World Championships for UK?

England's hopes of hosting the World Championships took a step closer to becoming a reality this week after it was confirmed that a bid to host the international event has been launched.

A raft of medals have been brought back to our shores in recent years and that success has led to calls from some quarters of the sport to have the prestigious tournament staged on home soil.

These calls have now been answered after officials revealed they are supporting a proposal to hold the ladies world championships in 2017.

Although the process is at an early stage, the Middle Level Drain in Norfolk has been pinpointed as a suitable venue, and providing the strict set of criteria set by organisers, FIPSed, are met the application is likely to be a success.

Team manager Joe Roberts believes the opportunity offers the nation an ideal opportunity to shine. He told Angling Times: “All the major players in international coarse angling regularly host the World Championships and it’s about time we showed what we can provide on the big stage.

“Any World Championship venue must be 35m wide and have an access road behind and the Middle Level fits the bill. If this is a success then it opens up the door to hosting the disabled, veterans or maybe even the men’s World Championships in the future,” he added.

England team regular Emma Pickering took part when the ladies event last came to England in 2002 and is excited at the prospect of representing her country on home turf again. She said: “We won gold when it was last here and it was one of the best experiences of my career. If we could replicate that success again it would be amazing. It gives people the ideal chance to come down and support their national team and that gives everyone involved a boost.”

Click here for more angling news...