The Preston Innovations World Club Classic qualifying event on the Great Ouse at Littleport in Cambridgeshire recorded some fantastic roach weights on 28th/29th September 2013.
Barnsley and District AAS will now represent the Angling Trust and England in the FIPSed World Club Championships in Slovenia after demolishing nine competing teams at this prolific fenland venue.
The river Ouse was in scintillating form during all four days after the teams practised for two days and then battled it out competing for a team winners cheque of £7,000 generously provided by sponsors, Preston Innovations.
On day one Barnsley recorded an unbelievable five section wins and a fifth leaving even the mighty Daiwa Dorking team trailing in their wake. Leading from the front for Barnsley was young Matt Godfrey, three times a gold medal winner at World Youth International level with weights of 12.400 on Saturday followed by 11.650 kilos on Sunday. Matt’s all roach catches were enough to take top weight on both days to record a perfect 2 point section score and help him win the individual prize of £1,000 from the sponsors.
Day One Teams.
1. Barnsley and |District AAS – 10 points
2. Team Daiwa Dorking – 15 points
3. Maver Image – 22 points
4.Shakespeare Super Team – 25 points
Day One Sections.
A. Sam Wildsmith Barnsley & District – 9.225 kilos
B. James Dent Barnsley & District – 10.400 kilos
C. Matt Godfrey Barnsley & District – 12.400 kilos
D. Lee Kerry Barnsley & District – 10.275 kilos
E. Tom Scholey Matrix Dynamite Trentman – 7.175 kilos
F. Alan Scotthorne Barnsley & District – 9.975 kilos
Barnsley’s domination continued on day two when they produced another super performance with 4 section wins, 1 second and a fifth to record 11 points with Dorking on 13 points.
Day Two Teams.
1. Barnsley and District AAS – 11 points
2. Team Daiwa Dorking – 13 points
3. Matrix Dynamite Trentman – 28 points
4. Shakespeare Super Team – 33 points
Day Two Sections.
A. Callam Dicks Team Daiwa Dorking – 7.500 kilos
B. Alan Scotthorne Barnsley & District – 11.175 kilos
C.Matt Godfrey Barnsley & District – 11.650 kilos
D. Sam Wildsmith Barnsley & District – 10.750
E. Simon Wilsmore Team Daiwa Dorking – 7.225
F. Lee Kerry Barnsley & District – 8.600
This section of the Great Ouse is controlled by Littleport and at this time of year is full of migratory roach. The venue was proposed by them as a perfect match length allowing a FIPSed rules competition where bloodworm and joker could be used. The advice was spot on when a remarkable 626 kilos of fish 95% being roach were taken to the scales by only 10 competing teams of six anglers in just 2 x four hour events.
The weekend was so dominated by Barnsley that the top four individual places were all taken by their team members with four anglers posting a perfect 2 point score only to be separated by a total weight count back.
Overall Individuals.
1. Matt Godfrey 2 points – 24.050 kilos
2. Alan Scotthorne 2 points – 21.150 kilos
3. Sam Wildsmith 2 points – 19.75 kilos
4. Lee Kerry 2 points – 18.875 kilos
Barnsley manager, Glenn Lawrence said. “We caught lots of roach in practice and formulated a ground bait mix to target that species more than others. We used a 50/50 mix of Van Den Eynde Secret and Super Crack (which is a black roach groundbait) and then added a bag of damp leam and 250 ml of joker. After introducing 20 balls at the start we then topped up at intervals when necessary with the same mix to keep the fish feeding. Our hookbait was 2 or 3 bloodworms as we considered that maggot and pinky took too long to get a response. We would like to thank Preston Innovations for their generous sponsorship, and our whole squad are now looking forward to competing in Slovenia next year.”
Team Results.
1. Barnsley and Distrct AAS – 21 points
2. Team Daiwa Dorking – 28 points
3. Matrix Dynamite Trentman – 55 points
4. Maver Image – 56 points
5. Shakespeare Super Team – 58 points
6. Browning Hotrods – 72 points
7. Tricast Calder – 87 points
8. Garbolino RAF – 89 points
9. Garbolino Harrisons Lincs County – 92 points 10. Wellingborough Nene – 102 points
Dick Clegg, OBE International Events Manager, Angling Trust who originally proposed this type of team event as a way of providing the team to represent England in the FIPSed World Club Championships in the days of the NFA was delighted with the venue. He said “The fishing was tremendous here and I hope that the Barnsley and District team can now do something that so many other clubs have failed to do since Essex County in 1981 and that is win this prestigious event.”
“I would like to thank Preston Innovations for the four years that they have sponsored this fantastic competition, and also my appreciation to all the teams who took part making it the memorable event that it was. Finally I would like to say to Littleport thanks for the use of the Great Ouse we will surely be using your venue again after such a fabulous match.”
This is the fourth year in the contract that Preston Innovations have sponsored the event, and the Angling Trust would like to express their appreciation to the very generous sponsorship and support that they have provided for this event throughout the period of their involvement.
Results are available on the Angling Trust website at www.anglingtrust.net
