Team England endured a frustrating end to the 29th Coarse Angling European Championship, held on the 28th and 29th June at Sĺňava Lake in Piešťany–Ratnovce, Slovakia. After a strong opening day, they narrowly missed out on a podium finish, eventually placing fifth overall with 64 points. Belgium produced a stunning final day to secure gold with just 45 points.
England looked well placed after day one, sitting fourth with 27 points, only two behind leaders Czech Republic. Strong section performances from Matt Godfrey, Cam Hughes, Steve Hemingray and Will Raison, along with a clear strategy involving groundbait and chopped worm on both float and pole lines, gave the team a genuine chance at the medals.
However, things took a turn on Sunday. While Belgium surged to the top with just 18 penalty points, England struggled. A total of 37 points on the second day saw them drop out of medal contention. Manager Mark Downes highlighted issues in sections D and E, where Steve Hemingray and James Dent went biteless for over two hours before the bream finally arrived.
Steve caught six bream in the last 15 minutes and James two in the final five, but it was much too late to catch up.
The team stuck with the same tactics that worked throughout practice and on day one, but calmer conditions on day two changed fish behaviour. While many nations adjusted, England’s approach failed to deliver at the crucial time. Belgium, by contrast, made the pole their primary line and executed their plan perfectly.
We wouldn’t have beaten Belgium, they were majestic all week, but a slightly earlier arrival in a few sections and I think we’d have got a medal.
After the event, Matt Godfrey shared his thoughts on the long drive home. He described the result as “gutting”, especially after being so close at halfway. While he believed some pegs were avoidable, he admitted the team didn’t quite get everything right technically or tactically. At this level, he said, you need both precision and luck to succeed.
Matt also paid tribute to the team behind the scenes, Mark Downes, Darran Bickerton, bait technician Andrew Cranston, and bankside assistant Nathan Hughes. He also thanked sponsors Sensas and Tackle Guru for their continued support. Despite the disappointment, Godfrey stood out. With two section seconds, he secured fifth place overall, the best finish by an England angler. Will Raison also impressed with a top 20 result.
Final Team Standings – 29th European Championship 2025
| 🏆 Position | Nation | Penalties | Weight (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1st | Belgium | 45 | 142,685 |
| 🥈 2nd | Czech Republic | 54 | 118,915 |
| 🥉 3rd | Hungary | 57 | 118,645 |
| 4th | Poland | 62 | 115,730 |
| 5th | England | 64 | 116,655 |
| 6th | France | 74 | 95,135 |
| 7th | Slovakia | 76 | 103,740 |
| 8th | Germany | 86 | 99,385 |
A total of 21 nations competed – full rankings available via FIPSed.
Team England – Full Breakdown
Day One:
- A: James Dent – 10 pts – 17.125kg
- B: Cam Hughes – 4 pts – 16.915kg
- C: Steve Hemingray – 4 pts – 12.085kg
- D: Matt Godfrey – 2 pts – 18.090kg
- E: Will Raison – 7 pts – 10.140kg
Day Two:
- A: Matt Godfrey – 2 pts – 13.490kg
- B: Will Raison – 2 pts – 12.790kg
- C: Cam Hughes – 12 pts – 3.080kg
- D: Steve Hemingray – 11 pts – 7.350kg
- E: James Dent – 10 pts – 5.590kg
Final Individual Rankings – England:
- Matt Godfrey – 5th place – 4 pts – 31.580kg
- Will Raison – 18th place – 9 pts – 25.580kg
- Steve Hemingray – 29th place – 15 pts – 19.435kg
- Cam Hughes – 33rd place – 16 pts – 19.995kg
- James Dent – 49th place – 20 pts – 22.715kg
Top 10 Individual Standings – European Champs 2025
| Position | Angler | Nation | Penalties | Total Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tim Vervaet | Belgium | 2 | 29.690 |
| 2nd | Heiko Schmidt | Germany | 3 | 25.030 |
| 3rd | Bart De Cree | Belgium | 4 | 49.300 |
| 4th | Kim De Page | Belgium | 4 | 34.060 |
| 5th | Matt Godfrey | England | 4 | 31.580 |
| 6th | Maxime Duchesne | France | 4 | 20.590 |
| 7th | Miroslav Santus | Slovakia | 5 | 27.260 |
| 8th | Petr Klásek | Czech Republic | 6 | 21.005 |
| 9th | Wiktor Walczak | Poland | 7 | 30.770 |
| 10th | Zoltán Kaló | Hungary | 7 | 29.060 |
A total of 105 anglers competed – full rankings available via FIPSed.
Belgium set the standard with a clinical display, and while England came close, a few fine margins proved decisive. Attention now turns to the World Club Championship at Inniscarra in Ireland, where many of these anglers will be back in action, hungry to go one better.