Ireland'S Pot Of Gold

Martin McGowan reports on Ireland’s stunning gold haul in the Tronixpro World Shore Championships in County Wexford, Ireland.

- Martin McGowan

Wexford, located in thes outheast of Ireland,played host to the World Shore Angling Championships from November 12th to 19th. The event was organised by the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers (IFSA) and hosted by the Leinster branch of the same. The headquarters for the event, the Clayton Whites Hotel, was perfectly situated in the lovely town of Wexford and every angler and member of the public in attendance was made to feel at home.

The week before the official matches began the area was bustling with action, as competitors began practising in the lead-up to the Championships. Anglers were given the opportunity to test the beaches, which in turn allowed them to plan their tactics for the competitions that were ahead.

At the same time, the IFSA, Fips-M and organising committee were readily formulating plans to welcome 18 different countries to the southeast coast of Ireland. This major international event was attracting approximately 250 competitors and 100 team officials from around the world. These comprised 11 ladies teams and 18 men’s teams from countries including Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, England, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Tunisia, Wales and Portugal.

A delightful opening ceremony kicked off the event on the evening of Saturday, November 12th. This consisted of a parade from the Clayton Whites Hotel to the National Opera House. It saw all competing countries carry their flags aloft through the streets of Wexford town, which were lined with supporters from far and near. This was followed by a ceremonial event inside the magnificent Opera House attended by the mayor, local councillors, politicians, the IFSA and Fips-M members. There was a great air of excitement surrounding the event and even more so as Ireland, for the first time in history, had a ladies team competing in the World Shore Angling Championships.