2025 World Indoor Bowls Championship

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2025 World Indoor Bowls Championship
47th World Indoor Bowls Championship
Location Flag of England.svg   Hopton-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Date(s)10–26 January 2025
Category World Indoor Championships
  2024
2026  

The 2025 World Indoor Bowls Championship, sponsored by Ambassador Cruise Line, was the 2025 edition of the World Indoor Bowls Championships, held at Potters Resorts, Hopton-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, England, from 10 to 26 January 2025. [1] [2]

Contents

The event was organised by the World Bowls Tour and was televised by the BBC and World Bowls Tour via its YouTube and Facebook channels.

Stewart Anderson and Katherine Rednall were defending the men's and women's singles titles, respectively. [3] [4] Anderson lost in the quarter-finals to David Gourlay. [5] Rednall was defeated in the first round by eventual champion Julie Forrest in a repeat of the 2024 final. [6]

In May 2024, World Bowls Tour announced on its Facebook page that the Open Under 25 event would not take place in 2025. A four-player invitational Masters event, featuring 2009 open singles champion Billy Jackson, and BBC commentator David Corkhill, was added to the schedule as a replacement. [1]

Scottish pair Jason Banks and Michael Stepney won the open pairs [7] before Banks teamed up with Beth Riva the following day to also win the mixed pairs title. [8] [9]

Julie Forrest won the ladies' singles title for a third time, defeating Riva in the final which went to a tiebreak. [10] [11]

Ian Bond became the inaugural Masters champion with a win over Billy Jackson in the final, after the pair had beaten Graham Robertson and David Corkhill respectively in the semi-finals. [12]

Jason Banks won the open singles title for the first time, defeating 2020 champion Robert Paxton in the final. He became the first player to win the open singles, open pairs and mixed pairs in the same year at the event. [13] [14] [15]

Winners

EventWinner
Open Singles Flag of Scotland.svg Jason Banks
Ladies Singles Flag of Scotland.svg Julie Forrest
Open Pairs Flag of Scotland.svg Jason Banks & Michael Stepney
Mixed Pairs Flag of Scotland.svg Jason Banks & Beth Riva
Masters Flag of England.svg Ian Bond

Draw and results

Open singles

First roundSecond roundQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
1 Flag of Scotland.svg Stewart Anderson 13 12
Flag of Israel.svg Daniel Alonim 1 5 1 Flag of Scotland.svg Anderson 7 9
16 Flag of Guernsey.svg Jason Greenslade 2 6 1 Flag of England.svg Tolchard 7 4
Flag of England.svg Sam Tolchard 7 4 2 1 Flag of Scotland.svg Anderson 6 7
9 Flag of England.svg Wayne Willgress 7 10 8 Flag of Scotland.svg Gourlay 8 9
Flag of Scotland.svg Darren Weir 6 4 9 Flag of England.svg Willgress 6 4
8 Flag of Scotland.svg David Gourlay 7 10 8 Flag of Scotland.svg Gourlay 6 9
Flag of Scotland.svg James Rippey 6 5 8 Flag of Scotland.svg Gourlay 2 10 1
5 Flag of England.svg Robert Paxton 8 7 5 Flag of England.svg Paxton 11 5 2
Ulster Banner.svg Adam McKeown 5 6 5 Flag of England.svg Paxton 9 7
12 Flag of Scotland.svg Darren Burnett 8 10 12 Flag of Scotland.svg Burnett 5 6
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Blake Nairn 7 1 5 Flag of England.svg Paxton 10 7
13 Flag of Scotland.svg Michael Stepney 11 8 4 Flag of England.svg Gillett 4 5
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Jordi Lo 4 7 13 Flag of Scotland.svg Stepney 7 2
4 Flag of England.svg Les Gillett 11 11 4 Flag of England.svg Gillett 10 8
Flag of New Zealand.svg Aiden Takarua 4 1 5 Flag of England.svg Paxton 4 8
3 Flag of England.svg Jamie Walker 8 10 0 7 Flag of Scotland.svg Banks 10 12
Flag of England.svg Paul Hartley 10 3 2 Flag of England.svg Hartley 9 12
14 Flag of England.svg Mervyn King 6 8 0 Flag of South Africa.svg Piketh 3 3
Flag of South Africa.svg Colleen Piketh+ 7 7 2 Flag of England.svg Hartley 7 6 0
11 Flag of England.svg Nick Brett 6 7 6 Flag of England.svg Dawes 5 7 2
Flag of England.svg Martin Heitzman 6 8 Flag of England.svg Heitzman 5 4
6 Flag of England.svg Mark Dawes 9 9 6 Flag of England.svg Dawes 10 9
Flag of Scotland.svg Ronnie Duncan 4 7 6 Flag of England.svg Dawes 4 7
7 Flag of Scotland.svg Jason Banks 10 8 7 Flag of Scotland.svg Banks 8 8
Flag of Malaysia.svg Izzat Dzulkeple 5 4 7 Flag of Scotland.svg Banks 9 7
10 Flag of Scotland.svg Alex Marshall 4 9 2 10 Flag of Scotland.svg Marshall 6 6
Flag of England.svg David Bolt 6 3 0 7 Flag of Scotland.svg Banks 10 3 2
15 Flag of England.svg Greg Harlow 2 10 1 2 Flag of Scotland.svg Foster 4 10 1
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Darren Rowland 9 3 2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rowland 5 5
2 Flag of Scotland.svg Paul Foster 8 10 2 Flag of Scotland.svg Foster 11 9
Flag of England.svg Jamie Chestney 8 7

