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EFSA News Report April 2022

After 4 years of planning and postponing we finally met up in in The Dokas Restaurant and Bar in Mindelo on Sao Vincente.

54 of the 58 expected participants together with a couple of the skippers and crews, listened to the opening words from the Tournament Director Toine van Ierland, EFSA Netherlands secretary Miranda Koop , a representative from the Mindelo council and the president of the Mindelo Sportfishing Club.

The EFSA European Game Championships was a 3 in 1 combination with The PENN Challenge which is a charity tournament and the Dutch National Championships. Last but not least this event is also a qualifier for the Offshore World Championships in Quepos Costa Rica 2023

2 Charity goals Comunidade Sao Pedro and Operacao Carinho were presented with a €1000,00 donation and a promise of a larger donation dependent on the proceeds from the Charity auction to be held at the end of the tournament.

Hein Hoogduin, the weigh master, explained the rules and called all 18 teams up front to draw their boats. All teams received a bag with competition shirts , rules , daily registration forms, a pen and 25 tokens, per person, for drinks for the rest of the week.

Micau Tavares arranged a lovely buffet with local dishes for all to enjoy accompanied with drinks for everybody. The national tv covered the evening.

Day 1 started off with a sturdy breeze,5 bft, which made the water quite choppy. During the day the wind died down. Some boats stayed in the marlin alley and others crossed the channel and went to the islands. Calls were coming in over the radio throughout the day making it very exciting.

Day winners were Peter Ouwendijk and Frans van Oss from the Dutch team The Untouchables with 5 marlin.

The Finnish team -Tight Faces Eerho Terho , Aarno Holopainen, Matti Sepäiä , Janne Laurila – fishing for the Netherlands came in 2nd with 4 marlin. This team are true novices when it comes to marlin finshing. Catching 4 on their first trip ever.

3rd place was for Ireland A , Warren Doyle , Christy Cloak , George Mc Cullough and Shay Mc Donnel, catching 3 marlin. This too is a team which consists of first timers.

In total 33 marlin were caught on 18 boats. That’s an amazing number, even to the local skippers. Cape Verdi sure lived up to the stories everybody heard.

Day 2 The air was buzzing with good vibes. The wind was up to a 6 bft. Everybody was rearing to go. Just like Monday all boats sailed up to the front of the harbor and waited in line for the 7:30 call. No running allowed to keep the slower boats in the competition. It was an impressionable sight to see 18 Game Boats waiting in line and moving off at the same time.

As soon as the call came in over the radio the boats spread out to their chosen fishing grounds. Once again the radio was alive with chatter. Marlin were being raised all over the place. There were 33 marlin caught by the end of the match. Many more were raised. One team managed to pitch 6 and loose them all, finally blanking after all their effort and hard work

Clube Pesca Nautica a Desportiva,Fernando Nunes , Filipe Bispo , José Amado and Victor Teixeira, Team CPND Albufiera for short hauled in 6 marlin. What an accomplishment. Broadbill team 1, Gert-Jan Oldenboom, Patrick van Lanaken and Arjan Biesheuvel came in second place with 4 self-pitched marlin. 3rd was Gibraltar B Charlie Lara, Lester Chipel , Peter Cosquieri , Dom Currer,with 3 marlin. 33 marlin in total despite 4 boats blanking. Could this tournament go any better??

Day 3 the weather turned for the worse. 7bft made fishing very difficult. The blue water had been pushed out even further towards Sao Antao. Boats and anglers were struggling to find fish and draw them up to the surface. Toine van Ierland called it Rock’n & Roll’n, and that it was. High waves 3 to 4 meters coming from all directions as the skippers maneuvered their boats in a zigzag pattern. A far cry from yesterday. Not much chatter on the radio which didn’t do the moral any good. Once back in the harbor all eyes were towards the skyline to see how many flags were flying. Only 13 caught and released. Ireland A managed to hook a 11.6 kg Wahoo. Unfortunately it was to light for the Non-Pelagic prize. Minimum weight had to be 30kg

