Wikipedia

World Bowls Tour

Not to be confused with World Bowls.

The World Bowls Tour is an organisation which promotes indoor bowls and organises competitions (primarily in the United Kingdom), including the World Indoor Bowls Championships.[1]

World Bowls Tour
AbbreviationWBT
Websitewww.worldbowlstour.org

History

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In 1990 the sport was under a period of fragmentation following the loss of the television coverage connected with the World Indoor Bowls Championships. John Hall the President of the English Bowls Association unsuccessfully called for closer co-operation between the indoor and outdoor game.[2] In 1992, a player led organisation formed the Professional Bowls Association, during the 1992 World Indoor Bowls Championship, which were held in the Preston Guildhall to promote indoor Bowls worldwide and on television.

On 1 January 1997, under the then chairman Richard Corsie, the PBA created the World Bowls Tour and after the 1997 championship replaced the World Indoor Bowls Council as the leading indoor organisation.[3] The purpose of the World Bowls Tour was to set up and create championships and competitions to further the aims of the PBA.[4]

Structure

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Position Name
Chairperson David Bolt
Tournament Director Tom Weir
Assistant Tournament Director & Finance Director Martin Gale
Corporate Director Jason Parkinson

Awards

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Events

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Current and former indoor bowls competitions organised by the World Bowls Tour.[5]

World Indoor Bowls Championships

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Main article: World Indoor Bowls Championships

Scottish International Open

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Main article: Scottish International Open

The International Open (defunct)

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Year Winner Runner-Up Score Ref
1983   David Bryant (1/2)   Bob Sutherland 7–4 7–3 7–1 [6]
1984   Terry Sullivan   Tony Allcock 5–4 (sets)
1985   Jim Baker   John Watson 5–7 4–7 7–0 7–3 7–3 7–6 7–4
1986   Stephen Rees   David Bryant 7–3 7–2 7–0 7–1 2–7 3–7 4–7 4–7 7–0 [7]
1987   Tony Allcock   David Corkill 7–6 1–7 2–7 7–3 7–0 4–7 7–4 5–7 7–5 [8]
1988   Gary Smith   Richard Corsie 6–7 7–5 7–5 7–6 7–6 3–7 6–7 7–0 [9]
1989   David Bryant (2/2)   David Corkill 1–5 5–7 7–6 7–5 7–3 [10]
1991   Andy Thomson (1/3)   Tony Allcock 6–7 4–7 7–5 7–2 7–1 [11]
1992   Andy Thomson (2/3)   John Price 7–3 3–7 7–5 7–5 [12]
1994   Mark McMahon   Andy Thomson 4–7 7–5 7–3 7–0 [13]
1995   Hugh Duff   Ian Schuback 2–7 7–3 7–4 7–1 [14]
1997   Les Gillett   David Gourlay 7–5 7–0 6–7 7–4 [15]
1998   David Gourlay (1/5)   John Price 7–0 0–7 7–6 3–7 7–2 [16]
1999   Ian Schuback   David Gourlay 5–7 6–7 7–5 7–3 7–2 [17]
2000   David Gourlay (2/5)   John Price 7–2 7–2 0–7 5–7 7–3 [18]
2001   Ian Bond   Greg Harlow 7–4 6–8 2–1 [19]
2002   David Gourlay (3/5)   Jason Greenslade 9–7 6–7 2–1 [20]
2003   Andy Thomson (3/3)   Les Gillett 9–10 13–4 2–1 [21]
2004   Greg Harlow (1/3)   David Gourlay 10–4 4–8 2–0 [22]
2005   Greg Harlow (2/3)   Robert Weale 8–12 10–5 2–0 [23]
2006   Greg Harlow (3/3)   David Gourlay 12–7 10–8 [24]
2007   Paul Foster (1/2)   Jason Greenslade 15–5 5–6 2–1 [25]
2008   Darren Burnett   Brett Wilkie 13–4 10–9 [26]
2009–2012 not held
2013   Alex Marshall   Robert Paxton 10–2 10–1 [27]
2014   Paul Foster (2/2)   Alex Marshall 9–8 15–3 [28]
2015   Nick Brett   Alex Marshall 12–4 9–8 [29]
2016   David Gourlay (4/5)   Jamie Chestney 11–9 10–6 [30]
2017   Jamie Chestney   Stewart Anderson 9–4 8–6 [31]
2018   David Gourlay (5/5)   Greg Harlow 11–9 5–9 2–1 [32]
not held since 2018

Sponsors and previous names

  • CIS UK Championship (1983-1993)
  • Saga/BUPA Care Homes International Open (1994-2004)
  • engage International Open (2005-2008)
  • Co-op International Open (2013-2018)

Welsh International Open (defunct)

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Year Winner Runner-Up
2002   Les Gillett   Robert Weale
2003   Tony Allcock   David Gourlay
2004   Kelvin Kerkow (1/2)   Andy Thomson
2005   Kelvin Kerkow (2/2)   Robert Weale
2006   Jason Greenslade   David Gourlay
2007   Paul Foster   Robert Weale
2008   Mark Royal (1/2)   Greg Harlow
2009   Robert Chisholm   Simon Skelton
2010   Darren Burnett   Simon Skelton
2011   Mark Royal (2/2)   David Gourlay
2012   David Gourlay   Greg Harlow
not held since 2013

