11th National Boat-Based Spinning Competition in Pairs
to mark the 70th anniversary of the Człuchów Branch of the Polish Angling Association (PZW)
Człuchów, Lake Rychnowskie, 13 September 2020
Lake Rychnowskie in Człuchów hosted the National Spinning Competition for Pairs from Łódź for the eleventh time. The competition was traditionally held on the second Sunday in September, albeit under slightly different conditions than usual, as health and safety measures were in place. A record number of 57 teams – that is, 112 competitors – lined up at the start, as two of the teams consisted of a single angler. The competitors came mainly from northern Poland, though there were even teams from Warsaw. The competition was organised by the Człuchów branch of the Polish Angling Association (PZW).
Sunday 13 September was a fairly warm day for the time of year – sunny, rain-free but windy. However, the large fluctuations in atmospheric pressure were a cause for concern. Although Lake Rychnowskie is famous for its large predatory fish, the outcome of the competition was far from certain. As it turned out, however, any concerns about the results were unfounded.
The competition started at 8 am. The first reports from the water about pike being caught came in after just a few minutes. Thanks to the three judges’ boats supporting the competition, the fish caught were immediately measured, photographed and released back into the water. This gave the competition jury a real-time overview of the situation on the water. During the six-hour competition, 28 scoring pike over 45 cm and 68 scoring perch over 20 cm were caught. On top of that, there were plenty of fish that fell just short of the minimum length required by the rules. A dozen or so teams did not score any points.
The largest pike of the competition was caught by Paweł Sójka, a member of team No. 7 and a resident of the municipality of Człuchów. The pike measured 71.1 cm. The largest perch caught, however, was a specimen just under 32 cm, caught by Mateusz Rozentalski from Człuchów. The bite came straight after the start. For Lake Rychnowskie, these weren’t exactly spectacular catches, but they were the biggest of the day, weren’t they?
The competition ended at 2.00 pm. Afterwards, all participants shared a meal together, followed by the official announcement of the results, the presentation of honorary and material prizes, and the handing out of souvenirs. The summary was attended by Paweł Gibczyński, Mayor of Człuchów Municipality; Zdzisław Ardzijewski, Chairman of the Słupsk Regional Branch of the Polish Angling Association (PZW); and Władysław Strojk, Chairman of the Water Rescue Service (WOPR).
Final standings:
1st place: Kacper Dowksza and Michał Wojcik from Człuchów with a score of 4,300 points; 3 pike and 1 perch
2nd place: Marian Kuźniak and Wojciech Jażdżewski from Koczała and Człuchów with a score of 4,120 points; 27 perch
3rd place: Grzegorz Lupa and Dariusz Lupa from Człuchów with 3,850 points; 3 pike
4th place: Jarosław Machciński and Piotr Białek from Debrzno with 2,930 points; 3 pike and 2 perch
5th place: Krzysztof Cysewski and Mateusz Rozentalski from Człuchów with a total of 1,920 points; 1 pike and 1 perch (the largest perch of the competition)
6th place: Paweł Sójka and Piotr Grzelak from the municipality of Człuchów with 1,850 points; 1 pike (the biggest fish of the competition)
It is worth noting that although local competitors were in the minority, they took the vast majority of the prize-winning places. This just goes to show the importance of knowing the area. Nevertheless, the competition is becoming increasingly popular. The number of competitors is one indicator of the event’s success. It is the largest angling event in our district and, at the same time, the best way to promote our waters and the region.
All participants received commemorative caps to mark the 70th anniversary of the Człuchów branch of the Polish Angling Association (PZW), and 10 additional prizes were raffled off amongst all participants. The closing ceremony also provided an opportunity to present awards.
The competition was held with financial support from the Człuchów Local Authority and the Town of Człuchów. Further sponsors included: the Sports and Recreation Centre in Człuchów, the HOBBY fishing shop in Człuchów and the PrintVision printing works. The Człuchów branch of WOPR (Water Rescue Service) assisted with the organisation, lending the organisers its facilities.
The competition was judged by:
chief judge: Karol Dziemiańczyk
technical judge: Andrzej Świtoń
judges: Łukasz Kleist, Łukasz Szeremeta, Maciej Pawłowski, Tomasz Królak, Maciej Wdowczyk and Tomasz Masiak
medical support: Łukasz Szeremeta
organisational support: Anna Malecka, Helena Duniec, Łukasz Szymański and Piotr Szczygielski.
Undoubtedly, the excellent work of the refereeing and organisational teams contributed to the positive reception of the entire event.
Next year will see the 12th edition of the competition.
Compiled by:
Karol Dziemiańczyk