Yesterday’s blankers came in as day 3 winners. The Reel Dutch Fishing Team: Toine van Ierland , Hein Hoogduin and Klaas Hoogduin managed to pitch 2 marlin giving them 2200 points. This also meant that Randy Baker on the Dacia was best skipper for a second time. Team Sequoia: Paulus van de Berk and Roland Baks had 3 marlin, unfortunately 2 on 130lbs rods giving them only 1800 points. Team Marlil: Martin Kets de Vries , Bob Hentenaar, Frank and Miranda Koop, caught 2 marlin but didn’t pitch the baits themselves leaving them with 1600 points. The wild weather made it very difficult and to nobody’s surprise 9 boats blanked today.

The 4th and final day. The weather gods were in our favor. Sun bursting through the clouds , wind down to 5 bft again. It was anyone’s game. The skippers were eager to win with 4 boats in line for first place. John Smith and Roel van Orsel, Team The Dutch Anglers on the Sea Quest probably had the best day of their lives. The first time Marlin anglers had a triple hookup. The team ended the day as winning team with 5 marlin. Samir Rahal and Mahmoud Mroueh from team Dakar came in second on the Nha Cretcheu. Ireland A managed yet another second 3rd place with 2 marlin.

Ireland A and The Dutch Anglers were the only 2 teams to have fish every day. Ireland even had the luxury of dropping 1100 points seeing only the 3 best results counted. It didn’t help them much in the end as they ended in 7th position.

EFSA European Big Game Champion – PENN Challenge Champion :

Gold Team Dakar fishing for the Netherlands 7100

Silver Clube Pesca Nautica e Desportiva Portugal 6700

Bronze The Dutch Anglers The Netherlands 6400

The Untouchable and Tight Faces also both had 6400 points. It came dow

 

n to when the first fish catch time was noted on the score sheets , just 4 minutes difference!

Team Dakar/ the Netherlands also represent EFSA The Netherlands in The Offshore World Championships in Costa Rica 2023. We wish then the best of luck and Tight lines.

Dutch National Champion: Team Dakar

Silver: The Dutch Anglers

The Untouchables received the Dutch National Marlin bronze pins

Best skipper is Zak Conde on the Amelia writing up 14 marlin

Second best skipper Randy Baker on the Dacia 10 marlin

And thanks to the last day win Steve George on the Sea Quest won the prize for third best skipper with 10 marlin, putting him 400 point in front of the La Onda Mila.

All winners received the EFSA medals, Game pins and prizes from PENN- Overseas travel rods and PENN Slammer reels.

A big thank you to PENN Europe , Andy Moyes Big Game Tacticals, Ray Marine, Terruo-Bi, Legitiem, Makaira Adventure , Plain Vanilla, Maasland Vleeswaren for their sponsoring of the skipper day prizes and team prizes and contributing to the Charity auction.

A big thank you also goes out to all the people who bought something in our Charity Auction. The children of Sao Pedro and Mindelo thank you from the bottom of their hearts. We raised an astonishing € 10.150,00 on top of the € 2000,00 already given to the Charity goals. The representative of Operacão Carinho was brought to tears when she heard how much money had been donated.

Micua Tavares from Restaurant DOKAS did a great buffet again with local dishes. Everybody seemed to really be enjoying themselves during the prize presentation and auction.

Judging by all the positive feedback, this was a terrific event definitely worth repeating. Participants and skippers were asking for the new date. South Africa is next in line in 2024 after then we will see.

Miranda Koop

Secretary EFSA The Netherlands

Click 4 daily results

Click End results teams and boats

European Big Game Championships – April 25th – 28th 2022, Cape Verde, Mindelo – Entry full

Dear EFSA members,

We are proud to announce that in 2022 the EFSA Big game tournament for teams will be held at the Blue marlin capital of the world; the isle of Sao Vicente, Cape Verde. EFSA headquarters in Mindelo will be at The Sportfishing Club, Mindelo The Entry is currently full. If any spaces become available a further announcement will be made.”