+Colleen Piketh replaced Gerry Baker in the first round of the open singles [1]

Ladies Singles

First roundSemi-finalsFinal
               
  Flag of England.svg Katherine Rednall 9 8 1
  Flag of Scotland.svg Julie Forrest 4 9 2
Flag of Scotland.svg Forrest 3 7 2
Flag of England.svg Rogers 8 5 1
  Flag of Malaysia.svg Nor Farah Ain Abdullah 4 2
  Flag of England.svg Nicole Rogers 9 11
Flag of Scotland.svg Forrest 11 8 2
Flag of Scotland.svg Riva 8 9 0
  Flag of England.svg Lucy Smith 5 3
  Flag of England.svg Chelsea Spencer 9 11
Flag of England.svg Spencer 9 7 0
Flag of Scotland.svg Riva 10 2 2
  Flag of Scotland.svg Beth Riva 8 7
  Flag of South Africa.svg Colleen Piketh 2 5

Open Pairs

First roundSecond roundQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
Flag of Scotland.svg Stewart Anderson
Flag of Scotland.svg Darren Burnett
bye Flag of Scotland.svg Anderson
Flag of Scotland.svg Burnett
7 13 0
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Po Ting Hei
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Jason Choi
7 9 2 Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hei
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Choi
8 2 2
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg David Llewellyn
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Gary Pickering
9 6 1 Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hei
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Choi
1 9 0
Flag of England.svg Mervyn King
Flag of Scotland.svg David Gourlay
Flag of England.svg King
Flag of Scotland.svg Gourlay
10 4 2
bye Flag of England.svg King
Flag of Scotland.svg Gourlay
7 4 2
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tamara Arnold
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wesley Neilson
2 4 Flag of England.svg Taylor
Flag of Scotland.svg Milne
5 7 0
Flag of England.svg Trevor Taylor
Flag of Scotland.svg Connor Milne
12 9 Flag of England.svg King
Flag of Scotland.svg Gourlay
2 11 1
Flag of Scotland.svg Jason Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Michael Stepney
Flag of Scotland.svg Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Stepney
8 9 2
bye Flag of Scotland.svg Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Stepney
14 7
Flag of South Africa.svg Christoffel Lambrechts
Flag of South Africa.svg Fred Botha
2 8 0 Flag of New Zealand.svg Oullet
Flag of New Zealand.svg Smith
0 7
Flag of New Zealand.svg Anthony Oullet
Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Smith
10 7 2 Flag of Scotland.svg Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Stepney
8 10
Flag of England.svg Les Gillett
Flag of England.svg Wayne Willgress
Flag of England.svg Gillett
Flag of England.svg Willgress
3 4
bye Flag of England.svg Gillett
Flag of England.svg Willgress
10 11
Flag of England.svg Chris Rodgers
Flag of England.svg Steve Wade
6 12 0 Flag of the United States.svg Nunes
Flag of the United States.svg Brault
4 3
Flag of the United States.svg Anne Nunes
Flag of the United States.svg Bill Brault
7 4 2 Flag of Scotland.svg Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Stepney
10 6 2
Flag of England.svg Mark Dawes
Flag of England.svg Jamie Walker
Flag of England.svg Paxton
Flag of Guernsey.svg Greenslade
9 8 0
bye Flag of England.svg Dawes
Flag of England.svg Walker
11 13
Flag of Israel.svg Amnon Amar
Flag of Israel.svg Itai Rigbi
2 2 Flag of Scotland.svg Ward
Flag of Scotland.svg Renwick
2 0
Flag of Scotland.svg Kieran Ward
Flag of Scotland.svg Mark Renwick
18 11 Flag of England.svg Dawes
Flag of England.svg Walker
4 5
Flag of England.svg Robert Paxton
Flag of Guernsey.svg Jason Greenslade
Flag of England.svg Paxton
Flag of Guernsey.svg Greenslade
9 6
bye Flag of England.svg Paxton
Flag of Guernsey.svg Greenslade
7 10
Flag of Thailand.svg Frank De Vries
Flag of Thailand.svg Darren Chatwin
10 9 Flag of Thailand.svg De Vries
Flag of Thailand.svg Chatwin
5 2
Flag of Scotland.svg Stuart Pagan
Flag of Scotland.svg Paul D Brown
7 4 Flag of England.svg Paxton
Flag of Guernsey.svg Greenslade
11 5
Flag of England.svg Nick Brett
Flag of England.svg Greg Harlow
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Salmon
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Doubler
7 5
bye Flag of England.svg Harlow
Flag of England.svg Brett
4 5
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Blake Nairn
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sean Mawdsley
2 4 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Salmon
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Doubler
10 6
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Daniel Salmon
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Damian Doubler
7 8 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Salmon
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Doubler
5 6 2
Flag of Scotland.svg Paul Foster
Flag of Scotland.svg Alex Marshall
Flag of Ireland.svg Crawford
Flag of Ireland.svg Foster
6 5 1
bye Flag of Scotland.svg Foster
Flag of Scotland.svg Marshall
8 9 1
Flag of England.svg Jack Butcher
Flag of Scotland.svg James Rippey
4 3 Flag of Ireland.svg Crawford
Flag of Ireland.svg Foster
1 10 2
Flag of Ireland.svg Matthew Crawford
Flag of Ireland.svg Mark Foster
8 10

