The nation’s biggest canal angling competition is set to expand and become more challenging in 2016. For the first time, the Canal Pairs Championship will include regional qualifying heats in Wales, Scotland and Ireland as well as twelve heats across England.
Organised by the Canal & River Trust and Angling Trust, the Championship will once again see competitors score points based on the weight of fish they catch. Five Pairs in each heat will go through to a grand final in October which, together with a Junior Championship, will be held on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal in the Midlands. Also all 15 local organisers will be put in a random draw for a lucky pairs ticket for the final as an appreciation for their work.
Applications to apply for tickets will be available from Monday 15th February from 9.00am via the Angling Trust at a cost of £40.00 per pair per qualifier.
Prize money in 2016 is also increasing and, subject to entry, the top four pairs could share a total Prize Fund of £15,000.
The inaugural 2015 Championship proved a great success and saw over 300 pairs (over 600 anglers) from London to Lancashire taking part.
John Ellis, national fisheries and angling manager for the Canal & River Trust comments: “The aim of the competition is to inspire anglers to experience the great fishing that can be found on their local canal.
“In 2015 the event was a great success and proved really popular with anglers from across the country. We wanted to expand the competition in 2016 to include Wales, Scotland and Ireland and give even more people the chance to take part.
“It should be a real ding-dong battle and we hope lots of people sign up.”
David Kent, Chair of Angling Trust Competitions said; “Building on the success of the first ever Angling Trust / Canal & river Trust Canal Pairs Championship this year I am confident the 2016 event will be better than ever.
“We have had wonderful co-operation from Local Organisers in compiling a diverse and exciting set of venues, including Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This coupled with a potential prize fund of £15,000 awaiting the finalists I feel sure will see a massive uptake from anglers for what is already our premier canal event.”
The dates, venues and host clubs for the qualifiers and the final are listed below:
- Saturday 2nd July – Shropshire Union Canal, Hodnet Angling Club
- Sunday 17th July – Rochdale Canal, Todmorden Angling Society
- Saturday 23rd July – Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, Winget Angling Club
- Saturday 30th July - Grand Union Canal (Aylesbury Arm), Tring Anglers
- Sunday 31st July – Grand Canal, Irish Angling Development Alliance/ Edenderry Coarse Angling Club
- Sunday 7th August – New Junction Canal, Doncaster & District Angling Association
- Saturday 13th August – Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, Dams and Lock Angling Club
- Sunday 21st August – Erewash Canal, Long Eaton Victoria Angling Society
- Saturday 27th August – Forth & Clyde, Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling/Scottish Canals
- Sunday 11th September – Trent & Mersey Canal, Coors Angling Club
- Saturday 24th September – Grand Union Canal, Milton Keynes Angling Association
- Sunday 25th September – Basingstoke Canal, Basingstoke Canal Angling Association
- Saturday 1st October – Kennet & Avon Canal, Devizes Angling Association
- Saturday 8th October – Llangollen Canal
- Sunday 9th October – Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Wigan & District Angling Association
Grand Final and Junior Championship:
- Saturday 29th October – Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, Wolverhampton Angling Association
Source: Canal and River Trust Fishing News
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