Bord Iascaigh Réigiúnach an Oirthir
Press Release 4th September2006
The Dublin Angling Initiative (DAI) in conjunction with Avonmore Tackle Products and sponsored by the Emerald World Masters, organised a youth fly casting and trout fishing competition at the World Casting Championships in Carton House Estate on Saturday, the 2nd September.
Launched by Peter Wilson, a Director of Recreational Angling Ireland and renowned for his work at Dublin Zoo, the event was a tremendous success and 50 teenagers from around the country travelled to Maynooth despite the inclement weather. The competitors aged between 13 and 18 all had varying levels of fly casting experience and thoroughly enjoyed the day as they learnt key skills and got the opportunity to watch expert international casters practising for the 2006 World Casting Championships. In advance of the youth competition, Des Chew of the DAI with the assistance of instructors from the Irish National Casters Association organised casting workshops for groups of teenagers to teach beginners the basics of casting to give them the confidence to compete.
Pictured at the recent Dublin Angling Initiative (DAI)Youth Fly Casting Event sponsored by the Emerald World Masters are from left to right: Des Chew, DAI, Pat Cullen, Avonmore Tackle Products, Peter Driver, Avonmore Tackle Products, Stephen O’Flaherty, 2nd place overall winner, Troy Francis, 1st place overall winner, Steve Rajeff, 13 times World Casting Champion, Frank Folan, 3rd place overall winner and David Wilkinson, Emerald World Masters
The competition consisted of three separate events: casting accuracy, casting distance and a river trout fishing competition. The young competitors were spilt into three groups and they all got a chance to compete in the three events. Des Chew was delighted to be asked by the organisers of the World Casting Championships to organise a youth event: ‘This event offers an opportunity for young people to learn a new skill and to compete under pressure. It is important for the angling community to encourage young anglers to participate in all angling disciplines to ensure the sport is carried on by future generations. A great deal of work was put into the organisation of this competition but none of it would have been possible without the help of over 20 volunteers including staff from the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board. I would like to say a big thank you to them for giving up their Saturday to ensure all the young competitors enjoyed the event’
Pictured at the recent Dublin Angling Initiative (DAI)Youth Fly Casting Event sponsored by the Emerald World Masters are some of the young competitors and DAI stewards.
The competition ended at 4.30pm and the sun came out for the prize giving at 6.00pm. The prizes on offer were second to none and included top of the range G.Loomis fly rods for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall winners and scierra fly rods for the winners of individual events. All 50 competitors received a gift pack of a scierra fly box and a selection of trout flies. Steve Rajeff, 13 times US World Champion caster kindly agreed to present the winners with their prizes. The overall winner of the competition was 16 year old, Troy Francis from Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare who cast an astonishing 85ft 3” in the long distance event and 690 points in the accuracy event helping him to secure top place in the competition.
The results of the competition were as follows:
First Overall: Troy Francis, 16 years old, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
Second Overall: Stephen O’Flaherty, 16 years old, Clonsilla, Dublin
Third Overall: Frank Folan, 16 years, Lucan, Dublin
Individual Event winners
Longest cast event winner: Frank Folan, 92ft
Accuracy cast event winner: Troy Francis, 690 points
Young angler casting in the distance casting event.
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Media enquiries: Marketing Angling Co-ordinator, Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, 087 2746127
Notes to Editor:
The Dublin Angling Initiative was set up in 1995. Its principle aims are to promote, develop and improve angling in the Dublin and Greater Dublin area and is sponsored by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board. During the summer months the main work of the initiative is taking young people from National and Secondary schools, summer projects and youth services throughout Dublin City Centre and its suburbs on fishing courses. Already thousands of young people have been introduced to the joys of sea, coarse and game angling at the venues that are accessible by bus and rail from Dublin City centre.
The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board is a statutory authority whose function is to conserve, develop, protect, manage and promote the inland fisheries and sea angling resources within its jurisdiction. The Region extends from the border in Northern Ireland to South of the Wexford coast and includes all catchments which enter the sea between these boundaries.
www.fishingireland.net