Jonny Clayton won the Winamax Jena Darts Gala 2026. The Welshman beat Daryl Gurney 4–2 in the final to claim the title at the Sparkassen-Arena. Paul Krohne also enjoyed a strong showing: the only German player reached the semi-finals and gained valuable match practice ahead of the German Super League and Lakeside.

On Saturday, 07-11-2026, six well-known players took to the stage in front of the Jena crowd. Alongside Clayton, Gurney and Krohne were Raymond van Barneveld, Wessel Nijman and Dirk van Duijvenbode. The audience enjoyed an evening that combined sporting competition with entertainment and the chance to meet the players, with the Grand Slam of Darts coming up very soon.

Krohne and Clayton advance from the group stage.

The six players opened the event in two groups of three, playing a round-robin format. Clayton faced van Barneveld and Krohne, with the Welshman and the German claiming the two semi-final places. Van Barneveld’s tournament, by contrast, ended in the group stage.

In the second group, Nijman, van Duijvenbode and Gurney battled for a place in the next round. Nijman and Gurney advanced, leaving van Duijvenbode outside the last four.

Krohne, who has been a leading light on the WDF, held his own in a group featuring two opponents with extensive international experience. Reaching the semi-finals was a positive result for the only German in the field ahead of his next major challenge.

Reached the semi-finals in Jena and aims to secure his Ally Pally place on Friday: Paul Krohne

Valuable preparation for the PDC Europe Super League

The Jena event came at a timely moment for Krohne. From 10 to 13 November, he will compete in the PDC Europe Super League in Hildesheim. There, 24 players will battle for a place at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

The gala gave him the chance to face top international players and play in front of a crowd at the Oche just beforehand. Although the events have different formats, Krohne could use these matches to prepare for the upcoming qualifying rounds.

His run in Jena also gave him a positive result to build on. In Hildesheim, he will aim to carry that momentum into the contest for the coveted place at the biggest tournament of the year.

Clayton beats Nijman and Gurney.

Clayton faced Nijman in the first semi-final. “The Ferret” defeated the Dutchman to reach the final. In the second semi-final, Gurney ended Krohne’s run and also booked his place in the title match.

Clayton prevailed 4–2 in the final. After beating Nijman in the semi-finals, the Welshman also won the concluding match against Gurney to cap his evening with the title.

Children join the stars on stage as fans get their turn at the Oche.

The supporting programme created some special moments beyond the results. Children accompanied the professionals onto the stage for their walk-ons, sharing the experience with the well-known players.

Two fans also had the chance to play in front of the crowd. They competed in a show match alongside van Barneveld and van Duijvenbode, respectively. Van Duijvenbode’s team came out on top.

After exiting in the group stage, the Dutchman could at least celebrate a win in this extra event. For the fans involved, the match offered a rare chance to share the stage with a professional.