2025 British Bowls Calendar Announced
We are delighted to confirm plans for a full programme of British Bowls events in 2025.
Representatives of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales met on Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th November to confirm future governance arrangements, review 2024’s events and agree competition plans for 2025 and beyond. Whilst Jersey was unable to attend the meeting, they remain a core member of British Bowls, and all five nations will sign a British Bowls Collaboration Agreement. A comprehensive Event Manual is also being developed to ensure consistent event delivery between the nations as we work together to build the brand of British Bowls.
World Bowls Chief Executive Neil Dalrymple joined part of the meeting to provide an overview of plans internationally, with the group using this opportunity to take a more strategic view of the wider role that British Bowls can play in future. Discussions included developing the events programme, ensuring the new world rankings system reflects the efforts of British bowlers, maximising the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and how we use international events to grow participation.
The season again kicks off with the British Bowls Championships and Internationals at Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club, Wales, from Tuesday 24th to Sunday 29th June inclusive. Players from England, Ireland, Jersey, Scotland and Wales will come together to battle for individual and team honours across six days of action-packed bowls.
Following positive feedback from players and spectators across all nations, it was agreed that the format for the British Bowls International Series remain multi-discipline with 15 player teams across both the men’s and women’s event. Minor amendments will see the removal of extra ends in individual games plus a review of the points scoring for individual and overall scores. The Championships will see the inclusion of two new events – Men’s Under 25 Pairs and Women’s Under 18 Singles – in order to achieve gender equality across all events.
These events will be followed by the U18 Internationals at the National Centre for Bowling in Ayr, Scotland, on Sunday 20th and Monday 21st July. This event continues to provide international action for Britain’s top young players.
To round the season off the fiercely competitive British Isles U25 Internationals will also take place in Ayr on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September. It was agreed that the format for this event will maintain the current squad size and follow that of the International Series, with individual disciplines across both genders in order to better support the player pathway to further international honours, and further work is being undertaken by the British Bowls team to finalise details for this event.
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will participate in both the U18 and U25 events.
Bowls Scotland Head of High Performance Bowls Kareena Cuthbert said: “The British Bowls events are a fantastic opportunity for bowlers to display their talents in a highly competitive environment. Last year, Scotland struck gold at the U18 and U25 series and silver in the women’s Internationals to round off a successful season.
“The positive feedback from both players and spectators around the new International Series format and a productive few days collaborating with our colleagues from Ireland, England, Wales and together with Jersey paves an exciting path for the future of British Bowls.
“In addition to the current British Bowls events, there is ongoing work around aligning and including our para performance teams within the British Bowls brand. Our relationship with the British nations is in a great place and we are capitalising on this opportunity with competitive test matches for our para squad against Ireland in May and for all squads in September against Wales.”
Dates for your Diary:
- Sunday 4th to Tuesday 6th May: Para Test Match v Ireland
- Ireland, venue TBC
- Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th June: British Bowls Championships
- Llandrindod Wells BC, Wales
- Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th June inclusive: British Bowls International Series
- Llandrindod Wells BC, Wales
- Friday 27th to Sunday 29th June: Para Home Nations
- Royal Leamington Spa BC, England
- Sunday 20th and Monday 21st July: U18 International Series
- National Centre for Bowling, Ayr, Scotland
- Friday 5th and Saturday 6th September: Test Match v Wales
- Wales, venue TBC
- Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September: U25 International Series
- National Centre for Bowling, Ayr, Scotland