Pirtek Challenge creates new world record It was another huge year for the world’s biggest fishing competition! 11,711 anglers fished the Pirtek Fishing Challenge over the weekend of 23-24 April 2022 creating a new world record. Fishing commenced at sunrise and concluded at sunset on both days of the competition. Anglers had until 7am on Monday 25 April to upload their fish photograph to the website for judging. With over $280,000 in cash and prizes to be won there were thousands of
keen anglers trying their luck in waterways across Australia and doing battle with the weather conditions in some areas. A huge thanks goes out to our partners Pirtek, Berkley, BCF, Stacer, ABU Garcia, Lowrance, Valvoline, Sea-Doo, Club Marine, Minn Kota, BAR Group and Mako Eyewear who have put up the cash and prizes for the winning brag mat entries, mystery length prizes and the hugely popular On The Water prize draw. With entrants from every Australian State and
Territory, the Challenge is a major fundraising initiative assisting to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) and the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit, with over $1,400,000 being donated over the last 14 years. There were some impressive fish caught, including several barramundi over the magic metre mark; cracking trout in Tasmania; huge flathead in New South Wales and some thumping big Murray cod throughout the Murray Darling Basin.
Pirtek provides $88,000 cash, which is divided between 22 mystery length target fish, providing all entrants with the opportunity to win big without necessarily catching the largest fish. One of the highlights of the Challenge is the On The Water prize draw and this year’s major winner was Gary McIver who won the Stacer 469 Outlaw boat/motor/trailer package thanks to Stacer valued at over $39,000. Second place went to Rory Burton who will take home a Sea-Doo FishPro Scout valued at over
$22,000; and third place to Ronald Sutton who won the Club Marine Territory Striker boat/motor/trailer package valued at over $14,000. Tournament Director, Michael Guest, was delighted with the 2022 results. “Not only was it a record-breaking year overall but we had the highest number of junior anglers ever. It’s wonderful to see so many young fishos and families supporting the event. I’m extremely proud of the funds and awareness our competitors have raised for our charity partners this year.”
Pirtek Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Stephen Dutton, said the success of the Pirtek Fishing Challenge was something all his company’s staff, suppliers and franchisees could be enormously proud of. “It is hard to believe that the Pirtek Fishing Challenge has just completed its fourteenth year and we have again notched up record numbers,” said Dutton. The 15th Pirtek Fishing Challenge will be held in April 2023. For full results go to pirtekfishingchallenge. com.au. – Pirtek
Tournament Calendar 2022 JUNE 5 Jun
East Coast Bream Series R4
Hawkesbury River
NSW
wsbreambass@gmail.com
5-6 June
BASS Pro Cania Dam
Monto
QLD
www.abt.org.au
12 Jun
BASS Electric Lake Macdonald
Cooroy
QLD
www.abt.org.au
18-19 Jun
BREAM Tweed River
Fingal
QLD
www.abt.org.au
9-10 Jul
Humminbird BASS Electric Aus Open
Hinze Dam, Nerang
QLD
www.abt.org.au
16-17 Jul
Samaki BREAM Queensland Open
Brisbane
QLD
www.abt.org.au
27-28 Aug
Rapala BASS Australian Open
Somerset Dam
QLD
www.abt.org.au
28 Aug
East Coast Bream Series R1
Sydney Harbour
NSW
wsbreambass@gmail.com
9-11 Sep
Venom BARRA Aus Open Lake
Awoonga, Gladstone
QLD
www.abt.org.au
10 Sep
BASS Electric Wyaralong Dam
Beaudesert
QLD
www.abt.org.au
17-18 Sep
BREAM Gladstone
Gladstone
QLD
www.abt.org.au
18 Sep
East Coast Bream Series R5
Botany Bay
NSW
wsbreambass@gmail.com
3-4 Oct
BARRA Lake Tinaroo
Yungaburra
QLD
www.abt.org.au
5 Oct
BARRA Tinaroo (all night)
Yungaburra
QLD
www.abt.org.au
9 Oct
East Coast Bream Series GF
Sydney Harbour
NSW
wsbreambass@gmail.com
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au Just supply a date, venue, tournament name, telephone number and contact name. JUNE 2022
105
