Hammond sees off stars to take Drennan/Rive Silverfish Festival
Drennan/Rive Silverfish Festival (Sat/Sun)
White Acres (84 anglers)
Oxfordshire angler Derek Hammond has beaten a star-studded field to claim the Drennan/Rive Silverfish Festival at the weekend.
He scored 14 points over the two days and had a weight aggregate of 48-5-0 to take the title ahead of Grant Albutt. He also scored 14, but could only tally 46-11-0 when the maths was done. Jon Jowett also scored 14 points.
Seeing off an 84-strong field that included top French anglers and much of the current Drennan Team England side plus a host of household names from the UK match scene, Drennan Oxford man Derek had a rousing Day 2 to thank for his £700 victory.
The Didcot rod weighed in 33-8-0 to win the match, added to his 14-13-0 net from the day before, which was enough to win him his section. Those victories put Derek on a perfect 14 points, alongside Grant and Jon.
Every fish really did count with such a narrow winning margin.
Skimmers formed the bedrock of Derek’s net as he drew a peg with form, 15 on the Pollawyn Lake. That’s where Andy Bennett had finished second in the match the day before, and Day 2 saw Derek go one better. He fished short at around 5m with caster and worm over groundbait to bank bank a 3lb perch on worm in the margins plus some roach. Second on the day was claimed by Drennan man Dan Varney with 27-8-0.
The festival started with a comfortable win for England star Callum Dicks on Day 1 with a superb 44-12-0 of roach and skimmers from peg 17 on the fancied high bank of the Pollawyn Lake. The Maver angler caught the bulk of his weight shallow on caster despite the cold and windy weather. Second went to Andy Bennett with 34-2-0 from next door peg 15.
Overall: 1 D Hammond, Drennan Oxford, 14pts (48-5-0);
2 G Albutt, Matrix/Bait-Tech, 14 (46-11-0); 3 J Jowett, Drennan NW, 14 (38-12-0); 4 C Dicks, Maver, 13 (56-1-0); 5 S Willsmore, Drennan/D&A Tackle, 13 (54-11-0); 6 A Bennett, Daiwa/Guru/Bait-Tech, 13 (51-12-0).
Day 1 result: 1 C Dicks, Maver, 44-12-0; 2 A Bennett, Daiwa/Guru/Bait-Tech, 34-2-0; 3 S Willsmore Drennan/D&A Tackle, 29-7-0; 4 D Davies, Drennan/Van Den Eynde, 26-12-0;
5 D Harpin, Daiwa Dorking, 24-8-0.
Day 2 result: 1 D Hammond, Drennan Oxford, 33-8-0;
2 D Varney, Drennan, 27-8-0; 3 S Willsmore, Drennan/D&A Tackle, 25-4-0; 4 L Edwards, Garbolino/ABC, 25-4-0;
5 D Davies, Drennan/Van Den Eynde, 24-9-0.
Team winners: Andy Power, John Harvey, Darren Davies and Teddy Lescure, 43pts.
