Simon Willsmore has been selected to represent Drennan Team England in this year’s European Championship!

Mark Downes and Mark Addy, Drennan Team England‘s joint managers, were delighted to announce a new addition to their squad for the FIPSed 20th European Championship on the 28th and 29th June. Simon Willsmore will be joining a very strong squad of William Raison, Sean Ashby, Alan Scotthorne, Callum Dicks and Lee Kerry.

The venue is at Bernissart, Belgium, and the target species will be bream from 300g to 1kg and roach from 50g to 350g, plus perch and the odd crucian carp and carp.

Mark Downes commented, “Simon will be a great addition to the squad and he is currently having a sensational run in team and individual competitions. He is well travelled and figures strongly on the European circuit. In recent seasons he has had victories in Italy, Spain and France, and played a major role in helping England win a gold medal in Poland last year.”

Dick Clegg OBE International Events Manager for the Angling Trust is well aware of Simon Willsmore’s angling ability and stated, “I welcome the addition of Simon to the squad and I am sure he will be a huge asset. I am also a big believer in using the European competition as a vehicle for the management to assess the quality of other anglers outside of the full international team members.

“With three ex World Champions in Alan Scotthorne, William Raison and Sean Ashby passing on their experience I can see this team being at the forefront in Belgium this year. Callum Dicks and Lee Kerry have competed several times at youth level and without doubt both of them will become regular senior internationals.”

On his selection, Simon commented: “I am over the moon to have been asked to join the squad and it will be a real honour to represent my country. I am very much looking forward to going. It sounds like the venue is long-pole bloodworm fishing, that will hopefully suit our team very well.”

*Picture reproduced with the kind permission of Pole Fishing magazine.