Sponsors and previous names

  • Former Names - Welsh Masters / Welsh Grand Prix

World Matchplay (defunct)

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Year Winner Runner-Up
2007   Greg Harlow   Mervyn King
2008   Andy Thomson   Alex Marshall
2009   Mervyn King   David Gourlay
2010   Ian Bond   Jason Greenslade
not held since 2010

Statistics

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Most successful bowlers (singles only)

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Bowler World Indoor Bowls Championships The International Open Scottish International Open Welsh International Open World Match Play Total wins
  Paul Foster 5 2 3 1 - 11
   David Gourlay 1 5 2 1 - 9
  Greg Harlow 1 3 3 - 1 8
  Andy Thomson 3 3 1 - 1 8
  Alex Marshall 6 1 - - - 7
  David Bryant 3 2 1 - - 6
  Tony Allcock 3 1 - 1 - 5
  John Price 1 4 - - - 5
  Stewart Anderson 2 - 3 - - 5
  Richard Corsie 3 - 1 - - 4
  Nick Brett 1 1 2 - - 4

Youngest Player

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Desmond Lai, at age of 15 (January 2024) from Hong Kong China, in World Bowls Indoor Championships 2024 [33]

References

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  1. ^ "About". World Bowls Tour. 29 October 2015.
  2. ^ Newby, Donald (1990). Daily Telegraph Bowls Yearbook 91. Pan Books Ltd. pp. 8/9. ISBN 0-330-31664-8.
  3. ^ Jones, David Rhys (January 1997). "Jones, David Rhys. "New body defended by Corsie." Times, 1 Jan. 1997, p. 29". The Times. Times Digital Archives. p. 29.
  4. ^ "About WBT". Webpage. WBT/World Bowls Tour. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Competitions and results". World Bowls. 29 October 2015.
  6. ^ Sullivan, Patrick (1986). Guinness Bowls Records. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 136. ISBN 0-85112-414-3.
  7. ^ Newby, Donald (1988). Bowls Year Book 88. Daily Telegraph. ISBN 0-86367-220-5.
  8. ^ Allan, Gordon (9 November 1987). "A see-saw final won by Allcock". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 48.
  9. ^ Newby, Donald (1989). Bowls Year Book 89. Daily Telegraph. pp. 88/89. ISBN 0-330-31093-3.
  10. ^ Allan, Gordon (6 November 1989). "Masterful display by Bryant". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 36.
  11. ^ "For the Record". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. 27 April 1991.
  12. ^ "Thomson No. 1". The Times. No. 64322. London: Times Digital Archives. 2 May 1992. p. 35.
  13. ^ Jones, David Rhys (3 October 1994). "McMahon magic conjures up title". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 26.
  14. ^ "Singles title for Duff". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. 2 October 1995. p. 26.
  15. ^ Jones, David Rhys (20 October 1997). "Gillett slays cool at finish to win Open". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 27.
  16. ^ "Price falls to Gourlay". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. 2 November 1998. p. 35.
  17. ^ Jones, David Rhys (22 November 1999). "Row takes shine off Schuback triumph". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 30.
  18. ^ "Gourlay confirms high-flying status". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. 20 November 2000. pp. 11[S].
  19. ^ Jones, David Rhys (12 November 2001). "Bond shows aptitude for sudden death to lift title". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. pp. 8[S].
  20. ^ Jones, David Rhys (11 November 2002). "Gourlay retains winning habit". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 36.
  21. ^ Jones, David Rhys (17 November 2003). "Thomson back in the old routine". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 32.
  22. ^ Jones, David Rhys (8 November 2004). "Harlow sees off Gourlay to claim 'career-best' victory". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 69.
  23. ^ Jones, David Rhys (7 November 2005). "Harlow employs his powers of recovery to retain title". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. p. 77.
  24. ^ "Harlow leads way". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. 6 November 2006. p. 70.
  25. ^ "Bowls". The Times. London: Times Digital Archives. 12 November 2007. p. 61.
  26. ^ "WBT International Open - Burgess Hill, West Sussex: Quarter-finals". Bowls. The Times. No. 69495. London: Times Digital Archives. 1 December 2008. p. 61.
  27. ^ "Marshall's First International Open Win". World Bowls Tour.
  28. ^ "Fantastic Foster". Bowls International.
  29. ^ "CONGRATULATIONS TO NICK BRETT". Henselite.
  30. ^ "CO-OPERATIVE FUNERALCARE INTERNATIONAL OPEN DRAW 2016". World Bowls Tour. 27 January 2016.
  31. ^ "CO-OP FUNERALCARE INTERNATIONAL OPEN 2017 SCHEDULE & SCORES". World Bowls Tour. 19 November 2016.
  32. ^ "CFC INTERNATIONAL OPEN 2018 SCHEDULE AND SCORES". World Bowls Tour. 30 January 2018.
  33. ^ World Bowls Tour (16 January 2024). "NUMBER 15 SEED MIKE STEPNEY NEGOTIATES A SAFE PASSAGE INTO THE 2nd ROUND OF THE WORLD INDOOR BOWLS SINGLES". World Bowls Tour. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
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