Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - September 2019

The Americans watching online and at the event site were hoping so.

Gloria was on 1.77kg for the day and sitting on a total of 5.32kg. Simon Morley handed over his bag to the tournament di- rector and it was placed on the scales, 1.97kg for a total of 5.75kg. Nate Gloria is 430g short (almost a whole fish). Morley takes the lead but what a brilliant performance by Gloria. Up steps Death with his bag, he needs 1.81kg to take out Morley. The scales roll over, settle and stop, 1.85kg just 40g more than Simon Morley. There’s a new leader. Morley steps off the stage and Death stays hoping his 5.79kg is enough. He nervously waits while a tense Jack Gammie is interviewed in front of the live audience and those watching the broadcast. Gammie walks up the steps with a nervous smile and hands his bag to tournament director, Steve Fields. Fields plays with Death and Gammies emotions for a few seconds, building the intensity of the moment, before Death calls out humorous- ly, “Just put it on!” The audience laughs. Gammie only needs 1.62kg to win the world championship. Andrew Death (AUS) who had sat in second on both previ- ous days, and now the current leader, waits in anticipation. Gammie’s bag goes on the scales …. BOOOOM!!! 1.43kg, it’s 150grams SHORT! Andrew Death fist pumps the air, then turns away in disbelief of his unforeseen fortune, the new 2019 Hobie Fishing World Champion is shocked. A disappointed Jack Gammie drops to a commendable third after a brilliant performance. Simon Morley takes a well-deserved second. Australia has its third 1,2,3 from three world championships held in the country. Richard Benson (AUS) caught the Power-Pole Big Bream for the day and Marco Pasquini (ITA) the Donut Dough Award, and Felix Frey won a Power-Pole Micro Anchor for the biggest fish of the championship. An incredible 265 bream were brought to the scales during the three days of the championship. They weighed a total of 133.32kg, at an average weight of 500g, and every single one of them got to swim away to live another day. Andrew Death (The Reaper)is the new Hobie fishing World Champion. What a performance. What a humble winner, a great champion, a true gentleman.

What a tournament! Just Amazing! Incredible! Awesome! Bring on HFW9, we can’t wait!