Thanks

Marcus

Marcus Wüst
Kingston upon Thames

The EFSA European Championship Big Game 2022 in Mindelo, Cape Verde

Dear all, 
On behalf of the European Federation of Sea Anglers (EFSA) I would like to thank you all for agreeing with the decision to postpone the European Championship Big Game Fishing/PENN Challenge to next year. The decision is a hard one but a fair one. Given the fact that at least 20 anglers can’t attend the tournament and many others have doubts about travelling to Cape Verde. So thank you all! 
After reviewing the calendar and trying to avoid conflicts with already made bookings in May 2022 we set the new tournament dates to the Monday 25th, Tuesday 26th, Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th of April 2022. Most of teams will arrive a few days earlier to practice fishing. So additional bookings are possible. 
We hope you all can cope with these dates and, if necessary, try to reschedule already made bookings. 

EFSA EU Big Game Tournament 2022: 25, 26, 27, 28th of April !!

As mentioned before, we pointed out to our participants that those we can travel and like to fish. Book a boat a go to Mindelo!! 
We will also promote fishing for marlin in Sao Vicente through our Facebook page and through Inst posts. 
If you post availability of your boat on Facebook I will share these posts on our PENN Challenge page (2.500 followers worldwide). 
We will keep you posted. Got any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. 
Kind regards,
A.F.N. (Toine) van Ierland
+31 6 17106651
Tournament director PENN Challenge
Tournament director EFSA EU Championship
Chairman The Fishing Dutchmen, Charity foundation

European Game Championships Tuna – Bill fish, September 14th – 20th 2018, Portugal, Azores, S. Miguel

Bill fish, September 14th – 20th 2018, Portugal, Azores, S. Miguel

For details click the following:

Download the event Program: click here
Download the Rules: click here
Download Entry Form: click here (this is the reference for all files attached)
Download the flyer: click here

Download the Results: click here
Download the Event Report: click here

Cabo San Lucas 2016

game2016

The Play Grande Resort & Grand Spa by Solmar , will be the Headquarter of the upcoming Game Championship 2016 that will take place again in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on december 4th to 9th. After the exciting experience in the 2013 the mexican hot spot most renowed as The  marlin  Highway will host the next Championship.

The IGY Marina of Cabo San KLucas will be again the marine base of the Tournament and we will have our friend Minerva Saenz Valenzuela as Tournament Coordinator with her staff at Minerva’s Baja Tackle.
After the great success of the 2013 edition we expect much more team atending the Champioship and already some more new Section have confirmed their participation.
For more information about the Championship stay tuned on our official website  or contact us at game@efsafishing.org

More informations every week

May 31st will be the new deadline to be part of this unbelievable fishing experience. Save this date.

Miami 2015

EFSA GAME CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 MIAMI, FLORIDA – USA – MAY 3rd – 8th, 2015

IMG_0474

Mexico 2013

Logo-EFSA-GC-2013

EFSA Game Championship

Gold Pins Team Barbarians, John Cross (WAL) Antonio Montefusco (SWI) Gianluca Paravizzini (ITA)

 

EFSA-Game-Championship-Bronze-Pins-South-Africa

Bronze Pins Team South Africa Richard Hartley Mike Riley Trevor Spence

 

EFSA-Game-Championship-Silver-Pins-Gibraltar-A

Silver Pins Team Gibraltar A Shaun Balban Danny Gabay Anthony Pons

National Team

National-Section-Team-Gold-Medal-Gibraltar-A

Gold Medal Gibraltar A Shaun Balban Danny Gabay Anthony Pons

National-Section-Team-Silver-Meda-South-Africa

Silver Medal South Africa Richard Hartley Mike Riley Trevor Spence Jacques Van Wyk

Bronze Medal Italy B Andrea Linguanti Giovanni De Bustis Daniele Mariani Sandro Onofaro

Individual

Individual-Gold-medal-Antonio-Montefusco-(SWI)

Antonio Montefusco (SWI)

Individual-Silver-Medal-Jacques-Van-Wyk-(SAF)

Jacques Van Wyk (SAF)

Individual-Bronze-Medal-Andrea-Linguanti-(ITA-B)

Andrea Linguanti (ITA B)

Coming soon.....

