Free Spirit Match Boddington Classic
Free Spirit Match Boddington Classic 2026 launches on Friday 30th January!
This Friday will see the launch of the Boddington Classic for 2026 and we’re delighted to have Free Spirit Match on board once more. Having asked all the anglers that fished last year we’re delighted with the feedback to keep the contest on a very similar track. One change will be the drawing process for the final, with a draw for draw order on the Friday before the Final.
Qualifier Dates (all 48 peg qualifiers, split into 6×8 person sections for qualification)
- Qualifier 1 – Saturday 9th May 2026 – draw at 8:45am and fishing 11am until 4pm
- Qualifier 2 – Sunday 24th May 2026 – draw at 8:45am and fishing 11am until 4pm
- Qualifier 3 – Thursday 28th May 2026 – draw at 8:45am and fishing 11am until 4pm
- Qualifier 4 – Saturday 6th June 2026 – draw at 8:45am and fishing 11am until 4pm
- Qualifier 5 – Thursday 11th June 2026 – draw at 8:45am and fishing 11am until 4pm
- Qualifier 6 – Sunday 21st June 2026 – draw at 7:45am and fishing 10am until 3pm
- Qualifier 7 – Sunday 28th June 2026 – draw at 7:45am and fishing 10am until 3pm
- Friday 10th July – Draw for draw order of Day 1 – 17:00
- Saturday 11th July – Final – Day 1
- Sunday 12th July – Final – Day 2
Tickets (AT Members only – £35)
We will once more be using priority tickets where anglers who bought a ticket last year, have the opportunity to secure one ticket.
Round 1 – Priority Tickets open on Friday 30th January – 12:00 (midday) returning anglers have been sent a password sent via email can get one ticket
Round 2 – Open Tickets on Monday 2nd February – 12:00 (midday) All AT members can buy multiple tickets
As in previous years there will be mandatory refunds to qualifying anglers. These tickets then go back on sale (Monday at 12:00 noon for a weekend qualifier, or Friday 12:00 noon for a Thursday)
Qualified anglers can rebuy a ticket within 24hrs of the match start time if still available (i.e. from 11am day before a 11am start and 10am for a 10am start)
Alex Walker Crowned Boddington Champion 2025
The Free Spirit Match Boddington Classic supported by Aquastim saw 42 anglers pit their wits against Boddington’s wiley old carp and although conditions were far from ideal there were still mega weights on both days of the combined weight final.
Rounding out the top three was an awesome performance from Zak Williams Angling Page, Both days Zak has plundered the carp short on bomb and pellet to put 175kg on the scales off peg 82 and 14 is some performance.
On the pairs front it was Alex Walker and Steve Beard who were well clear across the two days with 393.525kg! Followed by Bogdan Mester and Lee Carver with 268.125kg and rounding out the top three was Peter Davis and Graham Cook with 211.070kg.
A huge thanks firstly to headline sponsor Free Spirit Match, this competition simply isn’t feasible without them and Simeon has helped out loads with guiding the competition and logistics this year. Another big thanks to Aquastim for supporting the competition this year, allowing us to add the pairs element. Finally a huge thanks to all the anglers for their immense support, it’s a great community at Boddington and long may it continue!