TACKLE giant Garbolino has stepped in to sponsor a new competition in the sport’s newest publication Southern Angler, which will reward standout performances by match anglers in the region.
Each month the Southern Angler team will pick, in its opinion, the best result achieved by a south-based angler from the previous month’s open, club international or National match results.
The winner will be sent one of Garbolino’s new Blous Polmat quilted fleeces and a baseball cap, and will also go through to the first Southern Matchman of the Year final, which will see all the monthly winners fish-off in a head-to-head.
The first final will be fished in 2005 and while the venue has yet to be finalised, Darren Cox of Garbolino UK has committed to putting up a top-of-the range pole for the winner.
That’s not all either, as the winner will be invited to fish a head-to-head match against the winner of our sister magazine’s Sensas Midlands Matchman of the Year competition.
“It’s great to get involved with Southern Angler,” said Garbolino’s UK general manager Darren, who ironically has qualified for the Sensas sponsored Midland Angler final himself and finished in the frame in it last year.
“Even at this early stage, the quality of the magazine is shining through. It’s about time anglers in the south got some recognition like this and I know this will work as it’s already proved a great success in the Midlands.”
The plan is to follow the Midland Angler template and pick a venue that will test the all-round skills of the finalists. The format of the Midlands final this year will see two three-hour matches with the first reserved for floatfishing only and the match decided on section points over the two matches and then weight. The venue chosen is noted for a good head of roach as well as holding carp and the defending champion is current Kamasan Matchmen of the Year Neil Machin..
“Being part of the Midlands final, I can see the competition really growing with more anglers qualifying,” added Darren. “In three or four years time this final will become a really important part of the southern match calendar.”
The monthly winners, as judged by the Southern Angler team, will be sent a Garbolino Blous Polmat quilted fleece and a baseball cap. The superb quality fleece is ideal for the cold weather, made from a woollen fleece lining, and is fully-padded with cotton reinforcements in those areas that get most wear and tear, plus rust-proof zips, elasticated cuffs and adjustable waist cord. Finished in two-tone blue with the “Garbolino Squad” logo, this is a top quality prize with £39.99.
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