History

First held in Australia in 1966, the World Bowls Championships for men and women are held every four years.

From 2008, the men’s and women’s events were held together.

Qualifying national bowls organisations (usually countries) are represented by a team of five players, who play once as a single and a four, then again as a pair and a triple.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each of the four disciplines, and there is also a trophy for the best overall team; the Leonard Trophy for men and the Taylor Trophy for women.

Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland compete as one Irish team.

Men’s Titles

YearVenueSingles GoldPairs Gold*Triples Gold*Fours Gold*Team Champion
1966Sydney,
Australia
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ David Bryant๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Geoff Kelly, Bert Palm๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ John Dobbie, Athol Johnston, Don Collins๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Bill O’Neill, Gordon Jolly, Ron Buchan, Norm Lash๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
1972Worthing,
England
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Maldwyn Evans๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Eric Liddell, Saco Delgado๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Dick Folkins, Clive Forrester, Bill Miller๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Peter Line, Ted Hayward, Cliff Stroud, Norman King๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland
1976Johannesburg,
South Africa
๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Doug Watson๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Bill Moseley, Doug Watson๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Kevin Campbell, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Kevin Campbell, Bill Moseley, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ South Africa
1980Melbourne,
Australia
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ David Bryant๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Peter Rheuben, Alf Sandercock๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ David Bryant, Tony Allcock, Jimmy Hobday๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Omar Dallah, Eric Liddell, George Souza, Philip Chok๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England
1984Aberdeen,
Scotland
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Peter Belliss๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Skippy Arculli, Jim Candelet, George Adrain * Jim Baker, Sammy Allen, Stan Espie (IRE)๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Tony Allcock, John Bell, Julian Haines, George Turley๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland
1988Auckland,
New Zealand
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ David Bryant๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Peter Belliss, Rowan Brassey๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Phil Skoglund, Morgan Moffat, Ian Dickison Jim Baker, Sammy Allen, John McCloughlin, Rodney McCutcheon (IRE)๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England
1992Worthing,
England
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Tony Allcock๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Alex Marshall, Richard Corsie๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Cecil Bransky, Lawrence Mendelsohn, Leon Bluhm๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Angus Blair, Willie Wood, Alex Marshall, Graham Robertson๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland
1996Adelaide,
Australia
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Tony Allcock Sammy Allen, Jeremy Henry (IRE)๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ George Adrain, Willie Wood, Kenny Logan๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ John Bell, Andy Thomson, David Cutler, Brett Morley๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland
2000Johannesburg,
South Africa
Jeremy Henry (IRE)๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Alex Marshall, George Sneddon๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Peter Belliss, Rowan Brassey, Andrew Curtain๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Will Thomas, Robert Weale, Stephen Rees, Mark Williams๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
2004Ayr,
Scotland
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Steve Glasson๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Ryan Bester, Keith Roney๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ David Peacock, Willie Wood, Jim McIntyre Jim Baker, Neil Booth,
Noel Graham, Jonathan Ross (IRE)
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland
2008Christchurch,
New Zealand
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Safuan Said๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Gary Lawson, Russell Meyer๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ David Peacock, Willie Wood, Wayne Hogg๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Gary Lawson, Russell Meyer, Richard Girvan, Andrew Todd๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ New Zealand
2012Adelaide,
Australia
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Leif Selby๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Alex Marshall, Paul Foster๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Graeme Archer, Darren Burnett, David Peacock๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Aron Sherriff, Mark Casey, Brett Wilkie, Wayne Ruediger๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
2016Christchurch,
New Zealand
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Shannon McIlroy๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Aaron Wilson, Brett Wilkie๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Robert Paxton, Andy Knapper, Jamie Walker๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal,
Mike Kernaghan, Mike Nagy
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ New Zealand
2023Gold Coast,
Australia
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Ryan Bester Adam McKeown & Gary Kelly๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Corey Wedlock, Aron Sherriff & Carl Healey๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Corey Wedlock, Aaron Teys, Carl Healey & Aron Sherriff๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia

