8. NEWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FLY CASTING and TOURNAMENT COMMUNITY
2001 EUROPEAN CASTING GAMES SCHEDULE
1998 EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL CASTING FEDERATION SCHEDULE
21 ICF EUROPEAN TOURNAMENTS ARE LISTED WITH DATES AND PLACES IN THE INTERNATIONAL CASTING FEDERATION SCHEDULE
SOME GERMAN JUNIOR CASTING TOURNAMENTS FOR 1998
AUSTRALIA
May 23, 24, 1998, Victorian Fly Casting Championships, Red Tag Casting Pond, Melbourne, Victoria
June 27, 28, 1998 Australian Fly Casting Championships, Geelong Casting Ponds (1 hr SW of Melbourne)
These two contests will have four grades, A, B, C and D. We will post the rules in the rules page when they are available.
1998 AUSTRALIAN SCORES POSTED
SEE SUNSHINE FLY CASTING CLUB INC. (Melbourne, Australia)
We will be posting the rules for the Australian games that differ from ICF games as soon as we receive them.
Pete Edwards reports on the Canadian National Team's trip to the World Games in Finland last August
3
This year was a banner year for Toronto Sportsmen's Ass 'n. casters and
our National Team.
At the North American Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, our team of Brenda Banks, Kevin Carriero, Bill Wattie, Charlie Phillips and Pete Edwards came home with the Gold Medal for the Team Championships. Individually Brenda Banks won 4 gold medals as well as the All Accuracy title for women. Charlie Phi1lips shot a perfect 100 in 3/8 ounce plug accuracy to win a gold medal. Bill Wattie cast very well coming in second to Steve Rajeff in the all round division based on twelve events
From the North American Championships we went to the World Games championships in Lahti, Finland. Harvey Beck, Slaveyko Slaveykov, Brenda Banks and coach Peter Edwards went with high hopes of finishing in the top ten, as only the world's best could participate with a maximum of five from each country.
My hopes as a coach soon became tears of joy as all three casters scored their personal bests and Slaveyko cast 208 feet in single hand fly distance to bring the first gold medal in this event to Canada.
Silver went to Slovakia, Bronze to the Czechs and fourth to Steve Rajeff of the USA. After a three year absence from competition to raise a farni ly Brenda Banks came back with renewed enthusiasm. Brenda won gold In 5/8 oz. plug accuracy and bronze in 1/4 oz. accuracy.
Her score of 95 in the first round of 5/8 equalled her best score ever cast. The Silver went to Finland with the Bronze to Sweden. For Harvey Beck it was the best World Casting event ever. Harvey missed a year of competition. to try his luck on the bass fishing tournaments. The rest did him well as Harvey and Steve Rajeff went head to head inthe final roundof 5/8 accuracy. Harvey cast first and hit the first nineteen targets only to miss his last one for a score of .95. Steve, with ice in his veins cast a perfect 100 to win the gold for the USA. Harvey's medal and score was h;is personal best. I know he th;inks about the last target a lot. For a team that hoped for a top ten finish, coming home with four World medals, two of them Gold was an outstanding accomplishment and a thrill for me as a coach.
Next year the World Championships will be held in Slovakia and the 2001 World Games will be hosted by Japan.
At the opening of the World Games the International Olympic Committee announced that sports with IOC recognition and World Games Status will be considered first for admission to the Olympics. Who knows if Casting might be in the Olympics in the future.
Casting for the Canadian team has grown from the programs of the Toronto Sportsmen's Association. This year, 1998, at the Toronto Sportsmens' Show, the Toronto Sportsmen's Association will be hosting casting in all the accuracy events for the enjoyment of visitors. Many members of our Canadian team will cast and demonstrate both fly and plug casting on the pond. We will be hosting the Young Anglers Clubs, a program of Outdoor Canada to give the younger people a chance to learn fromthe experienced and enjoy their time on the water.
Some want to learn better casting for better fishing. Some get the desire to cast accuracty and distance at the competitive level, whether it be class C, Class B, Class A or open local, national or international events. If you want information call the Toronto Sportsmen's Association, 416 487 4477.
Pete Edwards, Executive Director, Toronto Sportsmen's Association, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada.
