High winds results in cancellation of Lough Mask world cup

‘NOT PREPARED TO TAKE A RISK’  Boat Manager, Ronan Cusack.

Anton McNulty

A SMALL-craft warning for Lough Mask resulted in the World Cup Brown Trout Angling competition being cancelled yesterday (Monday) morning.
Some 112 fishermen were due to head out from Cushlough near Ballinrobe on Monday morning for the final day of the competition on Lough Mask. The decision to cancel the event was taken due to high winds and a small craft warning in place on the lake.
Ronan Cusack, Boat Manager for the World Cup Brown Trout Angling competition, explained that they could not take the chance.
“You have to respect the lake and what it can throw at you. We looked at the forecast and we have a yellow small craft warning which means that our insurance is null and void if we put boats out today. From experience we know what can happen... it is quite blowy out there and we are not prepared to take the risk,” he said.
The World Cup Brown Trout competition is held on Lough Mask every year and is one of the most prestigious competitions in the fishing calendar. Over 500 anglers took to the water to take part in heats over the bank holiday weekend with the 112 fisherman competition in the final of the competition.
The final has been rescheduled to take place on Saturday, August 17 which will cause a logistical nightmare for organisers who will have to source up to 56 boats and experienced boatmen to take the anglers onto the lake for the day. Mr Cusack said that while some boatmen will not be available, he was confident they will have enough boats on the day. All anglers who qualified for yesterday’s final will be eligible for the rescheduled fixture with organisers confident that the vast majority will return.