Women’s Titles

YearVenueSingles GoldPairs Gold*Triples Gold*Fours Gold*Team Champion
1969Sydney,
Australia
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฌ Gladys Doyle๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ May Cridlan, Elsie McDonald๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, Sara Sundelowitz๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ May Cridlan, Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, Sara Sundelowitz๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ South Africa
1973Wellington,
New Zealand
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Elsie Wilkie๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Dot Jenkinson, Lorna Lucas๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Cis Winstanley, Noeleen Scott, Irene Foote๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Cis Winstanley, Verna Devlin, Noeleen Scott, Irene Foote๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ New Zealand
1977Johannesburg,
South Africa
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Elsie Wilkie๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Helen Wong, Elvie Chok๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Enid Morgan, Margaret Pomeroy, Joan Osborne๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Merle Richardson, Lorna Lucas, Connie Hicks, Dot Jenkinson๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
1981Toronto, Canada๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Norma Shaw Nan Allely, Eileen Bell (IRE)๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Lena Sadick, Rae Oโ€™Donnell, Linda King๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Eileen Fletcher, Gloria Thomas, Mavis Steele
Betty Stubbings, Irene Molyneux*
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England
1985Melbourne,
Australia
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Merle Richardson๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Merle Richardson, Fay Craig๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Mavis Meadowcroft, Norma Massey, Dorothy Roche๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Frances Whyte, Annette Evans, Elizabeth Christie, Sarah Gourlay๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
1988Auckland,
New Zealand
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Janet Ackland Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan (IRE)๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Dorothy Roche, Marion Stevens,
Greeta Fahey
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Dorothy Roche, Norma Wainwright, Marion Stevens, Greeta Fahey๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England
1992Ayr,
Scotland
Margaret Johnston (IRE) Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan (IRE)๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Frances Whyte, Janet Maxwell,
Joyce Lindores
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Senga McCrone, Frances Whyte, Janet Maxwell, Joyce Lindores๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland
1996Leamington Spa,
England
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ซ Carmen Anderson Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan (IRE)๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Hester Bekker, Barbara Redshaw, Jannie de Beer๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Daphne Shaw, Margaret Sumner, Marilyn Peddell, Gordana Baric๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ South Africa
2000Moama,
Australia
Margaret Johnston (IRE)๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Joyce Lindores, Margaret Letham๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Anne Lomas, Sharon Sims, Patsy Jorgensen๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Anne Lomas, Patsy Jorgensen, Jan Khan, Sharon Sims๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England
2004Leamington Spa,
England
Margaret Johnston (IRE)๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Jo Edwards, Sharon Sims๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Loraine Victor, Jill Hackland, Trish Steyn๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Amy Monkhouse, Jean Baker, Ellen Falkner, Jayne Christie๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England
2008Christchurch,
New Zealand
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Val Smith๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Jo Edwards, Val Smith๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Lorna Trigwell, Loraine Victor, Sylvia Burns๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Karen Murphy, Claire Duke, Julie Keegan, Lynsey Clarke๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
2012Adelaide,
Australia
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Karen Murphy๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Rebecca Van Asch, Kelsey Cottrell๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Karen Murphy, Lynsey Clarke, Natasha Scott๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Margaret Letham, Caroline Brown, Lynn Stein, Michelle Cooper๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
2016Christchurch,
New Zealand
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Karen Murphy๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Jess Sims, Laura Daniels๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Rebecca Van Asch, Natasha Scott,
Carla Krizanic
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Natasha Scott, Rebecca Van Asch, Carla Krizanic, Kelsey Cottrell๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
2023Gold Coast,
Australia
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Tayla Bruce๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Aleena Binti Ahmad Nawawi & Nur Ain Nabilah Binti Tarmizi๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Dawn Hayman, Lynsey Clarke, Kelsey Cottrell๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Sophie Tolchard, Jamie-Lea Marshall, Lorraine Kuhler & Amy Pharaoh๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ New Zealand

Para Titles

YearVenuePara Men’s Pairs GoldPara Women’s Pairs GoldVision-impaired mixed pairs goldTeam Champion
2023Gold Coast, Australia๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Damien Delgado & James Reynolds๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Julie O’Connell & Teri Blackbourn๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Jacky Hudson & Jake Fehlberg
(Directors Rob Hudson & Cody Fehlberg)
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia

Summary – just gold medals

Summary – with team trophy wins

NationMenWomenParaTotal
SinglesPairsTriplesFoursTeamTotalSinglesPairsTriplesFoursTeamTotalMenWomenMixed VITeamTotal
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia23224133354520111336
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ New Zealand222321142222101122
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland3415131131619
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England522211134819
๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ South Africa1111151412813
Ireland1212634713
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Wales11211135
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong1121124
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ USA1122
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia11112
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Canada1122
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Israel111
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฌ Papua New Guinea111
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ซ Norfolk Island111

Most individual gold medals

6 individual titles

  • Margaret Johnston (IRE)

4 individual titles

  • Tony Allcock (ENG)
  • David Bryant (ENG)
  • Alex Marshall (SCO)
  • Karen Murphy (AUS)
  • Willie Wood (SCO)

3 individual titles

  • Sammy Allen (IRE)
  • Jim Baker (IRE)
  • Peter Belliss (NZ)
  • Lynsey Clarke (AUS)
  • Kelsey Cottrell (AUS)
  • Joyce Lindores (SCO)
  • Phillis Nolan (IRE)
  • David Peacock (SCO)
  • Merle Richardson (AUS)
  • Dorothy Roche (AUS)
  • Aron Sherriff
  • Sharon Sims (NZ)
  • Rebecca Van Asch (AUS)
  • Natasha Van Eldik (AUS)
  • Frances Whyte (SCO)