Shimano Press Launch 2001

Firstly, for FISHINGmagic to be included on the guest list isrecognition that the internet is a justifiable media. The fact thatFishingMagic was the only .com there also proves the credibility ofthe site. But that’s not all, your editor came through the event withflying colours.

The Fishing Press after the Paintballing (click for bigger picture)

On the first evening, during dinner, Graham showed off hisextensive wine knowledge. Without hardly glancing at the wine listGraham went straight for ‘a decent bottle of Chardonnay’. Of coursehe wasn’t paying (I was!), but it showed breeding and refinement thatcomes from mixing in the right circles. He even knows which knife andfork to use for each course! Mind you, Stu Dexter and I were a bitpissed off with the fillet of baked hake. Obviously caught by Marsdenhimself – yes it was that small – the proof was there for all to seeas Graham chose Turkey. After dinner Graham once again proved that hehas refined genes by drinking a few brandies, foregoing his usualscotch and ice before retiring to bed . . . whist the rest of uscrawled!

But it was day two that was to be the realisation of his finesthour – paintball time! As a ‘thank you’ to the press Shimano hadarranged a paintball day. You know the sort of thing – 22 grown men,dressed in combat gear, playing solders with guns that fire boilysized balls of paint at over 100 miles an hour. Graham was worried,especially when we were told that they hurt when they hit you! Intrue Marsden style, he commented that he was prepared to try anythingonce (the mind boggles, but it probably explains the photos he keepslocked away in his secret safe!).

Game one . . . 11 on each side, all in identical clothing and fullface masks for protection. After ten minutes the blacks were introuble. 9 men dead, watching from the sidelines, there were only 2men left fighting the remaining 6 blues who were moving in for thefinal kill. Pinned down in a bunker, would the blacks surrender orwould they fight like men? Then it happened – one of the blacksjumped up and charged the enemy in what can only be described as asuicide mission to save the honour of the team and the one remaining’live’ team man.

Zig-zaging like Giggs down the wing and shooting from the hip, theman in black stormed the enemy position, jumped into their bunker andtook out three of them before running out of bullets and being felledhimself. But who was the hero? The mask hid the identity of this realday Rambo. But it was soon revealed – Marsden!

For his heroics he quite rightly won the Shimano Top Shot Award and goes down as a legend in angling. The man’s a hero, you should all be proud of him and scared . . . very scared!