2025 World Indoor Bowls Championship

This article is about the World Indoor Bowls Championships. For the rival event organised by World Bowls and the IIBC, see World Bowls Indoor Championships.

2025 World Indoor Bowls Championship
47th World Indoor Bowls Championship
Location	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]}

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

Event	Winner
Open Singles	Jason Banks
Ladies Singles	Julie Forrest
Open Pairs	Jason Banks & Michael Stepney
Mixed Pairs	Jason Banks & Beth Riva
Masters	Ian Bond

Draw and results

Open singles

	First round							Second round							Quarter-finals							Semi-finals							Final
	1	Stewart Anderson	13	12
		Daniel Alonim	1	5				1	Anderson	7	9
	16	Jason Greenslade	2	6	1				Tolchard	7	4
		Sam Tolchard	7	4	2										1	Anderson	6	7
	9	Wayne Willgress	7	10											8	Gourlay	8	9
		Darren Weir	6	4				9	Willgress	6	4
	8	David Gourlay	7	10				8	Gourlay	6	9
		James Rippey	6	5																		8	Gourlay	2	10	1
	5	Robert Paxton	8	7																		5	Paxton	11	5	2
		Adam McKeown	5	6				5	Paxton	9	7
	12	Darren Burnett	8	10				12	Burnett	5	6
		Blake Nairn	7	1											5	Paxton	10	7
	13	Michael Stepney	11	8											4	Gillett	4	5
		Jordi Lo	4	7				13	Stepney	7	2
	4	Les Gillett	11	11				4	Gillett	10	8
		Aiden Takarua	4	1																									5	Paxton	4	8
	3	Jamie Walker	8	10	0																								7	Banks	10	12
		Paul Hartley	10	3	2				Hartley	9	12
	14	Mervyn King	6	8	0				Piketh	3	3
		Colleen Piketh+	7	7	2											Hartley	7	6	0
	11	Nick Brett	6	7											6	Dawes	5	7	2
		Martin Heitzman	6	8					Heitzman	5	4
	6	Mark Dawes	9	9				6	Dawes	10	9
		Ronnie Duncan	4	7																		6	Dawes	4	7
	7	Jason Banks	10	8																		7	Banks	8	8
		Izzat Dzulkeple	5	4				7	Banks	9	7
	10	Alex Marshall	4	9	2			10	Marshall	6	6
		David Bolt	6	3	0										7	Banks	10	3	2
	15	Greg Harlow	2	10	1										2	Foster	4	10	1
		Darren Rowland	9	3	2				Rowland	5	5
	2	Paul Foster	8	10				2	Foster	11	9
		Jamie Chestney	8	7

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

Ladies Singles

	First round							Semi-finals							Final
		Katherine Rednall	9	8	1
		Julie Forrest	4	9	2
									Forrest	3	7	2
									Rogers	8	5	1
		Nor Farah Ain Abdullah	4	2
		Nicole Rogers	9	11
																Forrest	11	8	2
																Riva	8	9	0
		Lucy Smith	5	3
		Chelsea Spencer	9	11
									Spencer	9	7	0
									Riva	10	2	2
		Beth Riva	8	7
		Colleen Piketh	2	5

Open Pairs

	First round							Second round							Quarter-finals							Semi-finals							Final
		Stewart Anderson Darren Burnett
		bye							Anderson Burnett	7	13	0
		Po Ting Hei Jason Choi	7	9	2				Hei Choi	8	2	2
		David Llewellyn Gary Pickering	9	6	1											Hei Choi	1	9	0
		Mervyn King David Gourlay														King Gourlay	10	4	2
		bye							King Gourlay	7	4	2
		Tamara Arnold Wesley Neilson	2	4					Taylor Milne	5	7	0
		Trevor Taylor Connor Milne	12	9																			King Gourlay	2	11	1
		Jason Banks Michael Stepney																					Banks Stepney	8	9	2
		bye							Banks Stepney	14	7
		Christoffel Lambrechts Fred Botha	2	8	0				Oullet Smith	0	7
		Anthony Oullet Chris Smith	10	7	2											Banks Stepney	8	10
		Les Gillett Wayne Willgress														Gillett Willgress	3	4
		bye							Gillett Willgress	10	11
		Chris Rodgers Steve Wade	6	12	0				Nunes Brault	4	3
		Anne Nunes Bill Brault	7	4	2																									Banks Stepney	10	6	2
		Mark Dawes Jamie Walker																												Paxton Greenslade	9	8	0
		bye							Dawes Walker	11	13
		Amnon Amar Itai Rigbi	2	2					Ward Renwick	2	0
		Kieran Ward Mark Renwick	18	11												Dawes Walker	4	5
		Robert Paxton Jason Greenslade														Paxton Greenslade	9	6
		bye							Paxton Greenslade	7	10
		Frank De Vries Darren Chatwin	10	9					De Vries Chatwin	5	2
		Stuart Pagan Paul D Brown	7	4																			Paxton Greenslade	11	5
		Nick Brett Greg Harlow																					Salmon Doubler	7	5
		bye							Harlow Brett	4	5
		Blake Nairn Sean Mawdsley	2	4					Salmon Doubler	10	6
		Daniel Salmon Damian Doubler	7	8												Salmon Doubler	5	6	2
		Paul Foster Alex Marshall														Crawford Foster	6	5	1
		bye							Foster Marshall	8	9	1
		Jack Butcher James Rippey	4	3					Crawford Foster	1	10	2
		Matthew Crawford Mark Foster	8	10

Mixed Pairs

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

Masters

	Semi-finals							Final
	Billy Jackson		9	3	2
	David Corkill		7	12	1
								Jackson		7	6
								Bond		7	7
	Graham Robertson		4	3
	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]

References

1. "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

External links

• World Bowls Tour
• World Bowls results at Potters Resorts