Angling Trust SuperCup

The Angling Trust SuperCup is a competition designed for grass roots anglers from clubs, fisheries, and tackle shops to fish in small teams. It is designed to create an opportunity for anglers to become involved in a series of friendly, local matches with a pathway leading to a national final.

The SuperCup competition format has run for over two decades and relies on teams to organise with honesty, integrity, and friendship the key values.

We wish for the Super Cup to be open to all and we invite teams to take part whether they are Angling Trust members or not. Sponsored, elite-level or high-profile anglers are politely requested not to fish in the SuperCup.

Depending on the number of teams who enter, there will be a series of either one, two, or three knockout rounds with teams competing in matches consisting of two or three teams. The aim is to find the best 15 teams in the country (five from each region of North, Midlands and South) – these will compete in the SuperCup Final at Barston Lakes in October, the winners pocketing the £1,000 top prize.

The rounds begin with matches against local teams and expand into county or regional level, depending on the locations of the teams who enter each year. Some regions are larger than others due to their geographical nature. We will endeavour match teams who are close to each other as possible for round one, but this may not be possible in all cases.

In previous competitions this format has led to stronger bonds between many grass roots clubs and lifelong friendships, water sharing, and support in other events outside of the SuperCup.

Easily! Simply fill out the online form submitting your 10 angler squad list and paying the £50 entry at the same time. Remember, you don’t have to be members of the Angling Trust to enter. You’ll then receive e-mail confirmation of your team’s place in the SuperCup.

To ensure that all teams abide by the values of the competition, it must have a set of rules, which are listed below. Any disputes which cannot be resolved amicably at a local level can be referred to the Angling Trust Competitions team for adjudication. Their decision will be final.

Listed below are the dates you need to know for this year’s campaign. Each draw will take place via Facebook Live and then will be immediately published on the Angling Trust Competitions social media channels. If you’re entering, keep these dates somewhere safe!

Friday February 28 – SuperCup opens for registration, team sheets, and entry fees.

•  Monday March 31 – Deadline for all entries
•  Wednesday April 16 – First round draw takes place and published
•  Monday June 30 – Deadline for all round one matches to be fished
•  Wednesday July 9 – Second round draw takes place and published
•  Monday September 8 – Deadline for all round two matches to be fished
•  Saturday October 18 – SuperCup Grand Final Barston Lakes

1. Registration

All teams must register their interest to fish, pay the registration fees, and submit a team sheet to enter the SuperCup. Deadlines for entries will be published on the Angling Trust Facebook page and Competition page of the Angling Trust website.

2. Squad lists

Squad lists to be submitted are to contain the names of up to 10 anglers, with any five from the list selected to fish in the knockout rounds and final.

Teams can enter as many squads as they like, but in doings so they must supply separate squad lists with different sets of anglers. These respective squad members will be non-transferable between the squads whether they have already fished or not. An angler who fishes for one team in the competition cannot then transfer to another team for later rounds. This angler will be ‘cup tied’ and cannot take any further part.

3. Under 18 anglers

We welcome teams in including young anglers in their squad list but anyone under 16 years of age who wishes to fish must apply and be granted an Angling Trust Young Angler Exemption Certificate. Applications can be made through the Competitions section of the Angling Trust website. All successful applicants must adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures while taking part in the SuperCup.

4. Sponsored anglers

The Angling Trust SuperCup is a competition for grass roots anglers, not the elite. With this in mind, our ‘sponsored’ angler policy is as follows:

Individually sponsored anglers or high profile anglers are not allowed to fish, regardless of the size or cost to themselves of their deal. Additionally, anglers that have fished in the Division 1 National over the past three years cannot compete.

The Angling Trust Competitions team will decide which teams and individuals can and cannot take part – if you are in any doubt, please contact the Angling Trust for confirmation via [email protected]

5. Sponsorship mid-competition

If a team or registered squad member becomes sponsored during the course of the competition, then they will not be allowed to take any further part. If an individual has sponsorship through being contractually employed by a tackle or bait company, then this is acceptable.

