NCFFI 2015 Bank Qualifiers – Team Ireland is selected
Last weekend, Craigavon Lakes played host to the Predator Team Ireland Qualifiers where 22 anglers competed for a place to represent Ireland at the 13th FIPSed World Championships Bank Fishing with Lures at the end of the month.
A fantastic 22 anglers turned out to fish the competition, double the number in previous years and testament to how popular this discipline is becoming. The Railway bank venue, stocked by DCAL Inland Fisheries prior to the event proved to be a fair venue but one that would reveal the skills required to compete in this championship event. Over the two days of the competition run by NCFFI committee members almost 100 fish were caught.
Fished in 8 x 45 minute sessions the competitors were awarded points according to the number of fish caught with the top four qualifying for the team along with two reserves. With four places and two reserve places up for grabs competition was fierce with local anglers from across Ireland fighting for the coveted spots!
The NCFFI are delighted to be able to announce the NCFFI Predator Team Ireland members for 2015 are;
Andrew Powell, Lindsay McFadden, Jacek Gorny, Arvydas Mencinskas, Chris Laverty – Reserve
Yuri Antoniuk – Reserve
Andrew, Lindsay and Jacek are former team members and qualify once again. Andrew in particular presented a superb performance the only competitor to catch in 6 of the 8 sessions. A very welcome addition is Arvydas from the Go & Catch Lithuanian fishing club in Ireland and fellow member Yuri who takes one of the reserve positions. A very well done to local angler Chris Laverty who also makes a reserve.
Tomi Kurman has accepted the position of Team Captain and Colin Rutherford Team delegate to take the team forward in this years’ championship.
Predator Team Ireland is supported by a number of sponsors including Duo Hook/Pontoon 21 who kindly supported the event this weekend and presented the top four winners with tackle & accessories as prizes.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the competitors from clubs across the country for fishing this event and supporting this angling discipline,” commented Vice-Chairman of the hosts the National Coarse Fishing Federation, NCFFI Jack Tisdall.
“It was also a pleasure to chat with Team Latvia who had flown over to watch the event and concluded it was one of the fairest venues they have seen for the championships. Special thanks also goes to the Portadown Pike Anglers who stewarded the event and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for providing the safety boat and overnight security.”
The championships take place over the weekend of the 23rd/24th of May for more details visit www.ncffi.ie/wblc
National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland
PRO Team E-Mail: pro@ncffi.ie
Eoin Schweppe
Tel: 00 353 86 051 5597
Helen Rainsford
Tel: 00 44 7711607200 www.ncffi.ie
www.ncffi.ie/wblc
Twitter @ncffi
www.facebook.com/coarseangling
