Six members from the Welsh section of the European Federation of Sea Anglers (EFSA) recently set off to travel to Domburg in the region of Zeeland in the Netherlands to compete in the 2017 EFSA European Shore Fishing Championships.
 
A further two members set off earlier in the day from North Wales, preferring to an overnight stay in Folkestone before completing their journey so that Wales had eight representatives at this prestigious event in two teams of four.
 
The A team comprised John O’Connor (Martletwy) (Captain), Phil Lustig (Stackpole) (Teams Manager), Haydn Cole (Lamphey) and Mike Flynn (Benllech) whilst the B Team was made up of Shane (Captain) and Daniel Tucker (Milford Haven), Steve Lewis (Penally, but working in North Wales) and Derek Gregory,  also from Milford Haven.
 
The Welsh A & B teams did have some success against what was extremely stiff competition from the teams from the other European Countries, viz Holland, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Malta, England and Ireland, finishing eighth and ninth respectively out of 13 teams entered, despite being a team member short with only four in each team rather than the usual five.
 
Since only the top four scores counted each day, they did not have the luxury of dropping their worst daily score but on an individual basis, Haydn Cole fished brilliantly to win the Silver Pin for finishing runner up to local angler Arjan Rijnberg and winner last time it was fished in Holland (2013).
 
Next highest placed Welsh angler was Mike Flynn in fourteenth, who has previously fished in and managed, the Welsh Shore team at the World Championships.
 

PHOTO:
Welsh Silver Pin winner Haydn Cole