6. Substitutions

Anglers named on squad lists can be substituted for non-cup-tied anglers in exceptional circumstances and only with the permission of the Angling Trust. Should any team wish to make a change, they must apply in writing via e-mail to [email protected]

7. Knockout rounds

The number of rounds to be fished will depend upon the number of teams that enter in each area with the format being two or possibly three knockout rounds 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 with both coming from the same county or region.

Winners from this may advance to round three (numbers permitting) or if not, to the grand final. All teams will fish the same number of rounds in order to win through to the final.

8. Semi-finals

Should SuperCup entries reach a level where the knockout rounds are unable to create a 15-team final within a sensible timescale, then the Angling Trust Competitions team will consider implementing semi-finals to decide the finalists. This will be arranged on a regional basis with consideration to the location of the teams.

We envisage there would be three semi-finals created, one each in the North, Midlands, and South. Our definition of these regions are:

North – North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, County Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Tyne & Wear, Merseyside, North Staffordshire, and North Wales.

Midlands – Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Lincolnshire, Rutland, Norfolk, Suffolk, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire, Shropshire, South Staffordshire, and Mid Wales.

South – Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Herefordshire, Surrey, Essex, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Middlesex, Gloucestershire, Bristol, Greater London, Isle of Wight, and South Wales.

Again, all teams will fish the same number of rounds in order to win through to the final although the number of teams from each semi-final will depend on the number competing in each.

9. Knockout rounds – draws

The draw details for each round will be fair and independent and will be carried out by the Angling Trust Competitions Team. It will be published on the Angling Trust Competitions Facebook page.

The first team picked out of the draw box for each tie will be the home team. The home team will have the advantage of selecting the venue to host the match but will need to agree the date with the other team(s) in the tie.

All home-drawn teams will be instructed on who to contact from their rival team(s) by the Angling Trust Competitions Team.

10. Locality and venue selection

If you are drawn as a home team, then your chosen venue is expected to be within a comfortable and easy travelling distance for all teams. No further than 50 miles is the recommended maximum distance, unless all teams are in agreement to travel further.

The venue selected must be large enough to comfortably accommodate the match and give every angler an equal chance to fish every method at their disposal.

Home teams must allow opposing team(s) the opportunity to practice on the chosen venue.

11. Match dates

All round one and round two matches must be fished between the specified deadlines of the SuperCup competition. Failure to do so will result in the tie being void and the teams will not progress any further. We have factored in enough time for arrangements and fishing to take place in the competition format.

In exceptional circumstances – natural disaster, extreme weather etc. the Angling Trust Competitions team may grant an extension.

Should a team have a prior booking that clashes with a proposed date and no others are available, then they will be expected to decide between fishing the SuperCup of forfeiting their place in the event.

12. Match sizes

All Angling Trust SuperCup ties, including the final, will all feature five anglers per team.

13. Match scoring

All Angling Trust SuperCup matches will be decided on section points. 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:

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 will receive one more point than the last in section score. So, in a two-team match, 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 between the teams, a 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 across each team will be used.

The Home team will be required to provide the Angling Trust Competitions team with a full result from the match. This must be email to [email protected] within five days of the match taking place. Supporting photographs from the match will also be appreciated.

14. Length of match

All Angling Trust SuperCup matches will be five hours long. All anglers are expected to help out with supporting the peg draw, signalling the start and finish, weighing in, and ensuring the fishery is left litter free and tidy before departure.

15. Placing of anglers

No team will be allowed to place anglers unless more than one venue or lake is in use.

16. Practicing

All teams are expected to arrange practice sessions themselves. Home teams must allow opposing team(s) the opportunity to practice on the chosen venue if it is a club water and must make suitable arrangements to support the away team(s) in making pegs available for practice.

17. Fishery rules

Fishery rules will apply to all matches, whether hosted on a commercial or club water. The home team will have no power to dictate fishery rules unless they own the venue in question.

Home teams are expected to make their opposition fully aware of these rules to avoid confusion on the day.

All anglers must abide by the venue’s rules or risk disqualification.

18. Disputes

The adjudication of the Angling Trust on any matter relating to the competition will be final and absolutely no correspondence will be entered into.

19. Have fun!

The whole ethos of the SuperCup is to encourage friendly fishing against local rivals – please endeavour to positively support the competition and help it grow!