Competitions
16 January 2026
England Shore Teams Announced for 2026
The Angling Trust England Shore Angling teams have been announced for this year’s World and Home Nations Championships.
In 2026, our teams will compete in World events in France and Italy and also on home soil as England hosts the SALC Home Nations Championships this summer. First to travel will be four anglers taking part in the FIPS-M World Pairs Championships, an event set for mid-April in Gruissan, south of France.
England’s representatives will be pairings of Daniel and Gavin Parker and Harry Coxhead and Lee Gattrell who will fly the flag on the long sandy beaches where gilthead and striped bream are the likely targets.
Last year’s gold medal winning England Masters team of Bernard Westgarth, David Howell, George Smith, Malcolm Stote, and 2025 bronze medallist Kevin Warner will all be back to defend their title in 2026.
This time they’re heading to Italy at the start of May, with winning manager Barbara Metcalfe supported by experienced shore angler Sally Tucker too.
Going for World Championships gold in Italy later in the year will be four incredibly strong England sides representing us in the Seniors, Ladies, U21, and U16 categories.
It will be our young guns who will be first into action with their event staged in early October.
Paul Driver and Craig Groves’ U16 squad has been named as Bobby Banks, Bradley Dixon, Brayden Aldous, Lexie Groves, Luke Driver, and Ronnie Churcher.
Chris Sweetland and Joe Plumstead’s super six for the U21 contest is Archie Sweetland, Chris Stokes, Curtis Driver, Harvey Plumstead, Jack Reynolds, and Liam Checksfield.
November will see our Senior and Ladies teams make the trip to Italy with the Seniors squad – led by John Kerr and Chris Clark – consisting of Daniel Parker, Ian Dancey, Paddy Kerrigan, Richard Yates, Sam Collier, and six time/reigning Sea League champion Saul Page.
Stewart Wicks’ England Ladies World Champs squad has been named as Donna Bayford, Maralyn Wicks, Nikki Davies, and Sally Tucker.
Three strong squads have been selected for the SALC Home Nations event to be held on the beaches around Folkestone, Kent from June 30 to July 3.
Sam Collier and John Kerr will once again lead the Seniors squad which will consist of George Smith, Harry Coxhead, Joe Croxon, Nathan Elliott, Saul Page, and Steve Rathbone.
The Ladies squad for the Home Nations sees Katie Hills and Amelia Henderson join the World anglers of Donna Bayford, Maralyn Wicks, Nikki Davies, and Sally Tucker for the three days of matches.
Gaining bags of experience for their World Champs later in the year, the England U16 squad remains the same for both big events with Bobby Banks, Bradley Dixon, Brayden Aldous, Lexie Groves, Luke Driver, and Ronnie Churcher all selected to fish in the Home Nations event too.
You might also like
10 July 2026
Marine heatwave: what it means for sea anglers
A marine heatwave developing around parts of the UK could reach “extreme” levels this summer, with s…
Read more
10 July 2026
Bluefin Tuna Catch-and-Release Recreational Fishery 2026
The 2026 bluefin tuna catch-and-release season opens on Monday 13th July 2026 around the coast of En…
Read more
10 July 2026
Rays of Tope: New project to unlock the secrets…
The Angling Trust is proud to be a partner in an exciting new three-year research project that will…
Read more
10 July 2026
New ICES advice highlights mixed picture for key recreational…
The latest scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) pa…
Read more
10 July 2026
Angling Trust welcomes UK ratification of landmark High Seas…
The Angling Trust has welcomed the UK Government’s ratification of the landmark UN High Seas T…
Read more
08 July 2026
UK Government Pours Cold Water on Urgent Reforms to…
On Monday, the UK Government published its response to the Environmental Audit Committee’s (EAC) PFA…
Read more
07 July 2026
Anglers’ Data Stands Up to Scientific Scrutiny
One of the biggest questions about the Sea Angling Diary Project has always been a fair one: can dat…
Read more
23 June 2026
Team England Fly Fishing on the Hunt for Medals…
30th Fips-Mouche European Fly Fishing Championships MOSTAR BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 2026 Team Manag…
Read more
18 June 2026
Benjamin’s Comber confirmed as new British record
The British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee (BRFC) would like to announce the ratification of a n…
Read more
11 June 2026
New British Carp Record
The British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee (BRFC) would like to announce the ratification of a n…
Read more
03 June 2026
IFFA Spring Loch Style Fly Fishing International at Llyn…
The international is fished from free drifting boats with anglers from England, Ireland, Scotland an…
Read more
28 May 2026
Angling Trust Calls for Recreational Sea Fishing to Be…
The Angling Trust has submitted detailed evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fis…
Read more