‘They absolutely love it’: Organisers praise ‘unbelievable’ support for Wick darts weekend
Organisers of the annual Friends of the Glass darts competition in Wick have described it as “fantastic for the town” after a record turnout at the weekend.
The three-day gathering at the Seaforth Highlanders’ Club again attracted players from Orkney, Shetland, Inverness, Moray and the north-east as well as Caithness, with a total prize fund of more than £7000 on offer.
Arthur Bruce, one of the four-strong organising team alongside Malcolm Begg, Liz Ronaldson and Claire Thain, said: “They absolutely love it because it’s so friendly.
“This has been a record-breaking year in terms of numbers of participants and spectators. You couldn’t get in that door at 10 o’clock on Saturday night.
“Without the support we get from locals, businesses and people donating raffle prizes and everything, this competition would not go ahead.”
Main sponsor was again Hugh Simpson (Contractors) Ltd, with many others also contributing to the prize fund.
Saturday saw 47 men’s pairs and 18 ladies’ pairs in action – a total of 130 players. There were 76 entries for the out-of-the hat mixed triples on Friday, while the singles on Sunday attracted 43 men and 23 ladies.
Friends of the Glass is believed to be the longest-running darts competition in Scotland, having begun in 1977 as the Caithness Glass tournament before being rebranded.
“We’re two years away now from our 50th anniversary,” Arthur pointed out. “The only break we’ve had was through Covid.
“A hell of a lot of work goes into organising it. The sponsorship varies but the sponsorship boards are all the same size.
“The help given by the local community to Friends of the Glass is really unbelievable.
“More than anything else, it’s the friendship that comes out of it. There’s not one bit of bother the whole weekend.
“It’s great for accommodation. With it being the May Day holiday they stay the Sunday night and go home on the Monday.”
Arthur is chairman of the Seaforth Highlanders’ Club, which is undergoing a programme of refurbishment.
“I give a speech at the Sunday prize-giving,” he said. “The first thing I always say is that if it wasn’t for all the board sponsors you’re seeing here, this competition couldn’t happen, because you couldn’t put the prize money out.
“It’s fantastic for the town – I can’t emphasise that enough. It has become a friendship thing more than a darts competition.
“Murray Lamont [from Mackays Hotel] takes two boards. He said it’s fabulous for Wick. If a businessman is telling you that then you know you’re doing something right.
“We do run it well because you have to be on the ball. And it’s fantastic for the club, as the club is in the process of being done up.”
There were around 80 board sponsors this year, with many others donating prizes to the raffle.
Arthur was keen to acknowledge the generosity of Pulteney and Wolfburn distilleries.
He said: “We get hampers from the bakers. Tesco is a fantastic sponsor. We get butcher shops, we get clothes shops, we get jewellery shops… They all give – I’ve never been refused.
“They ask us what we want and we say ‘whatever you’re comfortable giving’. We’re delighted if we get anything at all.”
He added: “We are not a money-making organisation. Once we get our funds sorted out, we will give a donation.
“Last year we gave a £200 donation to the youth darts in the Assembly Rooms. We’ll do a donation this year to a different charity.
“We want to help local charities because it’s local businesses that are helping us. Without them, it wouldn’t go ahead, it’s as simple as that.”
The organisers are liaising with Thurso-based Navertech with a view to having Friends of the Glass livestreamed on big screens in the club’s upstairs and downstairs bars next year.
Arthur also praised the efforts of the club staff. “We’ve got a great staff in here,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough.”
Orkney father-and-son duo Kevin and Jamie Gray took the men’s pairs title on Saturday, while the honours in the ladies’ pairs went to Forres duo Mandy Anderson and Maria Ross.
Kevin made it a double by winning the men’s singles on Sunday. Lesley Dawson (Forres) took the ladies’ title.
Wick’s Aidan Sutherland was part of the winning trio in Friday’s out-of-the hat mixed triples but had to settle for being a runner-up in both pairs and singles.
Results: Out-of-the hat mixed triples (Friday) – Winners: Darryl Mitchell, Lossiemouth, Aidan Sutherland, Wick, and Yvonne Davidson, Peterhead. Runners-up: Bomber Bain, Forres, Marc Macgregor, John O’Groats, and Hollie Ridgers, Inverness.
Pairs (Saturday) – Men’s winners: Kevin and Jamie Gray, Orkney. Runners-up: Lewis Plank, Castletown, and Aidan Sutherland, Wick.
Ladies’ winners: Mandy Anderson and Maria Ross, Forres. Runners-up: Jacqui Hill, Fort William, and Courtney McBain, Elgin.
Singles (Sunday) – Men’s winner: Kevin Gray, Orkney. Runner-up: Aidan Sutherland, Wick.
Ladies’ winner: Lesley Dawson, Forres. Runner-up: Shona Gray, Orkney.
