2023 National League Finals Results
The 2023 National League finals was this year held a little earlier in the season at the Cheshire Game and Angling Fair with most of this seasons internationals taking place throughout August. Despite one rain shower during the middle of the day, the weather remained dry, the ground cut up well, and the teams enjoyed a good final day of competition before the forthcoming internationals.
League weights were held in the mens 600, 640, 680 and ladies and youth 520, 540 and 560, and this year, an open GENSB weight was held for junior teams.
Teams competing were as follows - Men - Felton Eccles, Bosley, Sandhurst, Lincoln, Bedfordshire, Holland. Ladies / Youth - Northern Eagles A, B, C and D, Bedford Ladies, Grayrigg, Bedfordshire, Army Ladies, Melton Mowbray, Bosley. Mixed - Bedford Ladies, Lincoln, Bedfordshire, Bosley (A and B), Melton Mowbray, Melton Eccles, Holland.
The day opened with the GENSB competition where 5 teams were formed to compete in this competition to give the juniors some GENSB competition before the GENSB junior international competition takes place in Germany later in the month. Grayrigg from Cumbria took part, with a further 4 teams being formed pulling as Eagles A, B and C and Bosley. There were some close ends in this weight, with Eagles A finishing top, with Grayrigg and Eagles B finishing in joint second place and Eagles C finishing 4th. With gold, silver and bronze medals in this weight, when the criteria was applied, Grayrigg progressed to the final, with Eagles B and C pulling for the bronze medal. In the bronze medal match, Eagles B took the bronze by 2 ends to 0. In the final, Eagles A took the gold medal by 2 ends to 0. Well done to all of the juniors who took part in this weight, and thanks to all the juniors and clubs for coming together to make it a good competition. Good luck to all of the juniors going to GENSB in Germany and we hope you enjoy the experience!
In the league competitions, it was the final chance for clubs to pick up points towards their league totals to try and win league medals. There was a lot of competition throughout the day, especially in the ladies and youth league weights where there were 9 teams in some competitions.
In the mens league weights, Lincoln were confirmed as the gold medal winning teams in the 600, 640, and 680 competitions, with silver and bronze medals to be decided. In the 600kg competition, Bosley and Felton finished the season level on points so had to pull each other again on the day to decide the final placing for silver and bronze, with Felton Eccles winning the match by 2 ends to 0 to win silver and Bosley finishing with the bronze. In the 640kg competition, Sandhurst finished as silver medallists, with Felton Eccles winning bronze, and in the 680kg, Felton Eccles finished as silver medallists with Sandhurst taking the bronze.
In the ladies and youth league, Bedford Ladies took the gold medals in the 520kg and 540kg competitions, with Army Ladies taking the 560kg gold medal on the day with only a point separating the teams going into the competition. Melton Ladies finished as silver medal winners in the 520kg and 560kg competition, and Army Ladies finished as silver medal winners in the 540kg competition. Melton won the bronze medal in the 540kg.
In the mixed 580kg, Lincoln finished as overall gold medallists ahead of Bosley in the silver medal position and Bedfordshire in the bronze medal position.
The officials on the day were Mick Grimston, Mike Callaghan, Pete Dyer, Matt Cowlard, Ray Fray-Smith, Karl Bohanan, Mick Scull, Gavin Corden, John Gracie, Wendy Dyer, Rachel Lewis, Mark Williams, Cath Gibbs, Caroline Kenny.
Well done to all of the teams who took part in the national league over the course of the season, and we look forward to another good season of League pulling in 2024. Good luck to all of the teams going on to compete in the open and closed international competitions at the British and Irish Championships, GENSB and the World Championships over the next few weeks!
