The 2016 FIPS-Mouche European Fly Fishing Championship took place from the 3rd-9th October in the Slupsk area of Central Pomerania, Poland, on the River Lupawa and Swan Pond.

Programme: 

3rd Oct – Opening Ceremony and Captains’ Meeting

4th Oct – Official Practice Sessions 1 & 2

5th Oct – Competition Sessions 1 & 2

6th Oct – Competition Session 3

7th Sept – Competition Sessions 4 & 5

8th Sept – Award & Closing Ceremony & Farewell Dinner 

You will find more information at the official website here, and on their Facebook page here.

Team England FF was represented by Ben Bangham, Andrew Croucher, Mike Dixon, Scott Nellins, Andy Cliffe and Martin Dixon (manager).

Opening Ceremony

First Day

Session 1: England scored a 6th place in Sector 1 on the river (Scott Nellins), along with a 10th, 12th, and 14th place, plus a 6th place on the lake sector (Andy Cliffe), which put them in 9th place, behind Scotland in 8th and Ireland 5th. Poland were leading with 13 placing points, three ahead of Finland Men, with the Czech Republic 3rd with 26 points sess1team

Session 2: Ben Bangham came 8th on the lake, but on the river sectors England scored three 10th places and a 15th, dropping to 11th overall. After a good session the Czech Republic drew level with Poland on placing points with 37 each and are currently 2nd, with 68960 fish points, with Poland 1st on 80600 fish points. Finland Men are 3rd with 50 placing points, and Spain 4th with 62 sess2teamcumul Piotr Zieleniak (Poland) is leading individually, ahead of Ruben Santos Becerro (Spain) – both with two first places – with Lukas Jahn (Czech) third, with a 2nd and a 1st. Michael Drinan of Ireland is currently 9th sess2indivcumul

Second Day

Session 3: A 1st place by Scott Nellins, plus a 3rd by Ben Bangham, both on the river sectors, helped England get back to 6th place overall on 127 placing points, just behind Ireland on 121. The Czech Republic are currently in 1st place, on 55 points, five ahead of Poland in 2nd and Finland Men 3rd with 86 points, three ahead of Spain sess3teamcumul Individually, another 1st place saw Piotr Zieleniak (Poland) keep his lead, one point ahead of Lukas Jahn (Czech) and Ruben Santos Becerro (Spain), both on 4 placing points sess3indivcumul

Third Day

Session 4: England’s highest placed team member in this session was Ben Bangham with an 8th on one of the river sectors, with a 9th to Scott Nellins, and 11th to Andy Cliffe (also on the river), and an 11th to Mike Dixon on the lake. England slipped to 10th place overall, with Ireland 7th. Poland overtook the Czech Republic to gain 1st place, 73 points to 77, with Spain 3rd with 119 points sess4teamcumul Individually, Piotr Zieleniak (Poland) scored yet another 1st place to stay in the lead with 4 points, ahead of Lukas Jahn (Czech) on 6 points (two 1sts and and two 2nds), with Ruben Santos Becerro (Spain) on 7 points with two 1sts, a 2nd, and a 3rd sess4indivcumul

Session 5: England did better in the final session with Scott Nellins coming 3rd on the lake, and 8th places to Andy Croucher and Ban Bangham on the river sectors. They finished in 8th place with 219 points, just behind Ireland on 205 points. Poland increased their lead to become the 2016 European Champions with 81 total placing points, with the Czech Republic 2nd with 105 points, and Spain 3rd with 143 points, Finland Men 4th and France 5th sess5teamcumul Individually, Piotr Zieleniak (Poland) managed a clean sweep of 1st places, scoring just 5 placing points to become the 2016 Individual European Champion. Lukas Jahn (Czech) was 2nd with 8 points, and Piotr Armatys (Poland) 3rd with 12 points. Michael Drinan of Ireland scored a 3rd in his final session to finish 6th overall. England’s top performer was Scott Nellins at 21st, with Ben Bangham 33rd sess5indivcumul