Mixed Pairs

First Round Semi-finals Final
               
Flag of England.svg Nick Brett
Flag of Scotland.svg Julie Forrest
4 4
Flag of Scotland.svg Paul Foster
Flag of England.svg Katherine Rednall
9 6
Flag of Scotland.svg Foster
Flag of England.svg Rednall
10 6
Flag of Scotland.svg Anderson
Flag of Malaysia.svg Abdullah
3 6
Flag of Scotland.svg Stewart Anderson
Flag of Malaysia.svg Nor Farah Ain Abdullah
7 7
Flag of England.svg Jamie Walker
Flag of South Africa.svg Colleen Piketh
7 6
Flag of Scotland.svg Foster
Flag of England.svg Rednall
5 10
Flag of Scotland.svg Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Riva
12 10
Flag of England.svg Robert Paxton
Flag of England.svg Lucy Smith
4 5
Flag of Scotland.svg Jason Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Beth Riva
9 6
Flag of Scotland.svg Banks
Flag of Scotland.svg Riva
8 11
Flag of England.svg Gillett
Flag of England.svg Rogers
6 1
Flag of England.svg Mark Dawes
Flag of England.svg Chelsea Spencer
6 3
Flag of England.svg Les Gillett
Flag of England.svg Nicole Rogers
9 9

Masters

Semi-finals Final
          
Flag of England.svg Billy Jackson 9 3 2
Ulster Banner.svg David Corkill 7 12 1
Flag of England.svg Jackson 7 6
Flag of England.svg Bond 7 7
Flag of Scotland.svg Graham Robertson 4 3
Flag of England.svg Ian Bond 9 8

Controversy

In January 2025, the World Bowls Tour (WBT) became the subject of significant controversy over the participation of Israeli athletes in the World Indoor Bowls Championships. Initially, the WBT announced the exclusion of Israeli players, citing security concerns following protests at previous events. [16] The organisers banned Israeli players Daniel Alomin, Amnon Amar and Itai Rigbi from competing, citing "significant escalation in related political concerns". The move created a significant reaction, with MP Rupert Lowe stating "Sport should be a unifier, and it should be above politics". [17]

The decision drew widespread criticism, with Jewish organisations and local parliamentarians condemning it as discriminatory. Following public backlash, the WBT reversed its decision on December 31, 2024, allowing Israeli athletes to compete. [18] [19] [20] The organisation implemented additional security measures to address concerns and ensure the safety of all participants. [21]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Friday 10th January 2025 - Sun 26th January 2025". Potters Resorts. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  2. "WBT 2025 World Indoor Bowls Championships draws". Bowls International. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. "World Indoor Bowls: Stewart Anderson beats Alex Marshall to win third title". BBC Sport. 21 January 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  4. "World Indoor Bowls: Katherine Rednall beats Julie Forrest for third straight title". BBC Sport. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  5. "Holder Anderson beaten by Gourlay in world quarters". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  6. "Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Championships: Day 10 Recap". Bowls International. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  7. "Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Championships open pairs winners crowned". Bowls International. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  8. "Beth Riva wins mixed pairs title at World Indoor Bowls Championships". East Lothian Courier. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  9. "Riva and Banks hailed as 'future of bowls' after world mixed title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  10. "Forrest clinches World Indoor Bowls singles title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  11. "Beth Riva runner-up at World Indoor Bowls Championship". East Lothian Courier. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  12. "Bond wins inaugural Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Championships masters". Bowls International. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  13. "Banks seals hat-trick of World Indoor Bowls titles". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  14. "Inverurie's Jason Banks makes history by completing hat-trick of World Indoor Bowls titles". Press and Journal. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  15. "Quadruple World Bowls Tour title haul for Banks". Bowls International. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  16. Israelis Barred From World Indoor Bowls Championships In England
  17. "Israeli bowlers banned from World Indoor Championships". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  18. International bowls federation drops ban on Israelis at UK competition after outrage
  19. "World Bowls Tour revokes ban on Israeli bowlers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  20. Tour reverses decision to bar Israeli players from indoor championships
  21. World Bowls Tour Allows Israeli Participation, Reversing Previous Discriminatory Decision