Roxburghe International Speycasting Championship

[fishingd0]

Eoin Fairgrieve has sent me a copy of the rules for this years Tweed Fair speycasting competition, as attached.

The fair will be taking place over the 5th & 6th of May and is going to be bigger and better than last year.

This has to be one of the best up and comming competitions on the circut and should not be missed.



Dear Competitors



Please find below the official rules for this year's Roxburghe International Speycasting Championships held on the 6th May at the Tweed Angling Fair. As you may be aware, this year's event will be held in the main arena of the fair on a purpose-built Spey Lake.



I look forward very much to welcoming you all to Tweedside to contest this year's Championship. The event sponsors, Roxburghe Estates, have commissioned a stunning glass trophy for the winner to keep indefinitely and have also sponsored the £1000 first prize.



Please note that the Competition Rules that will be published in the May issue of the Trout and Salmon have one very important typo - the magazine list the overall line diameter as 3mm - As detailed in Section 8 in the below rules, the correct diameter is 2.5mm.



I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who will compete in the competition and safe journey to the River Tweed



Best wishes



Eoin Fairgrieve.







The Roxburgh International Speycasting Championships Sunday 6th May 2007


The Championships will take place on the custom-built Spey Lake in the Casting Arena.

1) The championship is open to all comers regardless of gender,amateur or professional.Competitors need not be resident in the UK,

2) First prize will be awarded to the competitor who is judged to have cast the greatest distance during the final using an approved Spey Cast,

3) The top six casting distances will qualify for the final,

4) Competitors may compete with any rod,reel and line provided they fall within the following specifications:


A) The rod must be no greater than 18ft in length,

B)The reel must be of a normal revolving spool fly reel design,

C) The fly line,or casting head,in the case of weight forward profile lines,may be of any length but must not exceed an overall diameter of 2.5 mm at any point and it must be of a density that classifies it as a floater,in the opinion of the judges the fly line must float.

D) The running line or backing may be made of any material strength or density,

E) There must be a leader/cast of at least 9 feet in length attached to the front end of the line,and to this must be attached a piece of brightly coloured wool or wool substitute,without weight,in place of a fly,

4) All casters must stand and cast from the designated casting platform.

5) Each competitor will be given 3 minutes casting time. Approved casts will only be judged during the competition time and competitors must reposition the line to outside the marker ropes before their initial and subsequent casts within this time period.The distance will be judged as the landing point of the wool at the completion of each cast,

6) Should the same distance be cast by two or more of the competitors during the Finals of the event,then these competitors will take part in a cast off until a clear winner can be found.Competitors must use the same rod,reel and line in the cast off as has been used in the earlier stage of the Final,

7) Failure to abide by any of the above rules and guidelines could result in the disqualification of a competitor,

8) An approved Spey Cast will be deemed as : Any form of Roll Cast or Spey Cast which incorporates a 30 degree angle change as defined by the marker ropes laid out in the competition. Also a cast that which some part of the casting line or leader alights on the water in close proximity to competitor,to form an (Anchor and D/V Loop) in the accepted casting sense. The A.A.P.G.A.I judging panel have the right to void any cast were the fly passes behind the caster and in their opinion does not constitute a defined Spey Cast.

9) Each competitor will be permitted to book only one casting slot at a time and allowed a maximum of three attempts to qualify for the final.

10)The decision of the judges is final

Attached is a link to the Tweed Fair web site :http://www.tweedanglingfair.co.uk/

[simmo]

Hi Gordon,

Congrattes on the your latest win in San Fran. Iv'e seen you casting on the Tweed and at the CLA last year. Most impressed.

I know there are various rules for the tournaments where you are limited to a 15 footer etc, however for this tournement you are open to use anything up to an 18 footer.
What is your preference for tournement casting?
The longer the better?
Or will you settle for say a 16' rod?

Thanks
Graeme

[simmo]

Hi Springer,

I thought they would go for the extra length. I do agree with you however it makes for a more realistic competition & something others can more readily relate too where there is a limit of 15' or 16'.

I think we will be seeing some big casts this year with 18' rods & casting from a platform Weather permitting of course.

Graeme

[zephead]

Springer-bloody good post!

The 18ft or thereabouts rule spoils waht was a great competition lat year IMHO as well.

There is now no USP between this and the Game Fair etc and whilst I like just as much as the next man to see experts shooting gasp inspiring legnths of line about,part of the charm of last years competition was the fact that it was a real fishing situation on running water (although WG asking Wee John and Pud "which way is the famous Junction Pool flowing" in the Ednam Hoose bar may have been a hitherto scarce recognised brand of tact utilised only above the snowline in MWC!) and that the rods were to be of branded manufacture available as essentially standard models across a retail counter/direct from the supplier before anyone picks me up on the winners rod brand.

Whilst I agree that the competition should be removed from Tweed itself as a flood would knacker the whole competition,the 18 foot rule,platform etc will make this the same as so many other competitions.Much of the fun of last years competition was Andy Murray's excellent compereing of the final and his detailed announcement of the gear that the comptetitors were using,with the added appreciation of the skill of the competitors in using tackle you may have used/tried/bought yourself and the results they were achieving with it.

