Bait-Tech Supercup 2017 - all you need to know to fish this year's event!

Britain’s biggest team event – the Angling Times/Bait-Tech Supercup – has kicked off with the launch of the eagerly-awaited 2017 event.
Fished by almost 300 sides last year, the Supercup is open to all clubs, fishery, tackle shop and match group sides registered to the Angling Times/Bait-Tech scheme and works on a simple knockout system for local sides culminating in big semi-finals and the final this summer where one name will go on the famous trophy.

The opening two rounds are fished through spring and early summer with teams drawn out of a hat to decide each tie, these six a side matches to be fished on dates set by Angling Times below on venues of the home-drawn side’s choice. Win through these two matches and you’re in the regional semi-final and if you finish in the top five of that special match the final beckons.
That’ll see 15 sides go at it hammer and tongs over five hours, all hoping to emulate last year’s winners Cwmbran Angling Nobblers – and who knows, they may even be back again to defend the title!

“Supercup remains the event to fish and as big team matches have dwindled down the years, this competition continues to attract healthy numbers,” said Angling Times Match Editor Richard Grange. “The beauty is that any team can make it through to the final. The first round is fished through spring, which with the variable weather and spawning makes for a great leveller but normally the team that takes it seriously and gives their matches a bit of thought does best.”
Detailed below is all you need to know about the Supercup as well as relevant contact details for any queries as well as that all-important entry form - good luck!

How it all works

The Supercup is a simple knockout competition run initially on a local basis with ties of two or three teams all local to each other. After two rounds of competition, the lucky teams to progress get through to their regional semi-final.
These are to be held at some of the country’s top commercial fisheries in August 2017 and draws together sides from all over that respective region (north, midlands and south) to do battle for a place in the grand final.
These opening rounds are fished to section points not weight and MUST be fished on the dates specified by Angling Times below. This is to stop arguments over which team can fish which date, which has blighted the competition since it started in 1999. Fishery rules will apply and the home-drawn side will have the choice of venue only and the rounds will be fished by six anglers a side.
Once the first round tie is completed the home-drawn team must send the result to Angling Times for publication using the match report card sent out with contact details for opposing teams after the draw has been made. Teams that have made it through will go into the hat for the second round draw which is typically made a week after all first round matches have been completed. These matches will follow exactly the same lines as the opening round, finishing in time for winning teams to get in some practice on their semi-final venue.

How to enter

To begin with teams must be registered to the Angling Times/Bait-Tech scheme. Don’t panic if you’re not, it’s free to do and only takes a phone call to 01733 395109 to get on board. If you have fished the Supercup in any of the previous years, then you are already signed up s there’s no need to call!
Once you’re in, send the entry form found in the Angling Times or (right click and print the form at the bottom of this page) to the Angling Times address shown on the form along with your entry fee and squadsheet of anglers wanting to fish. This list must have a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 names.
All entries MUST be received by Monday March 20 to go into the draw for the first round, which will be published in the Tuesday March 28 issue of Angling Times. A full list of rules are printed below and if there are any you don’t understand, please give Angling Times a call for clarification.
If you’re a home-drawn team, you must contact your opposition to arrange the match as soon as possible – contact details will be sent out to home teams as soon as the draw is completed. If you’re an away team, just sit tight and wait for that phone call.

Entry fee
It costs just £30 to fish the Supercup, effectively £1.50 per man if you enter a 20 angler squad – around half a pint of beer! This can be paid via cheque or Postal Order and then all you’ll have to pay from then on are the pools for each match you fish.

What you can win
The lucky winners will not only receive the sparkling silver trophy but also trophies as a memento of their day out plus the £1,000 cheque from event sponsor Bait-Tech.
In fact, all teams competing will go home with something to show for their efforts with a box full of Bait-Tech goodies to be distributed amongst the team along with a free breakfast and evening meal for all anglers courtesy of Bait-Tech.
You’re not forgotten if you come second or third though because trophies and cheques for £500 and £250 are up for grabs for those teams as well as cash from the pools for the individual top five anglers and section winners and runners-up, alongside trophies too.

Key match dates
Listed below are the dates and deadlines for this year’s Supercup. Please note them down as they are not flexible and will not change!
Monday March 20 – deadline for entries
Tuesday March 28 – round one draw
Saturday May 6 & Sunday May 7 – First round matches to be fished
Tuesday May 23 – round two draw
Saturday July 8 & Sunday July 9 – second round matches to be fished
Saturday August 12 – Semi Final
Saturday August 19 – Semi Final
Saturday August 26 – Semi Final
Sunday October 1 - Final

THE RULES!!!!

Listed below are the rules for Supercup in 2017. Most are common sense and easy to follow but if you have any questions, give Angling Times a call on 01733 395109 for clarification!

Angling Times/Bait-Tech Supercup 2017 rules

1 – How to enter
Each club must enter a squad of anglers into the event. Along with an entry form and the £30 entrance fee, each secretary or captain must supply a squad list of anglers (minimum 10 anglers, maximum 20 anglers) that will be used to fish the competition.

2 – Squads
Squad names can be changed only with the permission of Angling Times. Should any team wish to make a change at any point in the competition, they must submit written notification to Angling Times BY POST ONLY – NOT BY TELEPHONE. Please note that teams will be allowed to request their opposition’s team sheets before the match. Should the team on the day not match that on the submitted teamsheet AND Angling Times has not been notified of any changes made then the team in question will be disqualified immediately.

