The NCFFI were proud to be able to announce that Ireland would have the opportunity to present a team to represent Ireland in the 2003 Sensas International Team Challenge.

This event takes teams from each of the countries where Sensas products are sold

Given the short timeframe open to the NCFFI, the event was run in conjunction with the Interprovincial Championships and the Club Teams of
Five Match. This proved to be a marvellous success with teams from all over the country attending. The event was fished on the Royal Canal at Longwood, near Enfield, Co. Meath.

Expectations were not high after the previous days catches at nearby Hill of
Down. Nobody could believe the bags of fish caught in one stretch of canal.

50 anglers caught over 870 lbs of fish over the 5 hours of the competition
with the heaviest weight on the day going to;

Willie Wheeler, BSI Trabucco 67lb.2ozs.
Second place went to Alan Larkin, BSI Trabucco 60lb.13ozs.
Third place went to John Holmes, Master Baiters Gold with 55lb.14ozs.

The results of the event were as follows:

1st Sensas Dublin 1 14 points 152lb. 7ozs.
Dave McNeice, Jason Ward, Pat Bartley, Bob Hulme and Damien Maddock.

2nd BSI Trabucco 18 points 162lb. 10ozs.
Brian Kane, Ronnie Keegan, Willie Wheeler, Alan Larkin and Bobby Smithers

3rd Blackwater Raiders 19 points 105lb. 7ozs.
Dick Holmes, David Burton, Martin Keating, Tommy Lawton and Trevor Fradgely.

Sensas Dublin will represent Ireland in the 2003 Sensas International Team Challenge final.

The NCFFI would like to thank:
Mr Trevor Tomlin, Sensas UK for all his help on this event
Mr. Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communication from Waterways Ireland for attending the event.
The Leinster Coarse Fishing Federation for hosting the event
Jack Tisdall and Robert Buick for their help on securing this event and all the clubs and anglers for sending teams to the event.

Sat/Sun 29th/30th September 2001.
Inniscarra Reservoir, Coachford, Co. Cork.
Host Club: South Munster CAC.

Following on from a very impressive Munster win at the recent Interprovincial Championships and the Club Teams of Five Championships. Munster's Blackwater Raider have done it again by winning the prestigious World Club Championships qualifying competition which was held on the 29th and 30th September on Inniscarra Reservoir at Coachford, Co.Cork.

This competition is fished to strict CIPS (Confederation Internationale de Peche Sportive) rules similar to a World Championships match with the competition only 4 hours long and baits limits applied.

Following numerous teams practising on the venue during the week proceeding the competition, fishing was going to be hard, the added driving rain and gale force winds did not assist. Day 1 heaviest weight went to Brian Kane, BSI Trabucco with 22lb. 14ozs.followed closely by Pat Bartley, Team Sensas Triana Dublin A with 21lb. 12ozs. 3rd was Alan Larkin, BSI Trabucco with 16lb. 7ozs.
While the team results were as follows:
Day 1:
1st BSI Trabucco 12 points 54lb. 5ozs.
BSI had incredible 4 section wins to get this result and a 1 blank.
2nd The Blackwater Raiders 12 points 19lb.2.5ozs.
Blackwater Raiders were the only time to have all five anglers catch on the day.
3rd Team Sensas Triana Dublin A 26 points 23lb. 1ozs.

Day 2 saw the weather a bit kinder, however as the match went on the weather deteriorated. Despite this the weights have increased significantly, day 2 heaviest weight went to Damien Maddock, Team Sensas Triana Dublin A with 42lb. 3ozs., 2nd was Bobby Smithers, BSI Trabucco with 36lb. 12ozs. While 3rd was John Holmes, Prosperous Gold Diggers with 24lb. 14ozs.
The team results for Day 2 were as follows:
1st Team Sensas Triana Dublin B 17 points 28lb. 1.5ozs.
Team Sensas Triana Dublin B were the only team to have all five anglers catch on the day.
2nd Dick Clegg Belfast 19 points 30lb. 12ozs.
3rd Blackwater Raiders 22 points 33lb. 11.5ozs.

The overall results of the event were as follows:

Individual Classification:

1st Bobby Smithers, BSI Trabucco 3 points 44lb.2ozs.
2nd Damien Maddock, Sensas Triana Dublin A 4 points 42lb. 5ozs.
3rd Pat Bartley, Sensas Triana Dublin A 4 points 24lb. 8ozs.

Team Event:

1st Blackwater Raiders 34 points
2nd BSI Trabucco 35 points
3rd Dick Clegg Belfast 45 points
4th Sensas Triana Dublin B 49 points
5th Sensas Triana Dublin A 53 points
6th Prosperous Gold Diggers 58 points
7th Leighlinbridge 73 points

The winning team has qualified as a result to represent Ireland in the World Teams of Five Qualifiers, which is to be held in Croatia in June 2002. The team of Trevor Fradgley, Jason Ward, Gordon Moss, Martin Keating, Tommy Lawton were thoroughly delighted with their performance over the two days not despite the fact that they were up against the reigning Champions BSI Trabucco.

Thanks to Mike Risdon of South Munster CAC for all his hard preparatory work on the event. To Derry Cronin for the use of his land for access and parking. To John Hogan of the Village Inn, Coachford for being such a good host and all the teams for travelling and being good sports.

Mark O'Donoghue
Public Relations Officer
National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland

To see match photo's