Rod/reel/line manufacturers hoping the motor racing teams/manufacturers rationale of "win on Sunday-sell on Monday" will apply could be mistaken too.In my personal view,whilst the revised format is a great showcase for the castability of the kit used,the 15 ft competition was far more purchase inspiring than seeing one of the speycasting firmament hawsering line about with an 18 footer.

If the organisers insist on this format,they should at least the very least have the sense to organise an open competition framed on the basis of last years rules for 15 ft rods of standard manufacture available over the counter/from an ROC catalogue of your choice.

Last years entries roster was small (9 doughty souls as far as I'm aware) giving rise to the admittedly slightly-dram inspired view that a few of us would have a go to support the competition.At least a 15 foot framed competition would encourage the more casual angler with an interest in Speycasting to have a go,swell numbers and,one the face of it,make a more open competition of it although last years winner was impressive.

It would also be an added attraction over the two days,with say both finals as the finale and highlight of the last day or a Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup style format with finals over the two days to add further spice to what was a great event last year.

I also note another rule change.

As part of last years competition,anyone demonstrating at the Fair was NOT allowed to take part in the competition.Is the 18 footer rule change part of a plan to get the demonstrators involved in the competition,but only with their chosen legnth of competition rod (18ft),to keep a reasonably well defined field of known competitors involved to save embarrasing upsets from random ghillie's,boatmen,fishers who may be inspired to nick it if it were a 15 foot class comp?

Does this also mean demonstrators who will compete may keep "a little up their sleeve" when demonstrating?

Also,if we are going down an essentially pro-Speycaster 18 footer route,would the organisers consider looking into a bookmakers pitch or two as I'm sure a bit of financial interest would add a spikier,third dimension to proceedings over the two days and for the lucky,help to defray personal admission charges and the bar bill in the White Swan?

Answers/bollocking eagerly anticipated..........

DTYS!

ZH.

[zephead]

Springer,

Good starting point.

Would you include shooting heads in this competition given their current vogue and/or have a minimum legnth of head?

Possibility of three choices of outfit pre-published befroehand so folks could get used to the set up.I seem to remember when Wee John won the CLA/Scone titles all those years ago you got what you were given to cast with on the day and its only recently that the comps have been run with competitors using individual set-ups.

Possibilty of reducing Fair admission/refunding a fiver/commemorative pin cap badge etc upon entering the competition and casting as an incentive to get the average angler having a go??

Regards

ZH

[castlikeaghille]

springer said:

Zephead,


The main issue at present would be can the numbers of competitors be attracted? at present its just you and I having a chat

One area that could put people off competitions is that good reputations could be shattered if they panic on the platform or have a bad day. How I see it is more that your fishing technique can be greatly improved by studying casting, I'm no expert caster but wouldn't care if I made a mess of it, the crack and banter is all part of the fun.

What thoughts do other members have?

If Competition Casting floats your boat, all speed to you. If it helps improve your casting for the field then more power to its elbow. There is no denying it is impressive to watch highly talented individuals cast a fly line further than most can chuck a Toby.

However, might I suggest another angle, and a possible reason for the silence. Most of the leading lights of the Competition Casting World work in the tackle/fishing industry - this is an extension of work, and work is usually, by nature, competitive.

Competition based on a sport (and this has now become a sport) of any sort almost always ends the same way. The good natured bonhomie inevitably falls apart leaving obsessiveness, bitterness, recrimination, skulduggery and an all round stench of b/s. As the prize money goes up so the probability of this happening rises in direct correlation - although nothing is inevitable in life other than death and taxes.

Of course this could never happen among anglers. Well many of us have competition trout fishing backgrounds. The prophecy above is exactly what happened there after it all started out with the best intentions. By the mid nineties it had descended into a petty spiteful world a million miles away from the reasons why we started out going fishing.

The behavior above is all too easy to find, and hard to avoid, in the working environment. Salmon fishing, for many, is about escaping all that - our competition is a personal one with nature and salmo salar.

I look forward to watching the Stars in action at Kelso.

Regrdez

CLaG

[williegunn]

zephead said:

(although WG asking Wee John and Pud "which way is the famous Junction Pool flowing" in the Ednam Hoose bar may have been a hitherto scarce recognised brand of tact utilised only above the snowline in MWC!)

ZH.

I'm sure the canal word was used as well, anyway I've been thrown out of better hotels than that.

[macd]

I would have a go for the craic. Ive made a fool of myself casting with fishingd0 before, so a few more in the crowd laughing would make no odds.

I can cast as far as I require- but I doubt I could replicate it on a pond with an 18'rod

I am all finesse - and 18' rods on a pond require other qualities.

If I was to consider heaping (yet more) humiliation upon myself, I would at least like to do so in the following format:

1.an open competition, with off the shelf gear. 15' max 75' head max.

2. Held on the river with distance and targeting requirements-would combine a little more angling with casting. (its a shame about the insurance)

eg. square to a target; 35 yds at 60 degrees; 40 at 45 degrees. etc.

