World Champs.

[TF_JohnH]

Just catching up on my monthly mag articles after being very busy and it stuck me reading Alan S report on the World Champs that its over 20 years ago that they were held here. I recall the match on the rowing course in Nottingham which of course we won and Bob Nudd if I recall won the individual title.
I just wondered why as the 5th largest economy in the world we cannot develop a suitable venue? Our so called poorer Eastern Europeans despite all their woes can turn up some fantastic venues and stage the event in a way we cannot.
Surely they too have predation problems and pollution problems as we do on natural waterways.
We funded the Olympics and are bursting a gut to get the world cup but we cannot fund a venue to support what is after all our favourite pastime.
Any chance in my lifetime we may see this event here I wonder?

[TF_spotter1707]

I think they have a less stringent attitude to cormorants! I seem to remember when it was held here, they restocked the venue only for the black death to descend & munch the lot!
Regarding pollution levels, the major natural venues have been cleaned up to such an extent that fish refuges had to be built to give fish cover from predators.
Access is always another factor. Consider how much the Irish fisheries board had to invest in the River Lee project. That said, I’m sure they had financial backing from the EU, & with the current climate in Brussels I can’t see that happening!

[TF_JohnH]

In the UK event in 1993 the dominant species were perch, small perch at that.
The venue previously had a large head of roach and bream. None of these showed up in the match which was a low weight affair. The England lads fished wag long with small balls of bloodworm, they were constantly pulling the line too to keep the bait on the move to attract the perch. I recall sitting behind Kim Milsom, Bob Nudd and Dennis White and between them they could not muster 5lb or so!
Real shame. As you say the venue had been decimated by the black death of cormorant predation.
Surely after all this time we should have had a plan to bring the event here again.

[TF_rb211]

well you should see some international action next year but not the men but the Ladies there world champs are here .

[TF_Mark Wintle]

The Holme Pierrepont event was 1994 (93 was in Portugal). I watched the 89 WL final and 90 European Supercup on this venue and both produced a lot of fish so the venue’s decline was rapid. I also watched the 94 World Match; poor fishing but a great feeling when we pipped the French.

[TF_Decaff]

Crikey,was it that long ago. Sat behind Scotthorne for best part of the day with my old man who was continually questioning how “this bloke can be fishing for England”, just goes to show how much he knew! Lol

[TF_JohnH]

Ok 1994,that just makes me feel worse, 22 years on and we have not changed anything as far as finding or developing a suitable venue to hold this event again.
If you look how much money has been stumped up for other sports since , we are still in the dark ages. Guess nothing is going to change now thank goodness for the Drennan sponsorship as without it the lads would have to pay up themselves!

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

There are some venues that would fulfil most of the criteria – the North Bank is one and there is a road right behind it all the way along. It wouldn’t exactly be a spectacular match, but many world champs venues haven’t been. Venues can be and have been stocked in the run up to these events… if there are predation problems they have to be managed. I think one of the issues CIPS/FIPS have with staging another event in England is the utterly pathetic ‘turn out’ for the pre-match parade around Nottingham. Literally no-one attended and it was an embarrassment. They are used to the world champs being a major event for the town/city where it’s being held. It certainly would not be that anywhere in England because, realistically, people don’t honestly give a damn about it.

[TF_dunno]

@spotter1707 wrote:

Access is always another factor. Consider how much the Irish fisheries board had to invest in the River Lee project. That said, I’m sure they had financial backing from the EU, & with the current climate in Brussels I can’t see that happening!

The Irish work on both the Lee and Lough Muckno was funded from Europe….lol
🙂 🙂 🙂
http://www.interreg4c.eu/

[TF_JohnH]

The event in Nottingham I recall was very well attended with many staying around for the result as it was a tight affair.
I can’t comment on the parade but if it was as stated it would not be a surprise.

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

It was – I was in it. WAGS aside only one old lady walking her dog attended. And she had no idea what was going on. But yes the match itself was pretty well attended.

[TF_JohnH]

So there appears to be a major mismatch between how the guys fishing manage to suss out the best methods feeding etc, whereas the promotion side of things appears to be poor.
This is down to management, the team side with the two Marks are clearly world class, it seems what sits above them is not, maybe ?
If we are ever to stage the event again this will have to change. So I am resigned to never see the event here again.

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