3 – Sponsorship.
With more anglers turning their back on the open match scene and settling into the club scene, the standard of angler fishing Supercup has increased somewhat. With this in mind, our sponsored angler policy is as follows:

Teams:
Any team with sponsorship from a tackle or bait company will not be allowed to fish, even if this ‘deal’ means a few bags of bait or clothing. Shops fishing under a tackle shop or fishery banner are permitted. If a club is deemed to be the above, that side will be refused entry.

Individuals:
Any angler with sponsorship from a tackle or bait company will not be allowed to fish, even if this ‘deal’ means a few bags of bait or clothing or a few floats. This also includes field testers. Anglers of a high profile will also be barred from entering as Supercup is not the event aimed at them.
Angling Times and Bait-Tech only will judge what ‘high profile’ means and captains will be informed of any changes that need making to their teams. If a team does fish an angler deemed to be either of the above, that side will be disqualified immediately, not just the angler.

4 – Sponsorship mid-competition
If a team has one of their registered members join a sponsored team or gain personal sponsorship from tackle or bait companies during the 2017 campaign, then they will not be allowed to take any further part in the competition. They will also not be allowed to take part any further in the future of the event until their sponsorship ends, even if they are a valid team member. If an individual has sponsorship through being employed full time by a tackle or bait company (not sponsored), then this acceptable.

5 – Non-transferable anglers
Teams can enter as many squads as they like, but if fishing two sides, they must supply two separate squad lists with two different sets of anglers. These respective squad members will be non-transferable between the two squads whether they have fished or not.

6 – Cup tied
Likewise, an angler who fishes for one team in the competition, cannot then transfer to another that he/she is a member of – this angler will in effect be ‘cup tied’ and unable to take part further in the event for any side.

7 – Ties
The number of rounds to be fished will depend upon the number of teams that enter in each area. Almost 300 clubs entered last year, with the format being two knockout rounds, one Semi-Final in your own region, and the final.
Round one will be a knockout between two or three teams, depending on the draw and the number of teams entered in your local area.
Round two is a match with again two or occasionally three teams competing, again with one team drawn as the home side as before, the other team coming from the same region.
The winning team from this round goes through to their regional Semi Final, either the North, Midlands or South, the top seven from these Semis then going through to the Grand Final.

8 – The draw
The draw details for each round will be fair and independent and the first round draw will be published in Angling Times in Tuesday March 28 2017.
All home-drawn teams will be instructed on who to contact from their rival team or teams and, at each side’s request, all sides will be expected to supply their squad list to the other team involved in the match.

9 – Venue selection
Home-drawn teams will have the choice of venue for the fixture ONLY. These venues must be large enough to comfortably accommodate the match and give every angler and equal chance to fish every method at their disposal.

10 – Match dates
The date for ALL first round Supercup ties will be the weekend of Saturday May 6 and Sunday May 7 2017. These are the ONLY dates matches can be fished unless of cancellations owing to severe weather, in which case an extension will be granted. It is expected that teams will decide amongst themselves which day their tie is to be fished. Second round matches are to be fished on the weekend of Saturday July 8 and Sunday July 9 2017 and the same protocol is to be followed.
If a team has a prior booking that clashes with these dates, then they must decide between fishing the Supercup of forfeiting their place in the event to honour their original commitment.

11 – Locality
If you enter Supercup and are drawn as a home team then your chosen venue is expected to be within easy travelling distance for all teams concerned – not the other side of London or three counties away!

12 – Practice dates
The home side should also allow the away team to practice twice on the fishery chosen for the match and must designate the pegs or rough area of the venue to be used, whether it is a club or privately owned water. If these pegs change, all parties MUST be informed. These practice dates must be weekend dates and not midweek.

13 – Fishery rules.
Fishery rules will apply, whether a commercial or club water. Home teams are expected to make their opposition fully aware of these rules to avoid confusion on the day. The home team will have no power to dictate fishery rules unless they own the venue in question.

14 – Number of anglers.
All first and second round Supercup ties will be SIX A SIDE.

15 – Scoring.
ALL Supercup matches will be decided on section points, NOT weight. Sections will contain one angler from each competing team, so will be made up of two or three anglers and will be decided as follows in a tie of three teams:
One point for a section win
Two points for section second
Three points for a section third
In the event of a blank, the angler in question will receive one more point than the last in section score. So, in a two team tie, a blank will score three points. If there is a tie on weight, both anglers will receive the points score for that position, not half points.
In the event of a tie on points overall, section countback will be used to decide the winners – for example, the team with more section wins or seconds will triumph. If there is still a tie after this then aggregate weight will come into play.

16 – Length of match.
All Supercup matches will be five hours long.

17 - Placing of anglers
NO TEAM WILL BE ALLOWED TO PLACE ANGLERS UNLESS MORE THAN ONE LAKE IS IN USE

18 – Severe weather
In the event of cancellation due to severe weather conditions, matches will be granted an extension for the tie to be fished. ONLY severe weather conditions will permit this, not any other reason.

19 – Semi finals
The three Semi finals are to be held at venues to be announced and at this stage, teams will be restricted to teams of SIX anglers to allow us to fit the matches in on these waters. The winners will be judged on section points.

20 – The final say
The adjudication of Angling Times and Bait-Tech on any matter relating to the competition will be final and absolutely no correspondence will be entered into.