After an extensive break, anglers of the Angling Professional League (APL) cast their lines during the semi-final Knock Out fixture at Richgate Park on February 16.
A fixture which was eagerly met by the top four teams, who had progressed to this stage after the KO Eliminator, as the winners would advance to the KO Finals on March 23 at Sandford.
After the draw of the zones was completed, Ladysmith Angling Club and Glencoe Angling Club were locked in a tussle in Zone 2, while Dannhauser Angling Club and Challengers Angling Club pitted their skills against each other in Zones 3/4.
Unfortunately, Breakwaters and Stillwaters Angling Clubs were eliminated in the first round of the competition.
Ladysmith Angling Club notched 65 points, while Glencoe Angling Club managed to muster 6 points.
The duel between Dannhauser Angling Club and Challengers Angling Club was eagerly awaited, with both teams proving to be a formidable force. However, the ever-improving Dannhauser outfit proved to be the better team, securing 51 points over Challengers 51 points.
Both Dannhauser Angling Club and Ladysmith Angling Club will now compete for the title of Transnat KO Champion.
The “Angler of Day” was Mohammed Mia of Challengers AC, reeling in an impressive total of 17 pts with a Barbel, winning the “purple” cap, R200 and an outright trophy.
The next competition of the APL is VME League 6 on March 8 at Richgate Park. This will determine the title holders of the APL and the top three anglers of season. The APL Angler of Year will win R3 000 tackle voucher and a family weekend away at a venue to be sponsored by the APL.
The second and third-placed angler will receive tackle voucher worth R2000 and R1000 respectively, with the compliments of the APL and Mohammed Midas.
With League 6 left to determine the title holders in the various categories, the race remains wide open in certain categories.
The current title holders are Ahmed Yusuf Amedjee from Dannhauser AC with the heaviest scaled fish category; Haroon Bosman of Ladysmith AC with the heaviest non-scaled; and Azhar Sheriff of Dannhauser AC clinching the title for the rare species category.
Shahid Akram of Dannhauser AC is the Junior Angler of the Year; while Sarika McDonald of Dannhauser AC is the Lady Angler of Year; while Dan Govinder of Ladysmith AC takes the title Senior Angler of Year. Udien Govinder from Ladysmith AC is the Angler of the Year.
Ladysmith AC is destined to be crowned as the VME League Champions for the season, leading the log with 58 points0, while Breakwaters follows with 52 points; Dannhauser coming in with 39 points; Challengers AC reeling in 26 points); while Stillwaters follows with 22 points. Glencoe AC follows in the last place with 13 points.
Well done to all the anglers and their respective teams, as they prepare to cast off in the finals.
