Reviews

The Magic of Lakeside: A Review of the 2025 WDF World Championship

Date: 28.12.2025

Author: RiskTop

The lights are back on at Lakeside, and for anyone who actually cares about darts, this felt like coming home. We have a saying that "the board doesn't lie," and this year it was all there—the grit, the teenage energy, and a legend finally getting her moment. It wasn't just about the prize money (though £50k and £25k are huge); it was about that classic Lakeside feel that you just can't find anywhere else.

The Men’s Final: A Giant vs. A Prodigy

The Men’s final was pure theater.

On one side, you had Jimmy van Schie—"The Dutch Sequoia"—the world number one who had been dominant all year. On the other side was Mitchell Lawrie. The kid is just 15 and had already tucked the boys' world title under his belt earlier that day. He stepped into the final absolutely swinging, racing to a 3-0 lead before half the crowd had even finished their first drink.

But Van Schie didn't blink. Jimmy didn’t rattle, though. He showed some real backbone, clawing his way back to win six sets straight. By the time he locked in his first world title with a 6-3 win, he’d proven that sometimes the only thing that can stop a runaway train of momentum is a bit of veteran experience.

The "Caribbean Queen" finally wears the crown

Women’s final was very emotional. At 66, after three heartbreaking final losses, Deta Hedman finally won with the score 4-1. Seeing her lift that trophy was just a perfect reminder of why people love this sport—it really is never too late.

A New Star is Born: Zehra Gemi’s Historic Run

The 2025 tournament also put a new country on the darting map. Turkey’s Zehra Gemi didn't just win the Girls' World Championship; she decimated the field.

In the final against Rebecca Allen, Zehra averaged a staggering 77.07—the highest ever recorded for a girls' final at Lakeside. She is Turkey’s first-ever world champion in darts, and after that performance, she isn't just a "prospect"—she’s a problem for anyone who has to face her next year.

What We Learned: The "Insider" View

For the analysts and the fans who watch the "sinsi istatistikler" (those sneaky stats), 2025 gave us plenty to chew on:

The Set Format is a Mental War: As Jimmy van Schie showed, being down 3-0 in sets is much different than being down in legs. You have time to breathe, reset, and ruin your opponent's rhythm.
Youth is Here to Stay: Between Mitchell Lawrie playing two finals in one day and Zehra Gemi’s record-breaking average, the "old guard" is officially on notice.
The "Lakeside Factor": The 170 checkout by Cliff Prior reminded us that at Lakeside, the stage is small, but the moments are massive.

2025 Winners’ Circle

Category	Winner	Nationality
Men’s Open	Jimmy van Schie	Netherlands
Women’s Open	Deta Hedman	England
Boys' Youth	Mitchell Lawrie	Scotland
Girls' Youth	Zehra Gemi	Turkey