Lower Thames Championships
River Thames, Laleham to Molesey (134 pegs)
Anglers from as far away as Lincoln travelled to the first Lower Thames Championships in 22 years to find the river running clear and with high barometric pressure nobody was under any illusion that this would be an easy competition.

Mick Hanks nets one of the 37 bream which nearly set an historic record for the River Thames.

Sky cameras filmed the hectic action down at Sunbury's Court Island.

There was a wonderful atmosphere for the event, sponsored by Dulley Ceilings & Partitions Ltd to the tune of £3,000, and there were many old acquaintances renewed.

With the stewards under pressure to give as much room as possible, there were a few long walks, particularly at the top end of Molesey, due to weekend stay anglers occupying the water opposite Hampton Church. But they did helped in no small way to see one of the most remarkable Thames weights ever.

Mick Hanks was drawn at the bottom end of Sunbury Court Island but made no mistake with groundbait feeder and worm/maggot cocktail to land 37 bream and a perch for a massive 170-11-0, probably the river's third best ever open match weight behind Neil McKinnon’s 203-3-0 at Medley earlier this year and a 176 lb bag from Pangbourne many years ago.

Mick with just part of his massive 170lb+ weight.

However, with 25 minutes of the match remaining, disaster struck 51-year-old Sensas Angling Direct Suffolk star. A ladies’ rowing eight came to a stop, right on top of the shoal Mick was currently plundering. Strenuous efforts by stewards and onlookers to get the offending boat to move wasted valuable minutes, thereafter Mick was biteless. It didn't affect the result in anyway but it could have created history with the highest match weight for the river

But his just reward was a cheque for £1,000 and a lead crystal trophy to take back to Lowestoft.

Second place went to Steve Beehan, five pegs downstream, who had mixed fortunes of his own. He landed some quality roach on pole and caster over hemp and caster but was continually hassled by pike. A switch to pole and worm enticed a 7 lb fish but his swim dried up though his 12-5-0 was good enough for second spot. Then his car would not start and he missed the presentation waiting to be rescued, but his £800 was increased by £100 on account of his being the closest to the mystery weight.

KC Angling's Jimmy Archer with one of his two bream which gave him 3rd place on the day.

New Malden angler Jimmy Archer was third from below the winner with two bream and bits for 8-14-8. The KC Angling star collected £600 for his efforts.

But it was hard for many and that included England star Steve Gardener (Milo) collecting £100 section money with a mere 0-6-0 from Laleham.

With an excellent turn out back at the Thames Court Hotel, the field realising that the weather conspired against them, vowed to return in 2009.