It was always so obvious: the sounds of KC & The Sunshine Band announcing the arrival of Vincent van der Voort on the London stage of the World Darts Championship. This year, however, the Purmerend is at home, because he did not qualify after a bad year. Due to family circumstances, Van der Voort never reached his old level. This must change next year, otherwise he might just give up.
The last time the 47-year-old – his birthday is on Monday – was not at a BDO or PDC World Cup was in 2001. “It has been so long since I have not played a World Cup,” says Van der Voort. “But I felt it coming. You always assume that you will be there, but it was a very bad year and due to several circumstances things did not go so well. I got ahead of myself a bit.”
He continues: “Things happen in your private life and you want to help and find solutions. I found it difficult. I thought: I’ll just keep playing tournaments and then I’ll put it aside, but it really doesn’t work that way. It’s a lot of traveling. , but also mentally very difficult. I discovered that you cannot do everything alone.”
Have a good rest
The darts player tells his story in his own Zaanse darts shop, where son Kevin runs the sway together with his wife Karin. He chuckles: “I’m not a salesman, those guys are much better at that. I mainly want to rest well during this period and then start well in the new year.”
A customer comes in and says he drove an hour and a half to get some darts equipment. He is happy to meet Van der Voort and hopes that he will be able to return to his old level next year. “It would be a shame if he stopped. He is a legend after all. Together with Van Barneveld he made the sport great.”
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Van der Voort is active this World Cup as an analyst at Viaplay and comments on other players there. Recently he has also started looking at his own game with an analyst’s eye. “I’ve never actually done that; it’s always easier to judge someone else. But it’s also about getting pleasure out of it again. When you have a lot on your mind and things aren’t going well in your private life, then that is very difficult.”
Important year ahead
How does he view his future as a darts player? “Next year will tell everything. If my level does not increase to such an extent that it makes sense to continue, this will be my last year.”
He doesn’t find it exciting at the moment. “Because I’m not working on it yet. But next year will be the year of truth. If I don’t improve myself, I have no further interest in it. But if you perform well again, it also makes sense to continue to go.”