Team Australia Ready to Roll in Reno for World Seniors Championship

Team Australia has touched down in Reno, Nevada, ready to take on the world at the 2025 IBF World Seniors Championship. Beginning this week at the iconic 78-lane National Bowling Stadium, the event brings together the globe’s best senior bowlers in pursuit of one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.

Staged by the International Bowling Federation (IBF) in partnership with the Pan-American Bowling Confederation, the World Seniors Championship features men’s and women’s divisions across both senior and grand-senior categories, with singles, doubles, team, masters, and all-events formats.

Athletes bowl 18 games across singles, doubles, and team events to determine their All-Events total. The top 24 in each division then advance to the Masters stage, conducted over five knockout steps from scratch.

With 39 nations and 368 competitors taking part, the championships is a celebration of experience, skill, and pride – where age is just a number.

Meet Team Australia

Australia’s lineup blends experience and momentum, featuring seasoned international experience alongside newcomers making their IBF debut. Among the debutants are David Farquharson, Jim Bakirtzidis, Jim Karakostas, Andrew Campbell, Robyn Bull and Samantha Matthews – all of whom first donned the green and gold at the 2024 Asian Senior Championships.

Leading the campaign is Head Coach Andrew Frawley, returning to national coaching duties for the first time since 2018. Frawley will oversee a support team including Bob Whybrow (Coach), Janine Matheson (Manager) and Suz Wenzel who has kindly offered her services in Sports Medicine.

“Team Australia are well prepared and looking good on the lanes,” said Head Coach Andrew Frawley. “It’s all about contention and to be in contention for medals, we will need to be in touch with the top 4 throughout. The secret is to stay relaxed and play your shot. Team Australia can do this!”

Australia’s 2025 World seniors Championship Squad

Alongside the 20 representatives there are nine registered supporters who’ve travelled to cheer on the green and gold. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

What to Watch – Key Storylines

Australia’s performance at last year’s Asian Seniors Championship in Singapore offered a glimpse of what this team is capable of – and who might be standing on the podium again in Reno.

In the women’s lineup, Samantha Matthews headlines after a remarkable campaign in Singapore, capturing gold in the Women’s Senior masters and silver in the team-of-four event. Alongside teammate Sue Cassell, who also returns for Reno,  Matthews’ form points to plenty of potential in the women’s squad that also includes experienced campaigner Mary Dodds and two-time senior rankings champion Dena Buxton.

In the Grand Senior women’s division, few shone brighter than Julie Harrison and Heather Robertson, who combined for six medals. Harrison was a standout across the week, winning gold in Singles, bronze in Doubles (with Robyn Flynn), bronze in Teams, and silver in All-Events. Robertson impressed in her own right-steady throughout before saving her best for last, taking silver in the Grand Women’s Masters.

On the Men’s Senior side, Adam Hayes, a consistent force at national open events, joins Tasmanian legend Ashley Riley, George Frilingos, and experienced campaigner Michael Muir in a squad rich with experience and firepower.

The Grand Senior men bring an equally intriguing storyline. After five consecutive years atop Australia’s Grand Senior rankings, Jim Bakirtzidis finally gets his long-awaited shot on the world stage. He’s joined by David Farquharson who impressed at the Asian Seniors last year as Australia’s top performer in his division, and debutant Jim Karakostas.  Rounding out the group is Andrew Campbell, a seasoned representative and past Asian Seniors medalist whose national-team history stretches back to 2011.

Together, this mix of decorated veterans and hungry debutants gives Australia balance, experience, and belief.

Schedule Snapshot

Team Australia has arrived and complete unofficial practice sessions, with the official schedule now confirmed.

Reno, Nevada operates on Pacific Time (PT) and is UTC – 7, while Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) is UTC +10 making AEST – 17 hours ahead of Reno time.

An overview of the key times is listed below in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).

Friday October 17

• From 02:00 Official Practice
• 11:00- 13:00 Opening Ceremony

Saturday October 18

• 01:00 – 04:30 –  Singles – Senior Men
• 06:00 – 09:30 – Singles – Grand Senior Men and Women
• 11:00- 14:30 – Singles – Senior Women

Sunday October 19

• 01:00-04:30 – Doubles – Grand Senior Men and Women
• 06:00-09:30 –  Doubles – Senior Women
• 11:00-14:30 –  Doubles – Senior Men

Monday October 20

• 01:00-01:30 –  Singles Semi-Finals
• 01:30-02:00 – Singles Finals
• 02:00-02:30 – Doubles Semi-Finals
• 02:30-03:00 – Doubles Finals
• 03:00-04:00 –  Medal Presentation for Singles and Doubles
• 05:30- 08:30 – Team Event 3 Games – Senior & Grand Senior Women
• 10:00-13:00 Team Event 3 Games – Senior & Grand Senior Men

Tuesday October 21

• 02:00-05:00 – Team Event 3 Games – Senior & Grand Senior Men
• 06:30 – 09:30 – Team Event 3 Games – Senior & Grand Senior Women
• 09:30-10:30 Team Event Semi-Finals
• 10:30-11:30 – Team Finals
• 11:30-12:00 – Medal Presentation Teams

Wednesday October 22

• 03:00-04:00 – Masters (Step 1) Senior Men
• 04:00-05:00 –  Masters (Step 1) Senior Women
• 05:00 – 05:30 – Lane Maintenance
• 05:30-06:30 Masters (Step 1) Grand Senior Men
• 06:30-07:30 – Masters (Step 1) Grand Senior Women
• 07:30-08:00 – Lane Maintenance
• 08:00-09:00 –  Masters (Step 2) Senior Men and Women
• 09:00-10:00 – Masters (Step 2) Grand Senior Men and Women
• 10:00 –  Medal Presentation All-Events

Thursday October 23

• 02:00-03:00 – Masters (Step 3) QF – Senior Men and Women
• 03:00-04:00 – Masters (Step 3) QF – Grand Senior Men and Women
• 04:00-04:30 – Lane Maintenance
• 04:30 – 05:30 – Masters (Step 4) SF – All
• 05:30 – 06:30 – Master Finals – Senior Women
• 06:30-07:30 –  Master Finals – Senior Men
• 07:30-08:30 – Master Finals – Grand Senior Men
• 08:30 – 09:30 – Master Finals – Grand Senior Women
• 09:30 –  Medal Presentation for Masters
• 12:00 – Farewell Dinner

Best of Luck Australia!

“We talk a lot about pride and standards,” Frawley added. “If every athlete walks away knowing they gave everything for their teammates and their country, that’s a win for us.”

With green and gold pride on full display, Team Australia is ready to show the world that experience still counts – and that age is no barrier to excellence.

Follow daily previews and recaps throughout the Championships at www.tenpin.org.au and join us in cheering on our bowlers and officials as they fly the flag on the world stage. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!