Logo-EFSA-GC-2013

European Federation of Sea Anglers

European Game Championship 2013

Los Cabos – Mexico

October 27th – November 2nd

Final Report

We have promised the Championship with the most marlins ever, and we have got it.
To reach this great result we need the right fishing spot, and we have got it.
We need the perfect week, and we have got it.
We also need the best local people to support us, and we have got it.
But to have a nice Championship we also need good anglers and gentlemen, and we have got it too.
With all this requirement, my first experience as Game Championship Officer has been fantastic and I want to thank you all for helping us to reach this small but very important milestone in EFSA history.
Wonderful weather sunny and dry and good sea condition have welcome the 24 anglers participating the European Game Championship 2013 staying at beautiful Hotel Sandos Finisterra in Cabo San Lucas.
In my first day in Cabo I have met first the Gibraltar Teams members, arrived the week before the Championship and I have found them all well excited and ready to go.
The fishing report was going well too, reporting a good increase of the Striped presence, disappeared three weeks before after a tropical storm that have involved the area around the tips of the Baja peninsula.
During the training days the EFSA Anglers have released 13 Striped Marlin, 1 sailfish, a Black Marlin estimated around 200 lbs caught by the South African Team Protea and a small blue caught by the Italian anglers Fausto Fraccaroli.
We have reported also two wahoo caught by the Gibraltar team (Carreras, Lara and Torres) and a nice 127 lbs yellow fin tuna caught by South African s angler Richard Hartley.
The famous Bisbee Black and Blue, running in the days prior to our Championship, ended with good news with more than 60 blues caught (quite all released being under the minimum weight of 300 pounds) with a final blue monster of 774 Lbs arrived in the afternoon of the last day.
With all this good news we have started the Championship operation on Saturday October 26 at Minerva Baja Tackle Shop meeting the Captains and mate for the briefing.

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Captains meeting at Minerva Baja Tackle Shop

On Sunday October 27th, right after the boat draw, we have had a long briefing along the Championship Coordinator Minerva Saenz and the Radio Control Operator Mario Banaga. followed by a tastefu

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Radio Control Operator Mario Banaga, Championship Coordinator Minerva Saenz and Game Championship Officer Massimo Brogna

Mexican Kick off party at Tortuga Beach Restaurant, located inside the Hotel Sandos Finisterra, right on the beach in front of a quite Pacific Ocean that, following the report will be the tournament area for the four days of the Championship.

Monday morning at 7.00 local time as scheduled, the EFSA Game Officer Massimo Brogna have called Lines in water. The day have started bad since the beginning with a repeater technical problem resolved after a couple of hours with our Radio Control Operator reaching a good position on a cliff upon Migrino beach right in front of the area where the boats where fishing.

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Radio Control Operator Mario Banaga in action with a good view over the boats fishing in the Pacific Ocean

The teams have started soon to call hook up of many Dorado (dolphinfish) abundant all around, but all under the minimum weight of 25 pounds. Since the first Marlin hook up, destiny mark immediately the elected team.

In fact the Barbarian team, Antonio Montefusco (Switzerland) John Cross (Wales) and Gianluca Paravizzini (Italy) on board of MINERVA VI call the first “Marlin en la linea” on the radio. On the rod the Italian angler Gianluca Paravizzini that break the line on the first run.

The day have passed for all teams training with the dorados until one hour before lines out when the Minerva VI have called in another Marlin hook up. Again Paravizzini on fight, trying to catch his first marlin.

At three o clock lines out and another 30 minutes for the team to complete the catch that has been complicated by the leader entangled around the fish estimated around 120 lbs. Just eight minutes before the end of the day, finally arrives the good news: “ released”.

It is not a normal day for Los Cabos, but the first Marlin of the Championship was released.

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Gianluca Paravizzini proudly show his first marlin with the Minerva VI crew

After a slow start, the second day showed clearly the real face of Cabo s waters with many striped Marlin released since the early morning. School baits have appeared all around on the surface pushed up by the Striped Marlins less than two miles off the Baja shore in the Pacific side of the Championship area. Many fish have been get lost by the anglers, most of them fishing Marlin for the first time. At the end of the day more than 30 Marlin strike have been called in with 13 Striped Marlin released.

