JULIE Forrest is a two-time world indoor champion bowler who hails from Scotland.
And she’s at it again — Julie knocked out favourite and six-time winner Katherine Rendall in round one of the World Indoor Bowls Championships 2025.
Who is World Indoor Bowls Championship player Julie Forrest?
Julie Forrest is a Scottish professional bowls player, participating in both the indoor and outdoor disciplines of the sport.
Born on November 3, 1968, she is a member of what was formerly the Teviotdale Indoor Bowls Club in the Scottish Borders.
Julie went on to win the club championship 14 times.
In 2022, the Teviotdale arena was renamed in honour of their multiple world champion player — it is now the Julie Forrest Stadium.
She told the BBC: “This is surreal. This place has been my second home for so long.”
And on staying at the top of her game, she added: “I want to finish at the top and that will likely be in the next couple of years.
“I don’t want to be one of those players that slowly slides down the rankings.
“One thing is for sure, I will keep playing bowls here at the Julie Forrest Stadium for as long as I can.”
Julie is also an Honorary Life Member of the Scottish Indoor Bowling Association (SIBA).
She has been playing with Tiger Bowls since 2003.
In 2007, she was inducted into the Scottish Borders Hall of Fame.
What has Julie Forrest won?
Julie’s biggest wins came in 2019 and 2020 when she snatched the women’s singles titles at the World Indoor Bowls Championships at Potters Leisure Resort in Great Yarmouth.
Before she took home the first of those titles, she opened up about how winning the Worlds would be the “pinnacle” of her career.
[quote credit=”Julie Forrest” credit-meta=”BBC”]One thing is for sure, I will keep playing bowls here at the Julie Forrest Stadium for as long as I can[/quote]She said: “You have to dig deep… If I win the final it will be the pinnacle of my career.
“It’s the last thing in ladies indoor bowls I can win, I’ve won everything else you can win — this only thing I haven’t won and I’m really looking forward to it.”
In 2016, she also finished runner-up at the World Indoor Bowls Championship in the mixed pairs.
She won her third world indoor title with Stewart Anderson in 2021, and picked up the title again in 2024 with new bowls partner Nick Brett.
Julie has won seven IIBC indoor titles, including a record four ladies’ singles titles (2004, 2010, 2013, 2014) and three mixed pairs titles (2002, 2003, 2013).
She won the last three editions of the WBT Scottish Women’s Masters and is a record six-time Scottish indoor champion.
Julie is also a three-time British Isles indoor champion in singles competition.
In 2022, Julie won the women’s singles at the inaugural World Bowls Indoor Championships in Bristol.
The following year she retained the title after beating Katelyn Inch in Warilla, Australia.
When did the World Indoor Bowls Championships 2025 start?
The main draw of the World Indoor Bowls Championships 2025 got underway on Saturday, January 11.
It is being staged at the Potters Resorts Hopton-on-Sea in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
This is officially the 26th year the World Indoor Bowls Championships have taken place.
Julie and Nick were knocked out of the mixed pairs contest on Friday, January 17.
She is set to play Nicole Rogers in the ladies semi-final on Wednesday, January 22.