At the age of 10, Jason Banks stepped onto the rink at his local club in Scotland for the first time. 18 years later, he achieved something never seen in the sport.
The Inverurie bowler has been dubbed ‘the future of bowls’. High praise from 5-time Open Singles Champion and fellow Scotsman, Paul Foster MBE. And as the titles piled up during an historic trophy-laden final week at the 2025 Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Championships, the title of ‘history-maker’, initially whispered, became apt by the final Sunday.
Jason with Judy Potter and John Potter, after his Open Singles Final in JanuaryInterviewed by BBC Sport’s Rishi Persad after his Open Singles Final win over Robert Paxton, Jason said his unprecedented treble, having also won in the Open Pairs and Mixed Pairs Championships, wouldn’t change him. And that couldn’t have been more obvious in his chat with us.
A Family Affair
“I started because my family play bowls as well,” Jason told Life on Resorts. “My parents and my grandparents were quite helpful when I was beginning. I started off playing what in our area is called ‘roon the stick’. It’s like a short mat version of bowls, which was good for learning the basics, learning the draw shot.”
Jason (bottom centre) winning his first bowls trophy at Inverurie Bowls Club in 2006. His triples playing partners are either side, Irene Whyte and his grandad, Bruce Middleton.“In halls you can roll out a carpet. They put a stick in the middle so you can’t actually play with speed at the bowls. You have to play with dead weight to draw round the stick.”
When Jason says bowls is a family affair, he perhaps understates the talent in the Banks household. Dad Colin and sister Carla have also made it to the world stage on the blue rink at Potters. And while they knew Jason was a special talent, his rise to the top of bowls has surprised even them.
They said: “We’re obviously delighted for Jason. It’s still all a bit unbelievable that he has achieved something that no other player has ever done before. We were nervous wrecks watching him play at Potters from home, and sometimes whilst some of us were bowling ourselves!”
Jason with sister Carla, after their SIBA Mixed Pairs title win earlier this year“Winning these three World titles and the Scottish Open are a great reward for his hard work and dedication. We are very proud of him, especially of how he conducts himself both on and off the green, win or lose, and we would still feel the same even if he had lost any of the matches. We don’t think becoming a world champion will change him!”
"I WAS HAPPIEST AFTER WINNING THE FIRST OF THE TROPHIES, BECAUSE I HAD WON A WORLD TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME."
- Jason BanksA January to Remember
Jason teamed up with compatriots Michael Stepney in the Open Pairs and Beth Riva in the Mixed Pairs. By Tuesday afternoon of Finals Week live on the BBC, he had already picked up two of three possible titles at the 2025 Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Championships.
Jason won the Open Pairs title with Michael Stepney, pictured here with Sarah Goulding from main sponsor Ambassador Cruise Line, and Marc Jones of Potters ResortsJason told Life on Resorts: “It was special to win the Open Pairs and Mixed Pairs Championships with Mike and Beth, because we were all new to winning these trophies for the first time. I’m not sure how often that’s happened on the WBT circuit.
“I can’t thank them enough for playing with me and being such encouraging partners. They played great bowls and made it an enjoyment to play each game.”
Jason with the Mixed Pairs Championship trophies, alongside playing partner Beth RivaSeeking an unprecedented treble, his Open Singles journey was far from simple. A tough first round match against Malaysian Izzat Dzulkeple was negotiated, before dispatching Alex Marshall MBE, Paul Foster MBE and Mark Dawes on his way to the final; a trio who themselves have won the Open Singles Title thirteen times between them.
Jason says: “When I look back to my first match on the portable rink, at Perth in 2012, I actually borrowed a set of Alex’s bowls. It’s amazing because last year, when he made the Open Singles Final at Potters, he borrowed a set of mine!
Jason on the WBT’s blue rink for the first time in Perth, Scotland, in 2012, winning the Scottish U17s Young Masters Singles.“It was a great experience to play against him and Paul on that stage on back to back nights. The game against Paul especially was a really exciting match.”
Chasing History
With an Open Singles final against England’s Robert Paxton to come, all the talk was of an unprecedented hat-trick of titles and a Scottish clean sweep, having seen Julie Forrest lift the Ladies Matchplay title. But Jason wasn’t thinking too far ahead in that respect.
“I was trying not to think too much about it, and just focus on what I needed to do to win in every game, rather than letting my mind wander into the history-making side of it. I would have been quite happy to go home after the pairs championships, but I had to keep going.
“In the last ends of the final against Robert, I was just telling myself to knuckle down and concentrate all the way to the end, and make sure I didn’t let the lead slip away. It was nice to finish on such a positive note by winning the final. But at the end of the day, it’s just a game, and I would have been just as happy had I won or lost.”
Jason with the third of his three titles at Potters this January, following his Open Singles win over Robert PaxtonWith his 10-4, 11-9 victory in the record books, the modest Scotsman celebrated with a taste of home. “I brought four Murdoch Allan Aberdeen Butteries down with me, but I didn’t eat any until after the final. I had two of them afterwards with a cup of tea.
“My time at Potters felt like a bit of a blur. It still feels like it was a dream. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming there. Whether it’s the staff in the restaurant, the housekeepers, or the spectators, it’s just a nice place to be.”
Back to Reality
His luck (if you can call it that) would run out the next day on his way home, as a puncture delayed his return. It’s rather comical to imagine the triple champion replacing his tyre with his three World Championship trophies on the roadside. Despite the hiccup, he swiftly returned to his job as a mechanical design engineer in Westhill, Aberdeenshire.
And, having used most of his annual leave to play, he received a couple of nice surprises from his employer, Power Jacks (nothing to do with bowls by the way!).
“On the clock-in board, they had added world champion next to my name. They gave me half of my holiday time back too, which is really good of them. They’ve always been supportive of my bowls journey and I really appreciate the support they’ve given me.”
Jason with his four WBT titles back home in Inverurie, at the newly-named Jason Banks Arena (Credit: The Press & Journal)Another surprise awaited him at his indoor club. Garioch IBC in Inverurie has been renamed the Jason Banks Arena in honour of his achievements. Having added the Scottish Open title to his CV last November, not only has Jason become the first player to win a hat-trick of titles at Potters, but he’s also the first to hold four WBT titles in a single season.
Reflecting on his achievements, Jason continues: “It doesn’t feel like I am in reality to be honest. It feels like it’s just a dream. I don’t think I really understand what I have done. When you think of all the great bowlers that have played in the past and I have done something they haven’t, it is just quite unbelievable.
“If I don’t win anything else in bowls, at least I can always say I have done this.”
Join the Campaign!
Following Jason’s unprecedented success, Bowls International Magazine is spearheading a campaign to get Jason nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, ensuring his achievements get the national recognition they deserve.
Find out more here, and how you can directly contribute to this brilliant campaign for Jason, and the sport of bowls.
