Valladolid -- September 21, 2005 -- The U.S team has retained its title as champion of the Eurobass Cup by defeating the Europeans 14 points to 10. Even after the slight difference registered in the first round on Wednesday, American professionals still surpassed the European anglers, while in the second round of competition the Europeans attained 4.5 points as opposed to the Americans with 7.5.
The winning U.S. team was comprised of Byron Velvick, Jeff Kriet, Danny Correia (in both rounds), Scott Suggs, Jason Reyes, Greg Gutiérrez, Kevin Wirth, Ron Shuffield, John Crews, O.T. Fears III and Bradley Stringer with a tie.
The anglers of the European team were José Luis Lopez, José Pérez, Francisco Pérez (in both rounds), David Espax, Eloy Fernendez, Herminio Rodrigues and Javier Guillén and Pedro Félix with a tie.
The final individual classification is headed by Danny Correia with 5,595 points, second place occupied by José Pérez Lopez with 2,140 points, third place for Byron Velvick with 2,110 points, fourth for Kevin Wirth with 1,570 points and fifth for Eloy Fernendez achieving 1,550 in the total of the two rounds.
Correia is ranked 35th in the FLW circuit, Kriet ranks sixth to select the best angler of the Bassmaster circuit, Shuffield is in tenth place in this same classification, Wirth fourteenth and Crews nineteenth, to cite only a few examples of the quality of these sportsmen.
The two biggest fish were captured by Danny Correia with fish weighing 1,470 grams and 1,130 grams, the first having been caught on day one of the competition and the second the day after.
Fishing started at ten in the morning with the launch of twelve boats participating in the second edition of the Eurobass Cup. Each boat consisted of one European and one American angler both competing for the same point.
The U.S. professionals that competed in Eurobass Cup II gave seminars about fishing techniques, materials employed in competition, etc. at a large aquarium where many fishing enthusiasts from different European countries saw in person how these specialists from the international circuit confront fishing.
The director of the Trade Fair Center of Valladolid, Javier Galiana, is the pioneer of the Eurobass Cup. This tournament, with only two editions under its belt, is the best bass event in Europe and, according to the American professionals, it will be the championship in which all Europeans will want to participate.
The representatives of team USA have pointed out that the level of the European anglers has notably improved with regard to previous years. They employ the same techniques but differences between the professionalism and the sport as a hobby are noted.