to be able to represent France at THE WORLD and I would like to thank everyone that is helping and supporting me.

Franck Guillermont 'Loulou'
Name Franck Guillermont "Loulou"
Nationality France
Rating 17.89
──At what age did you start playing darts?

I have started playing darts 10 years ago with friends while I was in Paris to have fun. After that I have played in many tournaments across Europe, and I started having good results. After that FDA et DARTSLIVE helped me competing across the world.

──What are your biggest achievements/wins you have made in darts?

I have been 5 times France Champion in soft tip, 3 times in steel tip, 3rd at the IDF 2009 for double in/double out, Europe champion at the EDU in cricket for 2012, 3 times Europe champion with BullShooter. My best result at THE WORLD is best 16 for the Las Vegas Stage in 2012.

──General comments:

I would like to say thank you to all the fans from France that keep following us behind a screen and cheer for us at THE WORLD. I would also like to thank DARTSLIVE for that made the French dart scene progress and to give us the opportunity to compete at a higher level.
To all the players, I would like them to keep having fun while playing darts, because that is the most important thing!
VIVE LA FRANCE!

Scott Marsh
Name Scott Marsh
Nationality UK
Rating 18.0
──How long ago did you start playing darts?

I've played darts for around 17 years.

──Which in your opinion are your biggest achievements/wins you have made in darts?

Last year I qualified for the PDC's UK Open and I also won two tournaments in two days winning £3000 during the weekend so that has been my best performance so far.

──General comments:

I can't wait for La Rochelle - Stage 2, it's my first DARTSLIVE 'WORLD' event and I am really looking forward to it, I have been playing in the DARTSLIVE UK events in Leicester Square (and recently won one of those) and I am confident that I can have a deep run in to the event in La Rochelle. Playing in the French Open will be a good practice event the day before.

Benoit Le Thomas 'Benco'
Name Benoit Le Thomas "Benco"
Nationality France
Rating 18
──At what age did you start playing darts?

I started playing darts in 2010 and started to do competitions in 2011. I used to be a professional boxer so the competition in darts had always interested me and helped me achieve a high level.

──What are your biggest achievements/wins you have made in darts?

I did my first THE WORLD Stage at La Rochelle in 2013. I was lucky to have sponsors that helped me do the other Stages. For this year, I would like to participate to all 5 Stages.
My best performance so far is top 16, and I would like to be counted as one of the 20 best players in the world within 2 years. I am training hard to be one among them.

──General comments:

Darts have become my passion; I play to have fun within the spirit of competition. I train 1 to 2 hours a day and participate to tournaments once a month. But for me, THE WORLD is the best soft-tip darts competition by its unique ambiance, the level of the games and the players.
I would like to thank all the people who supports me, as well as all my sponsors, and last but not least, I would like to thank DARTSLIVE and all its staff to make the competitions.

Lewis Venes
Name Lewis Venes
Nationality UK
Rating 17.7
──How long ago did you start playing darts?

I've played darts now for 5 years.

──Which in your opinion are your biggest achievements/wins you have made in darts?

I've won a PDC youth tour event this year and back-to-back London Super League Singles Championships. I was also a semi finalist in the under 21 - PDC World Championship in 2010.

──General comments:

I'm really looking forward to competing against the best soft tip players in the world in La Rochelle. It will be my first major soft tip event I have competed in.

Cyril Blot
Name Cyril Blot
Nationality France
Rating 17.69
──At what age did you start playing darts?

I started playing darts on steel-tips at the Bull Dog Darts club in Epinal back to 1997. After that, I started playing on soft-tip darts with the small boards, and I participated to the tournament in La Rochelle (French Championship) for singles and doubles the same year.
After a while I have become the president of the Bull Dog Darts Club in Epinal and also became the captain for the French steel tip team as well as playing for soft-tips and participating to tournaments such as the NDA tournament.
I have always played in both steel and soft-tip darts and participated in as much tournaments as I can, because darts is my passion!

──What are your biggest achievements/wins you have made in darts?

For DARTSLIVE tournaments, I have finished top 16 for THE WORLD thrice, I have participated to the SUPER DARTS in 2013, and I have finished top 64 in the GRAND FINAL in 2012, top 48 for the 2013 edition.
For steel-tip, I am a 5 times French champion in singles (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010), 4 times French champion in doubles (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009) and two times French champion in team (2007 and 2009).
For soft-tip, I am a 3 times French champion in singles (2006, 2008, 2009), 5 times French champion in doubles (2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011), 4 times French champion in team (2004, 2006, 2012, 2013).
I have won also tournaments such as the Cyprus Open for singles and doubles back to 2008, Italia Open in 2009 and was a finalist of tournaments such as Austria Open in 2009, EDU Italia in 2013 for steel-tips. For soft-tips, I was the runner-up in the NDA tournaments in Las Vegas in singles for 2008 and doubles in 2009.

──General comments:

I love playing darts. This sport is my fascination. It assembles the spirit of competition, the concentration, the team spirit and the respect. I give my best to this sport for singles competition as well as doubles or team.
I would like to thank all the players who cheers for me and support me for every competition, as well as my sponsors and partners that allow me to live those big moments in competition. I would also like to thank DARTSLIVE and France Darts who gives me the opportunity to participate to THE WORLD and represent France.
Last but not least, I would like to tell everyone to fully live your passions!