Following an overnight drop in temperature most anglers found their pegs frozen at the start of the match and although most had thawed an hour into the event it made for a slow start to the Angling Trust Winter League Southern semi-final held on the Grand Union Canal at Milton Keynes.
Despite the conditions the canal fished quite well with only one blank on the day. Winning the match with five perch to 3lb was Garbolino Blackhorse cut expert Graham West. Fishing worm for the perch and topping up with roach on joker from H section at Cosgrove gave Graham a total of 11-1-0. Second placed Cam Hughes of Kamasan Starlets took 12 skimmers on bread punch before switching to joker and worm to top up with four perch and roach for 8-8-0. Sean Ashby, Kamasan Starlets made the most of his end peg on J section and took third place with 7-3-8.
Kamasan Starlets and Garbolino Blackhorse tied on 69 points, with Kamasan Starlets taking first place on weight count back 47-2-8 to 43-2-8. The last qualifying place went to another canal side Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths with 64 points.
Individual Results
1st Graham West, Garbolino Blackhorse 11-1-0
2nd Cam Hughes, Kamasan Starlets 8-8-0
3rd Sean Ashby, Kamasan Starlets 7-3-8
Team Results
1st Kamasan Starlets – 69 points (47-2-8)
2nd Garbolino Blackhorse – 69 points (43-2-8)
3rd Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths – 64 points
