The Canal & River Trust and Angling Trust are delighted to announce that the entry forms to apply for the Canal Pairs Qualifiers will be available from Monday 2nd March.

This year there will be 11 qualifiers with the first one commencing on Sunday 12th April on the Loughborough Canal, and the final qualifier on Sunday 27th September on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. 

Each qualifier will have a maximum of 50 pairs to accommodate 110 pegs, with the top 5 pairs from each qualifier getting invited to the grand final on Saturday 24th October on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.  This Championship will also carry a prize pot for the top four pairs in the final of 1st £4,000, 2nd £3,000, 3rd £2,000 and 4th £1,000 (payouts dependant on a sell-out of all qualifiers subject to entries and sponsorship). 

The championship is open to anyone 17 years and above on the day of the qualifiers.  Entry fees will be £40.00 per pair payable with the completed entry form with an optional pools payment of £10.00 per competitor available on the day of the qualifier/s.  Entries will only be accepted by postal applications with cheques/postal orders payable to ‘Angling Trust’. Pegs are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  If however, venues are oversubscribed there will also be reserve lists against qualifier venues.

To support the Championship it is only necessary to have individual membership of the Angling Trust, or to be a Friend of the Canal & River Trust if you qualify for the grand final.

John Ellis, National Fisheries and Angling Manager of the Canal & River Trust said “The establishment of a series of national angling competitions is an important outcome of the Trusts angling strategy. I really hope the canal angling world will support the event so that we can look to make it even bigger and better next year.”

David Kent, Director and Chair of Competitions of the Angling Trust stated “This Canals Pairs event not only further enhances the partnership working between Angling Trust and the Canal & River Trust but also importantly fills two long-standing gaps in the national competitions calendar. I feel it will become one of the most popular events of all.”

Entry forms and a full list of qualifiers and dates are available via the Angling Trust website at www.anglingtrust.net/competitions , or alternatively by emailing sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net.