WEYMOUTH Angling Society’s Billy Short is looking forward to casting out on home waters in European competition, as he and a handful of other members of the club are set to take part in the European Boat and Line Class event, starting today.

And Short, chairman of the Angling Society, is optimistic that someone from Weymouth can bring home a medal. “It would get us back in the limelight if one of us could do it,” he said. “The more exposure we get the better for us.

“I am looking forward to the championships immensely.

“We have a good chance of doing well but the Italians are normally the ones to look out for. They are used to this type of fishing and are sponsored, so they do it for a living.

“However, there are a few of the local lads that do stand a really good chance of getting among the medals.

“It would be right up there with one of my lifelong ambitions if I won a medal.”

And in gearing up for both the European and World events, Short insists the whole club is pitching in to help out.

He added: “We have a regular crowd of international anglers that come over every year and use the club, but for this we have supplied the Europeans and the Worlds with stewards.”

On recruiting more numbers for the society, he added: “We tend to pick up a few members from Scotland, Wales and Ireland every year, but the people that come down and sign up with us over the next few weeks have the bonus of using the facilities whenever they like.”