I had thought of style points, but that would be a nightmare with all the AGPAI/MAGPIE instructors flapping about shouting about physics.

All that said, I have some sympathy with CLaG on this one. The competitions easily become victims of their own success and some evidence of this is apparent.

So:

An amateur's competition inc. ghillies, but not MAGPIE or other qualified jedi, would suit me. Prizes to reflect this and no teams.

[charlieh]

A few thoughts on this, and competitions generally.

One of the aspects I like about the San Francisco comp. is that it requires you to perform all four casts - single and double (or snake roll) from both shoulders. This seems to offer a good test of all round fishing ability, rather than just one 'hero' cast.

I remember a couple of Game Fairs (Blenheim & Belvoir, I think) where the wind was coming more or less straight onto the casters' right shoulder and thus was very unfavourable to a right hand single spey. In those conditions, I'd have thought that there might have been a considerable advantage in switching to left hand up, but the competition setup (ropes, raft etc) didn't seem to allow for this. Otherwise, would it be too much work to reposition the raft and ropes to suit the wind direction?

From the competition organisers' point of view, I guess it is attractive to offer the chance of a new record being set. As such, although a 15' competition would no doubt attract more competitors, it would not perhaps have the glamour attached to a potential world record-breaker. Time and space permitting, I think it would be good to see both side by side.

Incidentally, I was speaking to Michael Evans the other day, and he said that his one regret in drafting the rules for the CLA competition was that they only required a 30 degree angle change - and this seems to have become more or less the standard. He felt that a wider angle would present more of a challenge and would be closer to 'real world' fishing conditions.

[fishingd0]

I must agree with most of what has been said, and in particular the fact that this years competition is not being held on the Junction with 15 ft rods. However, as has been mentioned there are a number of reasons for this.

As for the 15ft competition drawing in more competitors, this did not seem to be the case last year.

CLAG as for the below comment:

" Competition based on a sport (and this has now become a sport) of any sort almost always ends the same way. The good natured bonhomie inevitably falls apart leaving obsessive ness, bitterness, recrimination, skulduggery and an all round stench of b/s. As the prize money goes up so the probability of this happening rises in direct correlation - although nothing is inevitable in life other than death and taxes. "

Fortunately it has not come to this at any great extent in our sport and long may it stay that way.

Had you been able to attend some of the competitions; like San Francisco, Ireland or the CLA in recent years, you would have seen a group of boys (and ladies) with the utmost respect and willingness to help each other out, where ever and when ever possible.

It is also worth noting that only a very small percentage of those competing in either Ireland or San Francisco this year were directly related to fishing as a profession.

[castlikeaghille]

fishingd0 said:

CLAG as for the below comment:

" Competition based on a sport (and this has now become a sport) of any sort almost always ends the same way. The good natured bonhomie inevitably falls apart leaving obsessive ness, bitterness, recrimination, skulduggery and an all round stench of b/s. As the prize money goes up so the probability of this happening rises in direct correlation - although nothing is inevitable in life other than death and taxes. "

Fortunately it has not come to this at any great extent in our sport and long may it stay that way.

Had you been able to attend some of the competitions; like San Francisco, Ireland or the CLA in recent years, you would have seen a group of boys (and ladies) with the utmost respect and willingness to help each other out, where ever and when ever possible.

fishingd0

I have had the privilege of watching you compete and demonstrate on quite a number of occasions. However, we are on different sides of the bowl. You are on the inside looking out, and I am on the outside looking in. Inevitably perspectives are different.

I see the current top end spey casting comps, I hope taken in the good spirit with which it is intended, as like watching a Flying Circus or the Globetrotters. A mix of banter and tremendous skill. It is very entertaining for this bystander, especially when some of the entrants are well on the way to being Brahms and List such as at a well known borders fort last year.

However, by your own self reported comments the stuff which I alluded to is already creeping in. I am well enough acquainted with some people on the "scene" to know that some are starting to take it very seriously indeed; usually the point at which things go down hill.

I sit and listen to their woes and the carping on about so and so and just think deja vu - here we go again. The introduction of material amounts of cash into any past time invariably attracts all sorts of people for the wrong reasons.

It is a free country so if that's what people want to do with their time then fine, but the question was to understand why posters on this forum were hardly casuing the site to crash in their enthusiasm. No doubt there are all sorts of reasons of which this is only one of several/many? Other posters views?

However, more importantly how might you encourage more people to engage at some sort of level? IMO, the Macd/Zephead suggestions were good.

Leave you pros to the serious stuff. Much like the old days at the Scottish/CLA Game Fairs you could pitch up and you were given some crappy Hardy Broomstick a DT line that didn't match the rod and that was that - likely winning cast 27 yards - winning prize a slap up scone tea at Mrs Miggin's with Arthur Ogelsby

Then it's just a spontaneous decision to take part. If you cast like me you always have the bad workman's favourite excuse ' cos they are not your tools

I look forward to watching you in action on Sunday

Regards

CLaG