The 2008 world fly fishing championship has been awarded to New Zealand, and will take place in Rotorua in 2008.

Fly fishing on Lake Tarawera

Jill Mandeno, president of Sport Fly Fishing NZ (SFFNZ) announced on Friday, February 10, that New Zealand had been awarded the rights to host fly fishing’s 2008 World Championship and Conservation Symposium by the sport’s governing body - the Federation Internationale de Pecheur Sportif-Mouche (FIPS-Mouche).

Ms Mandeno said the event is to be held in Rotorua as a result of Rotorua District Council’s strong support and co-operation. The federation will act as the international organiser for the championship, to be held in five different venues around Rotorua during the last week of March 2008.

The world championship was last held in New Zealand in Rotorua in 1991, and since then has been held in the Northern Hemisphere with the exception of Australia in 1999. 

“World-class fishermen from more than 20 countries are expected to compete, both as teams and as individuals, for world championship trophies and medals,” says Ms Mandeno. “The NZ team, ‘the New Zealand Silver Flies’ will be hoping to again win the competition on their home waters.”

Rotorua District Council’s Events Manager Steve Gibling, says he’s delighted that the RDC's support helped clinch the deal for Rotorua. He added the city will get enormous benefits from having another world event in the city – both in terms of international profile and economic impact. He said competitors will stay in Rotorua and bus to the various venues - a wide variety of rivers and lakes in the Rotorua region - and the event will conclude with a half day conservation symposium which will be open to the public.

A cultural programme is also being developed to cater for non-competitors accompanying the teams.

Voting for the world championship venue was conducted during the recent international sport fishing confederation (CIPS) World Congress in Sicily in 2005.  This congress includes the meetings of the four federations which comprise CIPS.  They cover sea angling, fresh water coarse fishing, fly fishing and casting.  CIPS is the sole worldwide representative of sports fishing on AGFIS (General Association of International Sports Federations), the controlling world organisation for all competitive sports.

In her role as chairman of the Commonwealth Fly Fishers, Ms Mandeno also announced that following the World Championship in Rotorua, the 2008 Commonwealth Championship will also take place in New Zealand (at a venue yet to be confirmed), with Commonwealth teams from eight countries expected to attend.