29th British Open Crabbing Championship at Walberswick, Suffolk

29th British Open Crabbing Championship

30th British Open Crabbing Championship. A warm afternoon but an overcast sky greeted the 902 registrants who paid their £1 to be part of the 2010 British Open Crabbing Championship on Sunday 1st August at Walberswick. Together with their families and friends they set off to select their pitch within the designated colour-coded areas lying behind the dunes of Walberswick beach. Most brought along buckets, bait, rod and line necessary to land a crab or could buy the equipment on site. There were plenty of refreshments and ice creams to sustain everyone , the unique 'I Caught Crabs in Walberswick' souvenirs to buy and the pot of Shippams finest crab paste awarded to each registrant to take home at the end of the event. The hour or so of competitive crabbing produced delight and frustration in equal measure as crabs were either landed or scuttled off before they could be famous. People had come from far and near to take part, with others just strolling along observing in bemusement the obvious enjoyment that this event generates. Many of the 'I Caught Crabs in Walberswick' tee-shirts were being worn with at least one other notable slogan seen - 'Born To Fish, Forced To Work' ! Super new weighing scales were evident and were soon in use, with ounces continuing to be the preferred measure. Although 2010 was destined not to be a year for the landing of large crabs, the weigh-in was however very exciting as several crabs were of a similar size. The crowd were very pleased that Richard Curtis CBE and Emma Freud were there to present the prizewinners with their awards. First - Daniella Brown aged 13 of Ipswich, landed a crab of 3.25 ounces in weight Wins a silver salver, a crab trophy, a replica gold Medal, £50 and the opportunity to spray the crowd with well-shaken Champagne Second - Harry Moore aged 4 of Rendlesham near Woodbridge, landed a crab of 3.125 ounces in weight Wins a replica silver Medal and £30 Joint Third - George Reid aged 5 from Ipswich and Courtney Green aged 12 of Chelmsford who both landed crabs weighing 3 ounces Wins a replica bronze Medal and £15 Congratulations! [ Photo Slideshow ]
	Sunday afternoon, August 1st, saw the 30th British Open Crabbing Championship get under way with enthusiastic crabbers of all ages lining the banks of the river and creeks behind the dunes at Walberswick beach. Opportunist seagulls pitched and wheeled above while contestants and their friends and families chose their pitch ready for the afternoon's fun.
	As usual this was a great family event where you could participate or just sit back and enjoy the afternoon. There is always good music broadcast during the event - which hopefully encourages the crabs - plus refreshments and ice creams on sale. The exclusive merchandise which proclaims 'I Caught Crabs at Walberswick' was as popular as ever. At times there were queues to buy bags, pens, tee-shirts and more, which are all emblazoned with this slogan, and which are only available at the event.
	Casting the line can be tricky. If you've never done this before it can require care and concentration. Attached to the line is a weight together with your choice of bait. Whole fish were in evidence at the 2010 event, also fish heads, bacon (both lean and streaky), tinned sardines (offered to the crabs after being taken out of the tin), and indeterminate lumps of 'meat'. The winning crab was caught using an exotic combination of chicken and squid!
	Southwold is the backdrop to this view of the event. One person along the bank appears to think offering the crabs a nibble of their toes might attract a winning crab! Ouch!
	Once the crab is attracted to eat the bait and is clinging on to it you must use all your ingenuity to transfer the crab from the bait into your bucket. Buckets and containers were their usual jolly assortment, plastic buckets large and small and in all colours, some star-shaped, also metal ones, mop buckets, builders' buckets and more. The see-through crabbing buckets were much in evidence although these did tend to magnify their contents making the crabs in residence look huge!
	Shippams provide a pot of finest crab paste for every entrant and have done for many years, so no entrant goes home empty-handed.
	Winners are decided by the single heaviest crab landed at the event, with prizes given for the first, second and third heaviest. Brian Tibbles is very experienced at the weigh-in table but nevertheless crabs often get the better of him as can be seen by the newly-bandaged finger! Here he is joined by Walberswick's MP Therese Coffey who is happily enjoying the 2010 event and is obviously fearless of those snapping pincers!
	Daniella Brown holds her crab at the weigh-in. Daniella did her crabbing from the 'red' sector and it was noticeable that many of the heavy crabs came from this area. The river bank and creeks are divided into four areas, red, black, blue and green so that entrants are not all bunched at any one place. There was mounting excitement at the initial weigh-in as several crabs were of a similar weight.
	One highlight of each year's event is the official presentation of a cheque to the previous year's beneficiary. Over the years many thousands of pounds have been raised for local, county and sea-related charities. In 2009 the British Crabbing Federation were pleased to support The Blyth Estuary Group (www.southwoldsos.co.uk) who are concerned at management of the banks of the River Blyth. The 2010 event will benefit The East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) Treehouse Appeal. Richard Curtis CBE and Emma Freud presented all the awards today.
	Here Richard Curtis and Emma Freud present awards to joint third-place prizewinners, George Reid, aged 4, from Ipswich and Courtney Green, aged 12, from Chelmsford. George and Courteney are proudly standing on the winners' podium. Both landed crabs weighing-in at 3 ounces. Despite re-weighs the crabs were evenly matched hence the unusual situation of a tie being declared.
	Second prize was awarded to Harry Moore, aged 5, from Rendlesham near Woodbridge. Harry's runner-up crab weighed 3.125 ounces and was landed in the green section using bacon as bait. Cash prizes are awarded plus medals, with the Champion also receiving a crab trophy and silver salver.
	Of the 902 entrants in the 2010 British Open Crabbing Championships the winner was Daniella Brown, aged 13, from Ipswich. After careful re-weighing it was declared that she had landed the heaviest crab of the day at 3.25 ounces. Daniella received her prizes from Richard Curtis and Emma Freud and then gleefully showered those closest with celebratory fizz. Daniella joins the exclusive ranks of Crabbing Champions and can wear her medal with pride. Well Done!
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30th British Open Crabbing Championship.