On the 18 and 19 of May the official competition
The start of the 2023 World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship at Lake Powell in the USA is coming closer. The National Freshwater Spearfishing Association (NFSA) with its President Mike Livingston and the whole team of volunteers are preparing everything for the 16th of May when the competition will start with a mandatory competitors meeting. The 17th will be an open day for scouting, followed by the two days of competition on the 18th and 19th of May.
More than 60 athletes, 11 nations and 5 continents
The organizers expect between 60 and 70 athletes from 11 countries of 5 differetn continents. The divisions will be 4 in two-people teams: men’s, women’s, mixed, and masters.
On the countries’ list, apart from the USA athletes, are spearos from Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Singapore, Guam, Russia, Great Britain, and Ukraine.
- “The National Freshwater Spearfishing Association (NFSA) is extremely excited to welcome divers from all over the globe to participate in the World Freshwater Championships. This will be an amazing event, featuring the very best spearfishermen and women representing 11 countries. We expect to have a total of 60 or more competitors battling it out to see who is the best freshwater diver in the world”, said the President of NFSA Mike Livingston.
Big names in 4 divisions
Two members of this year’s USA National Team for the World Championship in Spain, Nicole Burko and Julie Higgs will compete in mixed teams with Matt Suiter and Javier Verdaguer. Then there will be Shelby Petersen with her husband Ryan, Lisa Ferrier with Ivan Struthers. From Guam, Carmela Tyquiengco and Michael Genereux will compete.
In the women’s division there is Anne Doherty, Cavell Carpendale, Jessica Evans, Ariana Huffmyer, Savanah McGuire, and Maya Finlinson.
In the Men’s division, Jose Liccardo and Sergio Astuti will represent Italy. From South Africa Kyle Hampton will come, while Sam Cox, Taylor Slattery, Graham Carlisle will arrive from Australia. John Anderson, Reid Quinlan, Chris Connell, and Chris Hilleard will compete coming from New Zealand. The Russian Eugene Timoshkin, living since 10 years in Florida, will also be present. Many well-known athletes from the USA will compete, such as Mike Livingston, Kenny Western, Mike Kennedy, and USA-Hawaii Calvin Lai, Justin Lee, Courtney Esprecion…
The Masters’ division will be also tough, with G.R. Tarr and Ben Fertic, and Mike McGuire and Mike VanHaele from the USA. The South African-Greek combination will be made of John Girdza and Stratos Grammatas. The Hawaiian spearo Ken Lee will partner with Singapore athlete Gerald Lim. The Australian pair will be made of Tim Neilsen and Tom Collins. Last but not least Darren Shields and Ian Warnock will represent New Zealand.
The list of athletes did not close, so someone can still join and try the thrill that spearfishing in lakes can bring. The amazing landscape of rocky mountains on the lake and the high potential of catches, as we have already presented, are definitely two aspects that make this World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship worth the experience.
(Text Valentina Prokic – Photo credit Evan Frost @efrostee)
