The champions’ route through the knockout rounds showcased consistency and nerve. After a commanding 3–0 win over Josh Newton, Steven Hobbs, and Kelly Bates in the Top 16, they survived a testing quarter-final, 3–2, against Laura Turner, Aaron Turner, and Vince Tipple, before producing a polished 3–1 semi-final victory over Lee Evans, Luke Yates, and Karly Stevens. Zijlstra’s experience under pressure combined seamlessly with Heaver’s finishing and Heath’s steady scoring, a blend that repeatedly told in the biggest moments.
Runners-up Rolls, Barstow, and Cole were outstanding all afternoon. They swept past Harry Kelly, Macie Woodrow, and Ian Jopling 3–0 in the quarters and then turned aside the dangerous trio of Kelly Parker, David Pallett, and Matt Dicken 3–1 in the semi-finals. Their run featured clinical spells on the outer ring and plenty of scoring power, and even in the final they pushed the champions to the wire before narrowly missing out in a last-leg shootout.
Quality was evident from the early rounds. Among the standout Top 16 displays were Evans, Yates, and Stevens winning 3–1 over Kai Fan Leung, Odbileg Khayankhyarvaa, and Erdenechimeg Dondov, while Smith, Webster, and Eve Watson posted a strong 3–1 over Gemma Hayter, Callum Francis, and Neil Duff. The depth of the field was clear in the Top 32 as well, with tight 3–2 victories for Cavan Phillips, Mike Few, and Jenny Lovegrove and for Jamie Hughes, Nick Fullwell, and Leah Dalloway, alongside commanding wins from the eventual finalists. Notably, Parker, Pallett, and Dicken came through two successive deciding legs in the Top 32 and Top 16 before their quarter-final and semi-final successes, underlining the competitive edge across the bracket.
From first dart to last, the atmosphere inside Seal Bay Resort matched the standard on stage—loud, appreciative, and fully engaged with a format that showcased teamwork as much as individual brilliance. In the end, it was Heath, Heaver, and Zijlstra who found the decisive moments when it mattered most, and they leave Selsey as deserving England Classic Mixed Triples champions.
