WHO WILL BE CROWNED BRITAIN’S BEST CLUB SIDE?
Angling Times/Bait-Tech Supercup 2023 begins
BRITAIN’S biggest team event – the Angling Times/Bait-Tech Supercup is back with the hotly anticipated launch of the 2023 competition!
Open to all pub, club, fishery, tackle shop and match group sides, the Supercup works on a simple knockout system for local sides, culminating in big semi-finals and the final this summer, when one name will go on the famous silver trophy.
The opening rounds are fished through late spring and early summer, with teams drawn out of a hat to decide each tie. These six-a-side matches will be fished on dates set by Angling Times on venues of the home-drawn side’s choice. Win through these two matches and you’re in the regional semi-final, and if you finish in the top five of that special match the final beckons.
That’ll see 15 sides go at it over five hours, all hoping to emulate last year’s winners Stainforth Angling – who’ll be back again to defend the title!
Detailed here is all you need to know about the Supercup, as well as relevant contact details for any queries as well as that crucial entry form – good luck!
How it all works
The Supercup is a knockout competition run initially on a local basis, with ties of two or three teams close to each other. After one or two rounds of competition, the teams to progress get through to their regional semi-final.
These will be held at some of the country’s top commercial fisheries in summer 2023 and draw together sides from all over that respective region (North, Midlands and South) to do battle for a place in the final.
These opening rounds are fished to section points, not weight, and MUST be fished on the dates specified by Angling Times (right). This is to stop arguments over which team can fish which date. Fishery rules will apply, and the home-drawn side will have the choice of venue only. The rounds will be fished by six anglers a side.
Once the first-round tie is completed the home-drawn team must submit the result to Angling Times for publication using the match report card sent out with contact details for opposing teams after the draw has been made. Teams that have made it through will go into the hat for the second-round draw (if entry is high enough), which is typically made a week after all first-round matches have been completed. These matches will follow the same lines as the opening round, finishing in time for winning teams to get in some practice on their semi venue.
How to enter
Send the entry form to the Angling Times address on the form, along with your entry fee and squad sheet of anglers wanting to fish. This list must have a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 names.
All entries MUST be received by Tuesday, February 21 to go into the draw for the first round, which will be published in the Tuesday, March 7 issue of Angling Times. If you don’t understand any of the procedures detailed here, please give Angling Times a call for clarification.
If you’re a home-drawn team, you must contact your opposition to arrange the match as soon as possible – contact details will be sent to home teams as soon as the draw is done. If you’re an away team, just wait for the phone call.
It costs just £40 to fish the Supercup. This can be paid via cheque or Postal Order and then all you’ll have to pay from then on are the pools for each match.
What you win
The lucky winners won’t only receive the famous silver trophy but also trophies as a memento of their day out, plus the £1,000 cheque from sponsor Bait-Tech.
In fact, all teams competing will go home with something to show for their efforts, with a host of Bait-Tech goodies to be distributed among the team along with a free breakfast and evening meal for all anglers, courtesy of Bait-Tech.
You’re not forgotten if you come second or third, because trophies and cheques for £500 and £250 are up for grabs for those teams as well as cash from the pools for the individual top five anglers and section winners and runners-up, plus trophies.
KEY MATCH DATES
Listed below are the dates and deadlines for this year’s Supercup. Please note them down as they are not flexible and will not change!
Deadline for 2023 entries to be received – Tuesday, February 21 Round one draw published – Tuesday, March 7
Round one ties to be fished – Weekend of Saturday, April 21/ Sunday, April 22
Round two draw published – Tuesday, May 2
Round two ties to be fished – Weekend of Saturday, June 17/ Sunday, June 18