Local anglers compete at World Championships

Two local coarse anglers were part of a team of six who travelled to Portugal to take part in the 36th U20 World Championships last week, finishing eighth overall.

Brian Clark from Killeshandra, who is the current the U20 All-Ireland champion, and Charlie Richards from Cloone who is the current U20 world champion, joined three other members of the Irish team.

Clark fishes for the Oakland’s Coarse Angling Club back home, and Richards is a member of the CM Lakelands Feeder Club.

The other U20 team members include Clark’s Oakland’s teammate John Browne, Donagh McSherry (Tulla District and Angling club), and youngest member of the squad, James Wellwood (VDE Baggers AC).

In a tough week in extreme heat, Team Ireland performed admirably, Clark finishing eighth in his sector, Richards tenth, Browne fourth, and Wellwood eighth also. Together they reeled in 17.375kg.

The first four days for teams were considered practice days, and the World Championship competition took place at the weekend.

The largest event on the FIPSed Fédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive en Eau Douce (world governing body of Freshwater fishing) calendar, the competition caters for young angling teams in the U25, U20 and U15 age groups representing national federations worldwide.

This year’s event was hosted by Federação Portuguesa de Pesca Desportiva and coincided with World Youth Angling Day. It took place on the Rio Sorraia in Coruche, Portugal, where species include barbel, carp, mullet, bleak, boop and Carassius.

The competition was won by England, followed by Hungary in second, and France in third.

Team Ireland was managed and coached by Adrian Browne in his inaugural term as Youth Team Manager, supported by Nick Richards and James O’Doherty, along with the accompanying parents. The team which receives grant funding from the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland (NCFFI), the governing body for coarse fishing in Ireland both North and South, was also sponsored this year by Garbolino UK and Gowen Bradshaw.

Further support was received from Inland Fisheries Ireland, Baracuda fishing tackle shop, Cloughbally Mill, Canavan Sports Cork, Conor Browne, Wholesale Tackle Ireland and Irish Bait and Tackle Limited plus fundraising through clubs and anglers island wide.