Sensas Challenge 2009, Barston Lakes and Packington Somers

This year’s event was well supported with 24 teams competing over the two days.

The event, run to international rules, saw 15 international anglers in the line-up, including five times world Champion Alan Scotthorne, current World Champion Will Raison, Under-22 and Under-18 world Champions Calum Dicks and Matt Godfrey, plus all of the eight England internationals who competed in this year’s World and European Championships.

Also four full French internationals Jean Desque, Eric Lubin, Gilles Caudin and Alain Dewimille were joined by Christophe Nouallier, representing former World Club Champions France’s Sensas 28.

It was Daiwa Dorking who romped home easy winners with just 23 penalty points over the two days.

This included a staggering eight points on day, consisting of two section winners and three seconds in the 12-peg sectioned match.

The team had practised intensely on the lead-up and a delighted Will Raison said: “We are really pleased at winning this event. Just going to the final in France is a prize in itself. The final has all of the trappings of a world championships and winning it is one of the highest accolades a club team can achieve.”

Individually it was Leicester’s Pete Bailey who took the gold medal with a perfect two points and a cumulative weight of 23k 818gm.

His day one section win came from Packington’s Molands peg 37, where he caught tench and skimmers over a bed of Sensas Lake 3000 and IM5 groundbait laced with jokers and casters with bunches of bloodworm and caster and maggot on the hook.

On day two he applied the same tactics of peg 10 on Geerys Lake to win with 11.670kg. Pete took home a total purse of £700 for his hard work.

The two qualifying teams, Daiwa Dorking and Leicester Sensas B, now go through to the European final to be staged in France on the 24th and 25th of October.

Here 64 teams from all across Europe will be going all out for the Sensas Challenge 2009 title, which has seen over 1600 teams compete in qualifiers in their home countries.

Individual Result
Pete Bailey, Leicester Sensas, 2 pts, 23.810kg; Des Shipp Daiwa Dorking, 3 pts, 23.040; Steve Hemingray, Daiwa Dorking, 3pts, 21.890; Andy Amoss, Rod and Reel, 3pts, 19.020, Simon Willsmore   Dorking, 3pts, 15.760.

Team Result
1st Daiwa Dorking, 23pts; Sensas Leicester B, 40pts; Kamasan Starlets B, 49pts; Sensas 28, 50pts; 5th Saints, 53pts; 6th Kamasan Starlets A, 59pts.