Recap: Gian van Veen at Throwdown - 377 fans, a swapped scoreboard and a £300 pot
377 of you packed The Copthorne on Saturday night to watch the reigning 2025 European Champion up close, and Gian van Veen did not waste the trip. Maximum after maximum, big finishes, and a man clearly enjoying playing up to a room that never stopped singing. This is how it went.
377 in the room, and Gian making sure he had the proof.
Gian in serious form
Anyone wondering whether a European Champion turns up in exhibition mode got their answer early. Gian hit 180s all night, reeled off some huge checkouts, and between visits gave the crowd everything they came for. Our creators threw everything at him, and two of them made it stick: JR Darts and Darts Anonymous both took wins off the champion, bragging rights that will last them until Halloween at least.
The win of the night went to a schoolkid
The moment everyone will remember belongs to a young auction winner who earned his place on stage and found himself staring at the wrong end of a masterclass: Gian piling up huge scores and sitting on 40 while the young man was still up in the 200s. Enter our resident MC, Jack Garwood, who quietly swapped the scores on the board. The lad stepped up, took out double 11, and beat one of the best darts players in the world in front of 377 witnesses. Not entirely conventional. Completely brilliant. He goes to school on Monday with a story nobody can top.
The 9-dart challenge: Toby's 271 and a pot that survives again
The £200 nine dart challenge found its champion in a young thrower called Toby, whose 271 topped the leaderboard on the night and earned him a shot at the money on stage. Tom Bissell stood between him and the pot and saw him off 2-0, which means the money rolls over one more time.
Update: the pot rolled to £300 for Halloween with Daryl Gurney - and survived that night too. It now stands at £501 for the Christmas Party with Adrian Lewis. Four events, no winner, and the number keeps climbing. Somebody is going to have the night of their life. It could genuinely be you.
Be there when the £501 goes on the line
Sunday 6 December at the Copthorne: two-time World Champion Adrian 'Jackpot' Lewis headlines our Christmas Party, plus the biggest challenge pot we have ever put up. A word of warning from the last two shows: VIP tickets sold out both times - and the Christmas VIP allocation is already moving fast.
- The Christmas Party with Adrian Lewis - Sunday 6 December - two-time World Champion, the £501 nine dart challenge, and the full festive production
New to Throwdown? Watch what our nights look like or read our guide to UK darts exhibitions.
Inspired to throw?
Toby got to 271 with nine darts and a board like yours. Our sponsor Double Top Darts stocks everything from first sets to the pro-spec tungsten Gian throws.
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