UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20759, 20 March 1939, Page 11

UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS

CASTING COMPETITIONS ANGLERS’ TOURNEY AT LAKE ROTORUA WINS TEAMS’ MATCH Favoured by first-class weather which brought -heavy entries in all competitions, the first anglers’ casting tournament organised by the Hamilton Acclimatisation Club and held in the model yachting hasin at the Hamilton Lake on Saturday, was an unqualified success. Anglers from all over the Waikato took part, and the length of the entry lists was reflected in the fact that, with two casting-pitches in simultaneous operation, the five matches on the day's programme were not completed until about 6 p.m. Undoubtedly the most outstanding competitor on the day was Major B. W. Powlett, of England, who came down from Taupo, where he is on holiday, to take part in the contest. Major Powlett took first place in the light-weight rod distance event, first in the trout-fly accuracy and second in heavy rod distance match. In the latter event he tied with C. P. Harlngton .Hamilton) and J- Ormond (Rotorua) for second place, with 83ft, hut heat both the latter in the cast-off, covering 89ft—the longest cast yet officially recorded in New Zealand. The fact that this cast, and one by Harington covering 884 ft, were made with a fairly strong following breeze, would indicate that each is capable, in a calm, of easily breaking 90fL Rotorua Paramount With the experience of the only two other tournaments held in the Dominion behind the-m, the Rotorua anglers easily carried off the honours of the day, winning the Tisdall Challenge Shield with 95$ points and securing a first and two seconds in other matches. Two. Hamilton anglers tied for first place in the bait-casting distance match, and the Hamilton A team, materially strengthened by the inclusion of Major Powlett, secured second place .in the teams’ contest, with 88$ points. During the course of the afternoon, the Tisdall Shield was presented to Mr W. McGill, patron of the Hamilton club, by Mr M. li. Tisdall, of Auckland. The trophy, stated Mr McGill, was for annual competition among clubs, under conditions drawn up by the Hamilton body, and one of these conditions was that it had to he defended annually at Hamilton. Reference was made by Mr McGill, at the prize-giving, to the presence of Major Powlett, whos-e experience of casting technique had provided all who had seen him in action with much valuable instruction. In reply, Major Powlett extended to the club fraternal greetings from the British Fly and Bait-casting Association, under whose rules the contest had been staged, and from the Usk Valley Association. He paid a warm tribute to the organisation of the tournament, which appeared the product of years of experience rather than a first venture, and to the high standard of casting shown, particularly by some of the younger competitors. Results were;—Fly-casting, distance (heavy) : F. Lord (Rotorua) 1, Major B. W. Powlett (England) 2, €- P. Harington (Hamilton) 3; distance, 86ft 6in. Distance (light) ; Major Powlett 1, K. Allen (Rotorua) 2, C. P. Harington 3; distance, 83ft. Troutfly accuracy; Major Powlett, 7 points, 1; F. Lord, 6 points, 2. Teams’ match: Rotorua (G. B. Peterson, F. H. Lord, A. G. Christophers, J. Ormond, captain), 95! points, 1; Hamilton A, 88J points, 2; Te Puke, 804 points, 3. Bait-casting distance: W. McGill (Hamilton) and A. A. McLean (Hamilton), dead-heat, 1; distance. 117fL During the afternoon, visitors and competitors were entertained by the club at afternoon tea.