Scotland men suffered heartache when they were edged for gold in the Home Nations Shore Angling Championship on Tayside.
The Tartan Team, who were defending the title won on Welsh beaches 12 months ago, were two points behind Ireland after Day One, but levelled after the second day.
However, the home side lost out on countback with three more fish of over the minimum size limit of 15cm needed to pip the men from across the Irish Sea.
The quintet – Mike Kyle (Easthouses, Midlothian), David Cargill (Dundee), Bruce McLean (Stranraer), Ian Campbell (Falkirk) and captain Chris Horn (Kirkcaldy) – finished with the silver medal after two days of tough fishing near Montrose and in the Tay Estuary at Dundee. Third were Wales with England fourth.
Silver was also claimed by Scotland ladies for the fourth year running, but one fish in the dying minutes of their match could have tipped the balance.
Dundee-based, Kevin Lewis, their team manager, said: “We only needed one sized fish in the last hour to win gold, but it was not meant to be. Onwards and upwards and we start preparing for the next one.”
Cumbria-based Lesley Maby was their top rod with two zone wins and the ladies event featured Buffy McAvoy (Aberdeen born, but living in Edinburgh), Charlene Stoker (Dumfries), Gill Coutts (Largs), Lesley Maby (Cumbria) and Joanne Barlow (Brighton).
Lewis added: “I couldn’t have been more proud of the ladies in the way they fished and gave it their all.”
Scotland juniors – Callum Strang (Hamilton), Eryk Janik (Edinburgh), Jay Stoker, Abbie Stoker and Hollie Stoker from Dumfries – two sisters and their brother – plus Harry Keeney (East Kilbride), were fourth in their competition.
The best result was claimed by the youth side who won gold with England second and Wales third. The triumphant anglers were Calum Culbert (Aberdeen), Michael McGloughlin (Glasgow), Ciaran Peck (Stornoway), Andrew McLean (Stranraer, whose father was in the men’s team) and Scott Henderson (Glasgow) with Billy Buckley from Uddingston their manager.
Culbert said: “A great result for team Scotland youths at this year’s home nations in Montrose. Delighted to end my career on the youth team with another gold medal on home soil and topping the rankings after two tough days of competitive angling.”
Buckley said: “It was a fantastic performance from the team and it was a pleasure to manage these boys who fished brilliantly to achieve two day wins and the overall gold medal place.
“Particular well done to Ciaran and Scott on their first event with the youth team and how they managed themselves. All that practice in the months beforehand was worth it boys.”
Mike Horn, the Kirkcaldy-based president of the organisers, the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers, confirmed that it was a really good competition fished with sportsmanship in extremely difficult weather conditions.
A total of 664 fish were caught by the teams and all returned to the sea after being measured and he added: “We move on to next year when the event is held in Ireland.”
PICTURE: Mike Horn, president of SFSA, officiating riverside and measuring an English competitors catch. Picture Nigel Duncan
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