Spearfishing World Championship NOW!

^^quite interesting, makes much sense

Hi everibody!
It is a good idea and policy what have been told here, about Fishing Olimpics.
Maybe you do not know, but in September 2006, in Portugal there was
that Olimpic Games of Fishing... we had here 19 World Championships of
fishing at the same time... including spearfishing, with an enormous sucess.
People who have been here, must remember all the teams of each country and discipline, where together at Lisbon to overture cerimony...
It is a splendid idea because it is easier to get governement and private
sponsorization! And the visibility all of we can have...
Congratulations for that... what I d'ont understand is way 2012... it should be 2010 - olimpic cicle of 4 years.
We, in Portugal - all the 4 federations reach to organize it in 1 and 1/2 year... after the idea and the candidature...
Best regards :inlove

Hi, I agree that sooner like 2010 will be nice but the reality an event like this cannot be organised in a year and a bit as 2008 is finished. Also SA are hosting Soccer WC in 2010 so all Government and company sponsorship is geared towards that.
It is estimated that up to 20 000 fisherman and support staff from all the discplines could attend, remeber only 32 countries attend Soccer world Cup and even if each team has 100 "hangers-on" it will only be 3200 sports delegates. Granted there would be way more tourists for soccer but we would need to organise boats, equipment etc for all the fisherman. Logistically events will occur all over our country eg Flyfishing in Dullstroom, Mpumulanga, spearfishing in Durban, Natal with most probably Durban as the host city for opening and closing ceremonies. Personally I think 2012 is maybe not enough time for the whole thing but we can organise the Spearfishing in much quicker time. As our Rand is much weaker than the Euro competitors will find hiring boats and skippers much easier and cheaper than in Europe, Also here some of our beach launches through big surf is slightly more exciting than anywhere else in the world and not for the fainthearted

Hey Corry,

Don't frighten them away yet!!!! Surf wont be an issue if the comp is held off Durban (Hole in the Wall!!!! may be tricky - you know my story!)

The one super thing about spearfishing in South Africa is the vast variety of fish species available to spearfishermen (I personally have shot in excess of 100 species in Natal alone and these are all fish heavier than 1 kg). I do not think there are too many places worldwide which can top that - certainly not the Med!!!!!

A few international divers have dived in SA (ask Ramacciotti or Bellani) and when conditions are good, the spearfishing is incredible. At least a comp in SA wont be like a comp in italy where 5 weighers will place you in the top ten on most days! I hope that we can manage to host it as I am sure every diver would return home with fond spearing memories.

Hi Angelo,

hehehehe, gotta use all to our advantage, will get Mark to do a few launches for the Spanish in 3m swell and then drop them at Deep Cracker with all the Tigers. hahaha

Just to add to Spadefish's info on Natal, 60km south to Scottburgh (near world famous Aliwal Shoal) lies perhaps the only place in the world where all sectors of spearfishing is catered for, shore diving, shalow inwater, caves, wrecks, deep water and open Blue water hunting. All of this within maximum 20 minutes from the 2 available launch sites. Can't say I have experience of diving anywhere else in the world but I don't think there are any other areas in the world with all that action in such close proximity. Sure, if you want Marlin, sea of Cortez is the place to be, Wahoo and Dog Tooth tuna, Coral sea (Incidentally, all fish I have seen off Aliwal). But once you're at those far flung places if it goes pearshaped you're buggered. We can always find something to shoot at Scotties plus you don't need masaive boats to get there.

OK! I din't realize that detail... the world championship for football 2010...
Let's wait for 2012... I am quite sure there GOOD conditions to a GREAT World Championship.