What seems to be luck in the first day, became consistent in the second, with Barbarians still leading the Open ranking releasing 4 Striped Marlins (Montefusco best angler of the day with 3 releases) on board of Minerva II .

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Gibraltar A Team on board of Minerva II approching the Dinghy Dock at IGY Marina for the deverved tribute

Good day also for the Gibraltar A Team (Balban- Pons-Gabay) on board of Minerva III with four Striped Marlin released. Third place for South Africa (Hartley – Spence- Van Wyk-Riley) with two releases.

Gibraltar A leads the National teams, followed by Switzerland and South Africa.

On the lay day all anglers have participated in the Roosterfish Festival on board of the typical local Pangas.

A total of 58 fishes has been released after measurement using for the first time the IGFA Official Measurement Device. The Gibraltar team Danny Gabay and Anthony Pons (photo below) have won the contest beating the Barbarians Antonio Montefusco and John Cross. On third place the Italians Giacomo Forti and Fabio Mattiacci who have fished the biggest one a nice over 120 cm of length.

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Danny Gabay, Minerva Saenz Valenzuela, Anthony Pons and EFSA Game Officer Massimo Brogna at Captain’s Tony Restaurant

The event was sponsored by Minerva Baja Tackle who offer the nice T-Shirt Trophy with the name of the winners on it. The Awards Dinner take place at Captain Tony Restaurant located in the Marina sidewalk.

Still Marlin Fiesta on the third day of fishing that start really good. Team Italy B, right after the Cabo point hooked up two Striped Marlin followed by many other teams and at 9.30 in the morning we already have reported 7 fish released. During the rest of the day, the action has been quite slower but still prolific.

Another 20 Striped Marlin strike during the third day with 14 fish released.

Returning to Cabo Harbour, unforgettable moments for Gibraltar B Team that have seen a huge billfish on the surface, probably a Blue Marlin, that unfortunally doesn t hit the bait pitched soon by team. Not good for the rank but exciting to try.

Barbarian Team, still leading the Open Ranking after the third day of fishing with another three Striped Marlin released reaching 1.600 points, increasing their position over Gibraltar A with only two fish released for a total of 1.200 points tied by South Africa with four Marlin released (nice “triplete” for Jacques Van Wyk).

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South African Team Protea on board of Valerie Capt Roberto Sandez

Gibraltar A leads National Standing tied by the South African Team Protea with 1.200 points.

On top of the individual anglers ranking Antonio Montefusco (Switzerland) is still leading with two more release reaching 1.000 points, followed by Jacques Van Wyk with 800 points and Andrea Linguanti (Italy B) with 600 Points.

Barbarian Team, have closed their “Perfect Championship”, doing a great job even in the last fishing day, winning the EFSA European Game Championship 2013 with a total of nine striped Marlin released.

The final day have registered less hook up than in the previous days, but the experience made by all anglers have reduced the lost fishes and the final day have ended with another 9 Striped Marlin for a total of 37 fishes released.

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From Left; The winner Barbarians Team Antonio Montefusco, Cabo Marlini Cap. Ciro Gutierrez Gianluca Paravizzini and John Cross.

Second place for Gibraltar A Team Shaun Balban, Anthony Pons and Danny Gabay, that with 7 releases have won also the National Team Rank.

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Gibraltar A team from left Anthony Pons Danny Gabay, Shaun Balban

Third Place for South African Team Protea with 7 release completed one hour later Gibraltar A.

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South African Team Protea: from left Trevor Spence, Richard Hartley, Jacques Van Wyk and Mike Riley

In the Individual Rank , first place for Antonio Montefusco (Switzerland) with 5 Striped Marlin released, followed by Jacques Van Wyk (South Africa) and Andrea Linguanti (Italy B).

