In the high-octane universe of professional darts, where every throw can shatter records or hearts, Gerwyn Price remains the epitome of cool under fire. The Welsh powerhouse, dubbed “The Iceman” for his unflappable demeanor and surgical precision, descended upon the quaint German city of Hildesheim like a storm on Friday evening, October 17, 2025, ready to etch another chapter in his storied career. The Elten Safety Shoes German Darts Championship, the capstone of the PDC’s 14-event European Tour calendar, unfolded at the intimate Halle 39 arena—a venue that’s hosted its share of miracles but now faces an emotional send-off as the final edition in this storied spot. With £175,000 in prize money on the line and qualification spots for the prestigious European Championship in Dortmund dangling like treble 20s, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Yet, for Price, the weekend’s biggest revelation came not from the oche, but from a casual bombshell that left even him momentarily thawed.
Price, seeded sixth and fresh off a dominant second-round demolition of qualifier Danny van Trijp, had just dispatched his opponent 6-1 in a clinic of control, averaging a blistering 100.4 across the match. Dropping just one leg throughout, he spoke glowingly of his form sharpening like a well-honed dart point. “Yeah, I thought it was decent towards the end,” he reflected post-match, his voice carrying that signature Welsh lilt laced with quiet confidence. Already a European Tour victor this season—lifting the Dutch Darts Championship in June with a flawless final over Jonny Clayton—Price eyed Hildesheim as the perfect curtain-closer. “Another trophy this weekend would be the perfect way to round off the campaign and build momentum ahead of the year-ending finals,” he added, his eyes glinting with the hunger of a man who’s amassed over 20 major titles, including the 2021 World Championship.
But as the conversation veered toward his upcoming clash with Christian Kist—the Dutch journeyman who stunned 2019 winner Daryl Gurney 6-2 earlier that day, reeling off six straight legs in a comeback for the ages—Price’s focus sharpened. Kist, known for his explosive scoring bursts and a career nine-darter etched in PDC lore, represents the kind of gritty matchup that tests champions. “That’s the first I’ve known, but Danny’s playing brilliant darts—brilliant in the Grand Prix as well—so it’s going to be a tough game,” Price conceded about van Trijp, seamlessly pivoting to the challenge ahead. “But like I said, I’m concentrating on my own game.” It’s this laser-like tunnel vision that’s propelled the 40-year-old from the construction sites of Markham to the pantheon of darts royalty, where he’s racked up nine European Tour triumphs and a haul of £2.5 million in career earnings.
The real curveball, however, struck off the board. Informed that Hildesheim’s run as a European Tour host was drawing to a close—no more spotlights on this historic stage come 2026—Price’s reaction was pure, unfiltered surprise. “Oh right, I didn’t even know that!” he exclaimed, a rare crack in the Iceman’s facade that drew chuckles from those around him. It’s a poignant footnote to a tournament that’s become synonymous with underdog upsets and electric atmospheres since joining the calendar in 2018. Halle 39, with its 4,000-capacity intimacy, has birthed classics: Peter Wright’s epic 8-5 comeback over a teenage Luke Littler in last year’s final, securing Snakebite’s ninth Euro Tour crown; Dirk van Duijvenbode’s jaw-dropping nine-darter on opening night this year, igniting the crowd into a frenzy. “It’s such a relief to hit my first nine-darter on the big stage, so I am very happy of course!” van Duijvenbode beamed afterward, his “Deadly Dirk” moniker earning fresh legs.
This farewell edition arrives amid a whirlwind of absences that have reshaped the field into a tantalizing wide-open affair. Reigning PDC World Champion Luke Littler—the Nuke himself, fresh from his World Grand Prix glory—opted out alongside world No. 1 Luke Humphries, Dutch dynamo Michael van Gerwen, and Scottish stalwart Gary Anderson. For them, spots in Dortmund (October 23-26) are already locked via the Tour rankings, turning Hildesheim into a low-risk proving ground for the chasers. That vacuum elevates the drama: top seed Stephen Bunting, the Liverpool Victor, faces Ryan Joyce in the evening session; James Wade, the evergreen Machine, draws Jermaine Wattimena; Nathan Aspinall battles Ross Smith in a heavyweight quarterfinal tease. Josh Rock, the Northern Irish firebrand, meets Ricky Evans, while Martin Schindler—cheered on by his home fans—takes on William O’Connor. The schedule pulses with potential: Friday’s first-round qualifiers set the stage, Saturday’s second and third rounds whittle the field to eight, and Sunday’s semis and final promise a £30,000 payday for glory.
For Price, the news of Hildesheim’s exit adds a layer of nostalgia to the grind. He’s no stranger to the venue’s quirks—recall his Players Championship double in September, where he blitzed Gian van Veen 8-5 in the final, unleashing 13 maximums and a 109.28 average for revenge after a humiliating 6-0 Czech Open loss days prior. Or his near-miss in Players Championship 27, edged out by Joe Cullen in a last-leg thriller that denied back-to-back crowns. “I can produce darts like today, but then you’ll watch me in the few weeks and I’ll have an 81 average,” Cullen quipped then, capturing the sport’s capricious charm. Price, ever the pragmatist, shrugged off the venue’s impending absence with characteristic stoicism. It’s an “absolute pain in the backside to get here,” as Aspinall griped earlier this year, citing the trek’s toll—but one Price endures for the love of the fight.
As the 2025 season barrels toward its climax—the Grand Slam of Darts (November 8-16) and the fabled World Championship at Ally Pally (December 11-January 3)—Hildesheim serves as a microcosm of darts’ relentless evolution. Prize pots have swelled to £5 million for Worlds alone, with European Tour winners now netting £30,000—a far cry from Price’s early BDO days. Yet, amid the glamour, it’s moments like Price’s wide-eyed “Oh right” that humanize the heroes, reminding us that even icons get caught off-guard. Will he hoist the trophy on Sunday, capping a flawless Euro Tour with a tenth crown? Or will Kist’s comeback magic, or van Duijvenbode’s nine-dart sorcery, steal the show? In darts, where fortunes flip faster than a 180, one thing’s certain: Gerwyn Price will step to the line, ice in his veins, ready to make this farewell unforgettable. The oche awaits— and Hildesheim deserves a send-off worthy of legends.
Leave a Reply