First ever Youth Nationals to kick off

The first ever Youth Nationals tournament is getting ready to launch, with organisers expecting a good turnout for the debut event. Taking place over the April school holidays 15 April – 1 May, the event is open to kids from all around the country The event was put together by a youth committee as part of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council.

Cié Robinson-Bates, secretary and manager at the Tairua Pauanui Sports Fishing Club and also second chair for the youth committee, says the tournament has been about one year in the making.

"We started a youth committee made up of six people with the Sports Fishing Council last year, and from that we made a sub-committee with club members from across the country, and there's kids a part of that committee as well," she says.

"With Nationals being on we came up with the idea to do a Youth Nationals that would run for two weeks over the school holidays. That came about because a couple of the clubs figured schools wouldn't want kids having a week off to go fishing, so we thought we'd time it for the school holidays."

There are 24 species participants can fish, including marlin, tuna, kahawai, snapper and kingfish.

Cié says clubs from all around the country are keen for the tournament.  

"We've had a lot of interest, and the youth we have spoken to are really enthusiastic," she says.

"We are trying to encourage kids who don't often go fishing or kids that are not members of the club to join in. They can come along with a friend who is a member and for $10 can join in on the competition for the whole two weeks.

"We have a sponsor on board for the Tairua club who will pay for all of the kids from our club to enter, so that's awesome."

Tournament entry is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Youth can enter via their affiliated fishing club or online at nzsportfishing.org.nz