NEW BALLON d’ART WORLDS TROPHY
03/12/2023 By Phil Lanning
THE big name PDC darts stars will be going for a new trophy at the Worlds – the Ballon d’Art.
The biggest-ever silverware in the sport will be given to the player who hits the most 180s in the Ally Pally event which starts on December 15.
It’s the latest unveiling by title sponsors Paddy Power who will donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every maximum scored in the tournament.
Standing at almost one metre in height and weighing in at 16kgs, the Ballon d’Art will celebrate the player who raises the most money for the charity.
Michael Smith, who famously produced a stunning nine-darter in the World Championship final 12 months ago and hit more maximums (66) than anyone else in the 2022/23 event, said: “We don’t need much encouragement when it comes to scoring 180s at the World Championship, but to know each one will trigger a £1,000 donation to Prostate Cancer UK is another fantastic incentive for us.”
In total 901 180s were hit in last year’s tournament so Paddy Power are likely to be handing over £1million to charity.
Smith added: “Prostate cancer has never been on my radar, but hearing the disease affects one in eight men is a shocking statistic. Men need to be more aware of their risk of prostate cancer, and I include myself in that, as if caught early it’s curable.”
Prostate Cancer UK Chief Executive Laura Kerby said: “We are thrilled to become the official charity partner of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship and thank Paddy Power and the PDC for uniting the darts community as we target this disease head on.
“This iconic tournament is a sporting staple across the festive period, and THE BIG 180 will put us at the heart of the action.
“The Ballon d’Art will celebrate the darts player who raises the most money for Prostate Cancer UK via THE BIG 180 campaign one maximum at time.”
All money raised throughout the Paddy Power World Darts Championship will fund lifesaving research to diagnose men sooner and improve the lives of men affected by the most common cancer in men.
Kerby added: “Prostate cancer is curable if caught early, but early-stage prostate cancer often has no
symptoms, so it is vital that men know their risk – and we hope 180,000 fans will do that during the tournament via our simple online risk checker.”
Meanwhile, speaking about the trophy, Carla Regan, spokesperson for leading British contemporary trophy manufacturer EFX, admitted: “This is the biggest award we have ever made, with the largest flight case too!
“We have been commissioned to make many high-profile awards for major client events like the British Grand Prix, Formula E Racing & PokerStars globally, as well as other trophies for the PDC, but we have got to say we have enjoyed the design process and the production challenges to create this mega Ballon d’Art trophy.”
The base is oak with 24 carat gold plated Aluminium plated to the top and bottom. The piece features an acrylic printed plate of the treble 20 section of a dartboard, while the stem of the darts are 24 carat gold plated machined aluminium, while the flights at the top were 3D printed and sprayed gold.
Images by Taylor Lanning.