Unforgettable Championship also for the eleven anglers who have realized their dream releasing their first Marlin during the fishing or practice day and have received a Marlin flag on stage. Gibraltar anglers Shaun Balban, Charlie Carreras, Charlie Lara, Anthony Pons, Lee Torres, who have released also his first Pacific Sailfish, welsh John Cross, the Italians Giovanni De Bustis, Andrea Linguanti, Placido Manganaro and Gianluca Paravizzini. Furthermore Danny Gabay (Gibraltar) have released his first Striped and Fausto Fraccaroli (Italy) his first Pacific Blue Marlin.

The “Mezcaleros” award ceremony, took place at Plaza Finisterra Championship Headquarter in a unique scenary with a breathtaking night view over Cabo San Lucas Harbour,

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EFSA Game Officer Massimo Brogna, Irma Carreras (receiving the award for Antonio Montefusco) Gianluca Paravizzini and John Cross

where the Barbarians Team has been awarded with the gold pins and EFSA Plate, sprinkling and drinking good Italian Prosecco wine, furnished by the sponsor Bepin de Eto with all other anglers.

All well wet, outside and inside, but all happy after four hard days of fantastic fishing we have close this Championship that , listening the comments of all anglers, has been a great success.

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EFSA Game Championship Officer Massimo Brogna

As usual for the great event, there is a long list of persons I want to thank for that, also on behalf of the EFSA Executive.

A special thanks goes to the General Manager Paulino Emiliano of our Championship Headquarter Sandos Finisterra Hotel, the Sales Manager Ramon Ascencio and our fantastic Group Assistant Lupita Rochin Romero. for their great organization of all events and for their friendship. I really appreciate great job they have done and I hope to have the opportunity to be there again soon.

All Captain and mate have been so patience with all the anglers fishing marlins for the first time helping them to increase their catch ratio day by day. An important role for this great result.

No words are enough to thanks our Championship Coordinator “always smiling” Minerva Saenz Valenzuela and the entire Minerva Baja Tackle staff. Those people have been the invisible engine of the event.

Another special personal thanks goes to all 24 anglers participating in the Championship for fully understand the needs and the feeling of this event and to have done the best in order to insure a great future of the EFSA European Game Championship.

Thanks to Ande Monofilament, furnishing their fantastic line also for the Game Championship.

Thanks to all other sponsors GIBI Marine, IWS Scales, Transcabo, Bepin de Eto, Boat and Fishing, Eagle Claw and thanks also to all at IGY Marina Cabo San Lucas.

Definitely, Cabo have confirmed to be one of best fishing destination in the world.

The Championship have registered a total of 63 Marlin hook up with percentage of 59% of valid Catch.

Plus more than 50 Dolphin fish all of them under the minimum size of 25 pound.

We have had 37 Striped Marlins in the Championship and almost 50, counting those caught during the training day by our anglers. Quite a same number of nice Dorados no one reaching the minimum size of 25 pound. 58 valid fishes has been released in the EFSA Roosterfish Festival with some nice fish over 1 meter of length.

But if I have to choose an imagine of this experience , well, no doubt about it.

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To see all the anglers on stage at the award ceremony, showing the marlin flag for the first marlin in their life, it is been a very special moment for me and I am sure they will never forget Cabo and this event for the rest of their life. Believe me, this is the best reward for me. I love this place and I am very happy to introduce the other anglers in this fantastic fishing spot.

I want to thank you also the EFSA President Horst Schneider and all EFSA Executive members for support all my requests and I am glad for this good results for all of us. It is been my great pleasure. Thank you.

For all those who cannot be able to participate in this Championship, as we use to say while where in Cabo.

NO PREOCCUPATION.

We will propose this venue again soon for another great Championship.

Looking forward to see you all in Miami 2015

Massimo Brogna

EFSA Game Championship Officer

Coming soon.....

Mexico 2008

EFSA Sections of Belgium, Denmark, England, Germany, Gibraltar, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Scotland and Russia and from the EFSA affiliated South African Sea Angling Association were represented by  85 members at the Open EFSA Big Game Fishing Team Championship in Mexico in November 2008.

Kenya 2006

No news

Thailand 2004

NOVEMBER 20th until DECEMBER 4th 2004
Alltogether 87 participating members and further 30 guests took the invitation of the EFSA programme