Warwickshire Avon – Evesham Town Waters and Hampton Ferry

Shakespeare Championship
Saturday 25th August
70 pegs
Mama Mia…Italian star Milo takes title! 
Italian international Milo Columbo came out on top at a very tense and hard fought final that was fished in far from ideal conditions.
A very clear River Avon, coupled with bright sunshine brought out the spectators in their thousands but fish were hard to come by and Milo needed just 6-10-0 from Peg 15 on the Town Water for a victory which earned him £5,000. Most of his weight was made up with a 5lb tench, which he caught with strong pole gear close in with worm and caster hookbait. A few small perch topped up his catch.
In second pace was former winner Tony Skinner who worked hard for 6-0-0 of small fish on the long pole with pinkie hookbait at Peg 50 on the Hampton Ferry section.
Third was Match Fishing Deputy Editor Jon Arthur with 5-8-0 0f eels and perch from Peg 19, fourth was Mark Sutton with a 5-6-0 barbel from Peg 30 and fifth was Denis White with 4-3-0 from Peg 22.                             
Result
1. Milo Columbo (Italy) 6-10-0 (peg 15)
2. Tony Skinner (Shakespeare) 6-0-0 (peg 50)
3. Jon Arthur (Shakespeare) 5-8-0 (peg 19)
4. Mark Sutton 5-6-0 (peg 30)
5. Denis White 4-3-0 (peg 22)
 

Milo Columbo

Wychavon Championship
Sunday 26th August
70 pegs
Big carp win it for Pete!
Evesham angler Pete Dutton got two surprises in the 25th Wychavon final and they both came in the form of carp, a species that is never usually caught on the River Avon at Evesham.
Setting his stall out for big fish at Peg 68 in the Café Meadow at Hampton Ferry, Pete’s best fish went 14lb, enough to win the match on its own. But just to make sure of the £2,500 top prize he topped up with another of 6lb to finish with 20-3-0, well clear of runner up Wayne Swinscoe from Nottingham.
Wayne, a regular winner at Evesham and last years Shakespeare champion drew fancied Peg 4 at the top end and set out his stall for big fish that he knew lived in the area. It was a long wait though as he had very little to show until the last 30 minutes when an 11lb barbel finally took a fancy to his 8mm halibut pellet hookbait giving him a total of 11-3-8.           
Third place went to Tony Atkins at Peg 22 with a maggot feeder caught 7-15-0 of perch, a catch which included three 2lb fish.
Fourth place went to Dave Harrell with 5-3-0 of small roach, perch and gudgeon from Peg 47 and fifth was Don Slaymaker with 4-10-8 from Peg 19  
Result
1. Pete Dutton (Stuarts Tackle) 20-3-0 (peg 68)
2. Wayne Swinscoe (VDE Essex) 11-3-8 (peg 4)
3. Tony Atkins (Pete’s Tackle) 7-15-0) (peg 22)
4. Dave Harrell (Match Fishing) 5-3-0 (peg 47)
5. Don Slaymaker (Peg One) 4-10-8 (peg 19)
 

Pete Dutton

Match Fishing Team Championship
Monday 27th August
14 teams of five (70 pegs)
Essex sign off in style! 
In their final ever competition together as a sponsored team Van Den Eynde Essex signed off in style with a brilliant performance to win the prestigious title, and the £3000 top prize.
The five-man team scored a total of 60 points in this bloodworm allowed event against some very strong opposition and also secured the top two individual places through Dean Barlow and Wayne Swinscoe.
In second place in the team stakes was the ever-consistent Saints team with 52 points, ahead of Daiwa Trentmen with 47.
Biggest shock of the day in the team stakes was the relegation of the Shakespeare Superteam and local stars W.B.Clarke who will both now need to try and get back in next years final through a one off team qualifier next July.      
Individually Dean Barlow turned in a display that his father the late great Frank Barlow would have been proud of as he recorded 8-15-8 of small fish on pole and bloodworm from Peg 26. Essex skipper Wayne Swinscoe rounded off a great weekend with 8-13-0 of small roach from Peg 68 ahead of Eric Yeomans with 8-2-0 from Peg 20. Fourth was Pete Scott with 7-12-0 from Peg 15 and fifth was Ricky Teale with 7-7-8 from Peg 46.   
  
Result
Teams
1. VDE Essex County – 60 points
2. Saints – 52 points
3. Daiwa Trentmen – 47 points
4=  Kamasan Starlets – 45 points
       Evesham and District – 45 points
Individuals
1. Dean Barlow (VDE Essex) 8-15-8 (peg 26)
2. Wayne Swinscoe (VDE Essex) 8-13-0 (peg 68)
3. Eric Yeomans (Shakespeare) 8-2-0 (peg 20)
4. Pete Scott (Daiwa Trentmen) 7-12-0 (peg 15)
5. Ricky Teale (Saints) 7-7-8 (peg 46)