A crisp September morning greeted the 25 youngsters fishing our annual Janaway Cup event.  This was the last of our regular Saturday coaching sessions and is run as a pairs match.  Every peg had a keepnet in the water ready for the off and at 9.15 the match got underway.  Rules are simple- catch as many fish as you can before 11.30 and the event would be decided on total weight.  The cold start meant fishing was tough and the usually obliging small roach and rudd proved hard to get.   Even the tench were on a go-slow.  In the end it was skimmers and crucians that fed the best.  Ben and Esther Corke on peg 5 set the pace with a couple of crucians and some roach.  Ben and Esther have been fishing with us for a couple of years and Ben in particular as desperate to win.  However, the pairing of Cameron Eadie on Peg 3 and Frank Owen on peg 14 provided some stiff competition.  Cameron had one crucian and Frank was putting together a steady string of small roach and the odd skimmer.

Ben added a third crucian to the Team Corke net but looked worried as news filtered through of a last minute tench for Frank.  All 25 youngsters followed the scales round the lake. Ben and Esther weighed in 4lb 4oz with their three crucians and bits.  Cameron had over a pound with his crucian so it all rested on that last minute tench.  When young Ben saw the tench his face beamed- it was only about half a pound.  This, coupled with the skimmers and roach went nearly three pounds for Frank but not enough to beat the Corke family crucians.

The Janaway cup is fished for every year in memory of Chris Janaway, a local lad and young doctor who was tragically killed in a road accident in 2007.  The cup comes complete with a packet of jelly beans (the fishing treat Chris enjoyed as a boy) and was presented by Mr and Mrs Janaway.

With the presentations done we enjoyed a great BBQ- thanks to Dan, Wendy, Brian and Bill who organised all the food.   This was a great end to what has been a fantastic summer of coaching. My thanks go to all the coaches who are a fantastic team and work hard to make these events enjoyable for everyone who turns up.  Thanks also to all the parents and kids who enjoy their fishing and stick with it even when bites are hard to get.