ANGLING: Wiltshire hosts national competitors (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

ANGLING: Wiltshire hosts national competitors

12:30pm Thursday 16th August 2012 in Sport By Colin Scull

ANGLERS from across the country will descend on Wiltshire tomorrow for the blue riband event of match fishing – the Division One National Angling Championship.

Sections of the Rivers Avon in Chippenham, Melksham, Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge will host some of the country’s best match anglers between 11am-4pm, with the field being stretched out all the way to the other side of Bath.

Beckington’s Gerald Lugg took victory in last week’s Trowbridge Open on the Avon at Staverton with 8 lb 11 oz of chub.

Gary Etheridge, from Devizes, was second, followed by Graham Hunt, from Bath with 7 lb 7 oz of perch.

Other placings: 4. Kevin Grant Trowbridge 6 lb 7 oz; 5. Andy Britt Bathampton 6 lb 2 oz; 6. Kevin Dicks Bathampton 5 lb 8 oz.

ETHERIDGE did come out on top in the Wilts Angling Evening match at Rood Ashton last Thursday with 115 lb of carp.

Melksham’s Tony Gilbert was next with 63 lb of carp, followed by Holt’s Pete Neate with 56 lb and Richard Brimble, from Westbury, with 28 lb.

LAST Saturday’s Trowbridge Open at Staverton was won by local angler John Atkins with 9 lb 13 oz of roach, followed by Mark Lloyd, from Trowbridge, with 7 lb 2 oz of roach.

Visiting angler Brain Preece clinched third with 5 lb 11 oz of small chub and roach.

Other placings: 4. Paul Rice Bath 5 lb 7 oz; 5. Kevin Grant Trowbridge 4 lb 4 oz; 5. Gerald Lugg Beckington 4 lb 3 oz.

THE inter-club match between Calne, Chippenham, Avon and Trowbridge at Hazeland was won b Calne, with five of the top individual performers.

Steve Simkins won with 7 lb 10 oz of chub and skimmers, followed by Shane Belcher, of Calne, with 5 lb 6 oz of roach.

Mark Wooldridge, of Chippenham, was third with 4 lb 2 oz of roach and perch.

Other placings: 4. Gary Dodson Calne 3 lb 2 oz; 5. Simon Fear Calne 2 lb 3 oz; 6. Martin Dolman Calne 1 lb 6 oz.

SUNDAY’S Airsprung Open match at Barton Farm went to John Fuidge, from Thornbury, with 7 lb 4 oz of roach and perch.

Melksham’s Robin Guy was runner up with 6 lb 9 oz 8 dm of roach, followed by Peter Duffy, from Maver North West, with 6 lb 2 oz of roach and perch.

Other placings: 4. Barry Lucas Team Jinx 4 lb 15 oz; 5. John Summerton RAF 4 lb 5 oz 8 dm; 6. Richard Whitmarsh Frome 3 lb 13 oz.

BRADFORD’S Ian Willetts carried off top prize in Sunday’s Wilts Angling Open match at Colkin Farm with 137 lb 12 oz of carp.

Chippenham’s Stuart White was just behind with 130 lb 12 oz of carp, followed by Holt’s Pete Neate with 92 lb 8 oz of carp.

Other placings: 4. Steve Saunders Bath 82 lb 2 oz; 5. Jeff Matthews Trowbridge 69 lb 4 oz; 6. Dave Baker Trowbridge 68 lb 4 oz.

AVON clinched victory in their inter-club match with King Billy at Lacock on Sunday with 71 lb 6 oz to 56 lb 1 oz.

Melksham’s Pat Brushneen was top individual with 19 lb 6 oz of roach and dace, followed by Vince Lunn (King Billy) with 13 lb 4 oz of perch and Marcus Crook, of Melksham, with 12 lb 9 oz of dace.

Other placings: 4. Adam Carter Melksham 12 lb 8 oz; 5. Bob Ryan Melksham, Andy Pratten Melksham and Martin Rayet King Billy all 9 lb 9 oz..

Future events

Saturday August 18: 1st Division National Angling Championships Bristol Avon.

Sunday August 19: Frome Victorians match at Conigre; Lavington Senior/Junior Pairs match Cheverell Complex; Ridgeway match at Shackells Lake.

Wednesday August 22: Trowbridge Open match at Staverton.

MORE SPORTS NEWS & PICTURES IN FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND THIS WEEK'S GAZETTE & HERALD