PEMB’S UNBEATABLE WITH HIS FOUR-POINT SCORE
Wrighting enters history books with silver trophy
CRESTA/GAMAKATSU UK ANGLING CHAMPIONSHIPS (WEDS) Barston Lakes (80 pegs)
FEW UK Champs in the event’s history have been won with a four-point section score, but that’s what Pemb Wrighting managed as he lifted the silver claret jug for 2017 following the final round at Barston.
Having battled through the opening three legs at Lindholme and Decoy Lakes and Weston Pools, the Essex-based Guru product development manager, a former World Youth Champs silver medallist, knew that a fourth section win would seal the deal. And with peg 25, he was halfway there.
“My main plan was to fish the bomb with PVA bags of pellets of different sizes fishing a Mainline Wafter on the hook, starting at around 60m,” he said.
Pemb’s first carp arrived after half-an-hour and he then enjoyed a run of four fish before things tailed off, prompting him to cast 20m further out. The match then settled into a routine of an odd fish before another decent run with an hour to go, including a 22lb 8oz common, a new best for Pemb. Mixed in with 10lb of skimmers on the pole, he finished with 47-325 for fourth overall and, more importantly, the section win by 18kg.
“Once I’d weighed in and the section had finished, I knew I couldn’t be beaten and it began to sink in,” he said. “I’ve been chasing the bigmoney qualifiers all summer, so it’s ironic that I’ve won the event that’s fished on a league format!”
The day itself also had the match to be won and picking up the £1,000 cheque was Preston Innovations Delcac’s Geoff Vallance, who won the final leg of last year’s event at Barston too. Geoff drew famed end peg 124 on the golf course bank. He fished Method feeder and pellet on two lines at long range and shorter to take some massive carp for an unbeatable 93-800. Event runner-up Dave Brown also took second on the day with 65-075 from peg 18 on the opposite bank.
Result: 1 G Vallance, Preston Innovations Delcac, 93-800; 2 D Brown, Maver Midlands, 65-075; 3 D Swain, Garbolino/Dynamite Baits, 53-375; 4 P Wrighting, Guru/Bag‘em Baits, 47-325.
Final league: 1 P Wrighting, Guru/Bag‘em Baits, 4pts; 2 D Brown, Maver Midlands, 8 (superior weight); 3 P Bailey, Colmic, 8; 4 N Speed, Shimano/Dynamite Baits, 9 (superior weight); 5 L Sears, Daiwa, 9; 6 A Power, Preston Innovations, 10.