Micky's Pembrokeshire
page revision date :
Ken creates history by retaining European Shore Championship title
This time Welsh anglers couldn’t quite repeat the feat of 2010 in sweeping virtually everything before them when they competed in the European Federation of Sea Anglers 2011 European Shore Championships which was organised by the Irish Section and fished on the Wexford beaches during the last 3 days of April.
However, they did win Individual Gold, with Kenny Gainfort successfully defending the title he won in 2010 in Pwllheli, only the second time it has ever been done; the first time in 1995 – 1996 by Isle of Man angler Ken Bragg.
‘Captain’ Ken picks up gold
They also had Individual Bronze with former EFSA European Shore Champion Alan Cheswick, who was 5th in Pwllheli in 2010, but were not quite able to defend their Team Gold, getting the Team Bronze instead, a notable achievement on its own. English stalwart Reg Clough separated the two Welshmen winning the Silver.
The Wales A team, again led by their captain and repeating EFSA European Shore Champion Ken Gainfort, comprised the aforementioned Bronze individual Alan Cheswick, Haydn Cole, individual runner up in Pwllheli, former EFSA European Shore Champion, plus team managers Philip Lustig and John O’Connor.
The event started on the evening of Wednesday 27th April when 57 competitors from six countries across Europe travelled to Kilmuckridge to Sean O’Gs complex of Hotel and houses to attend registration for the event and once again the Irish welcome was second to none with a great buffet laid on for all the participants, which included three Juniors, three Ladies and five Seniors as well as the usual adult male representatives.
Steve takes an early lead
The weather started out unseasonably balmy and though the wind picked up over the three days resulting in the fact that the rain on the whole stayed away. Fishing on the first two days was from daylight into dark, firstly at Kilgorman and then at Tinnaberna with the last day, all during daylight at Balinoulart. Catches were best in the last hour or so on the first two days thanks to the darkness, the brighter day time conditions being not conducive to the fish feeding.
After the first session, top dog was Wales B team captain Steve Lewis with Wales B leading the international event by two points from the reigning champions Wales A. Ireland A were in third 4 points further back. Other zone winners and all on 12 zone points, only behind Steve due to a fewer number of points were, in order, Shaun Tucker (Wales B), Peadar Taite (Ireland A), Kieran Rice, (Ireland B) & Alan Cheswick (Wales A).
After day 2 Steve was still top dog with 23 points, having been 2nd in his zone on fish points, nobody having managed 2 zone wins. Also on 23 points were Ken Gainfort & Alan Cheswick of Wales A in 2nd & 3rd respectively, Ken having had a zone win to go with his 2nd on day 1 and Alan a 2nd to go with his first day zone win.
Results computed 0 and young Scott succeeds
So, with the fishing over it was time to compute the results and to award the prizes followed by that all important presentation of those coveted pins. Winner of the Gold Pin and once again, EFSA European Shore Champion, having successfully defended and retained his title, as previously stated, was Welshman Ken Gainfort with a zone win, a 2nd and a 4th over the 3 days, by 2 points from Englishman Reg Clough, who took the Silver Pin with a 2nd, a 3rd & a 4th. Third and winner of the Bronze Pin, was Wales A team member Alan Cheswick with a zone win, a 2nd and a 6th.
The Senior event was won by Reg, the Ladies by Dutchwoman Clarinda Van Der Zande, and the Life Members by another Englishman, John Campbell. However, in the Junior event Wales did have an entrant, Scott Brunton, Haydn’s son, fishing his first international event. This he duly won having weighed in on two out of the three days, catching the longest round fish of the day on the last day to give him a zone 2nd. So, Wales also had the Junior EFSA European Shore Championship to go with Ken’s title.
England A win team event before a great gala dinner
In the International Team event, in which the worst score is discarded each day, the English team of Reg Clough, Paul Curtice, Dave Lovelock, Brian Booker & John Campbell, which had always been there or thereabouts throughout the whole competition, had a great last day, as they often have in the past and cruised past the Irish and Welsh A teams to take the Gold. Second was the Irish A team of Ken Forsyth, David Keegan, Ian Knight, Peadar Taite & Stephen Glynn with the Welsh A team in third
To round off the championships the Gala Dinner & Presentation went very well with thanks to the staff of the Sean O’Gs for putting it on and managing to feed and cater to the needs of all the hungry anglers. Thanks are also due to them for the way they looked after everybody during their four- night stay at the complex, a credit to the hospitality of the Irish. Well done and thank you.
| 
