Report by Geoff Carlin (Scottish team manager).
This prestigious European event was organised by EFSA Wales based from the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon, fishing beaches around Pwllheli. The event attracted 73 competitors with the usual suspects from Ireland, Wales, England, Germany and Holland. Three competitors travelled from Iceland. Scotland fielded four anglers, thus forming the bones of a team.
The ladies competition was won by Clarinda Van Der Zande of Holland, a dog on day one, three fish on day two, giving two 4th places, a creditable performance. Her proud father, aged 65, was sitting at the table beside ours (the Dutch really do think fishing should be a family thing) and was delighted. He could not believe Joe Dent was aged 80, indeed Joe looked younger than him. What is the secret of your relative youth, Joe? Don’t say eating black pudding, you’ll have to tell us!
Patrick Forrester won the Life Members competition with a 4th, a 1st and a 3rd in zone wins. Mike Bowden just missed out on a medal coming fourth in this competition.
In the Two Man Open, won by Richie Gormley and Matthew Lustig, Joe Edward came 5th with Frank Koop, and Mike Bowden came 6th with D. Nold. Again Scots were close to the medals.
No Scot was well placed in the Three Man Team event.
The individual winner was Frank Koop of Holland, with 2nd 3rd and 1st places in his zones over the 3 days. I think, from the scores, Frank caught dogs, 3, 5 and 2 on successive days. Second was Philip Franke and third was Alan Cheswick. Mike Bowden came a very creditable 8th, finally breaking into the top ten in an EFSA European beach competition for the first time. Well done, Mike!
A really nice surprise was Mike Bowden receiving a gold medal for being in the first placed Executive Four Man team (with Messrs Lovelock, Gainfort and Franke). The rest of the team felt this was a deserved award given his leadership, and encouragement to us, in his role of captain of our team, and, his dedicated speed fishing practice in very difficult circumstances. The whole assembly again singing Flower of Scotland, bringing a lump to the throat as Mike went up to receive his medal.
Further surprises were longest flat for Mike Bowden on day 2, a dab of 26cm winning £45.00 and second longest round fish on day 3 for Joe Dent, a 24cm pollack giving him a prize of £42.00. So overall Scotland team members did fairly well as individuals.