FLW CANADA CUP DETAILS ANNOUNCED, REGISTRATION UNDER WAY

INAUGURAL EVENT TO BE HELD AUG. 16-18, 2018, ON THE BAY OF QUINTE

STOUFFVILLE, ONTARIO (Oct. 27, 2017) – FLW Canada, now under the direction of Andrew Pallotta, announced today that registration for the inaugural FLW Canada Cup to be held August 16-18, 2018, on Bay of Quinte (bay only), is now open. The tournament is destined to become one of the most anticipated annual events in Canada as it strives to unite bass anglers from across the country in search of the best anglers to represent Canada on the international stage at the Costa FLW Series Championship and ultimately the Forrest Wood Cup in the United States.

The FLW Canada Cup will feature a team format, with a twist. When entering, teams must designate which member will advance to the FLW Series Championship as a pro, and which member will advance as a co-angler. The first and second place teams in the FLW Canada Cup will advance to the no-entry-fee 2018 FLW Series Championship, where the designated pros will fish for a top award of $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C, and advancement to the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup where the top award is $300,000 and last place receives $10,000 just for qualifying. Designated co-anglers will compete in the FLW Series Championship for a top award of $32,000, including a Ranger Z175. FLW Series Championship payouts extend through 40th place.

“No other tournament in Canada provides an opportunity for advancement to not just one no-entry-fee championship, but two no-entry-fee championships with total payouts of $1.5 million and worldwide media exposure,” Pallotta said. “The best part is that while our anglers will compete against the entire field for incredible cash awards at the FLW Series, a Canadian angler only has to be the highest finisher in the International Division to punch his or her ticket to the Forrest Wood Cup for a shot at winning the most coveted title in bass fishing.”

Anglers will fish the FLW Canada Cup as a team and weigh in the best five bass per boat, but will advance to the FLW Series Championship in either the pro division or co-angler division based on their designation at the time of entry.

The FLW Canada Cup entry fee is $750 per team, and the event will feature an 80 percent payout plus contingencies resulting in a total payout that exceeds 100 percent of entry fees.

“We want the FLW Canada Cup to be an inclusive event that unites anglers from across the country regardless of their tournament trail allegiance,” said FLW Canada event coordinator Victoria Pallotta. “That is why we eliminated membership fees and worked to schedule the tournament on a world-class fishery at a time that should be accommodating to most tournament schedules. This is an opportunity for Canada’s very best anglers to come together and showcase their talents.”

Each participant in the FLW Canada Cup will receive a complimentary one-year digital subscription to FLW Bass Fishing magazine.

“I would like to thank FLW for providing a platform for international anglers and for working with us to take bass fishing to the next level in Canada,” Andrew Pallotta said. “I’d also like to thank my daughter, Victoria, for her leadership in establishing and promoting the FLW Canada Cup. I am excited for what the future holds for our sport.”

Entries will be accepted by phone at 905.640.2277. The first draw for boat numbers will take place Nov. 1, 2017, at midnight. Daily draws will be held each day thereafter until the field is finalized. Teams preferring to enter via fax or e-mail can download an entry form at csfl.ca/flwcanadacup and fax it to 905.640.2278 or email it to bassmania@on.aibn.com.

The 2017 FLW Canada Team of the Year, Joshua Westerink and Mike Williams, as well as the 2017 FLW Canada Championship winners Barry Graves and Joe Muszynski, will receive free team entry into the 2018 FLW Canada Cup and draw out in the No. 1 and No. 2 positions, respectively.

All teams from FLW affiliated countries, including Canada, China, Mexico, Korea, South Africa and the United States, are invited to participate in the FLW Canada Cup and compete for cash awards and contingencies. Advancement to the FLW Series Championship, however, is available only to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Pros fishing the 2018 FLW Tour or Bassmaster Elite Series are not eligible to compete in the FLW Canada Cup. Co-anglers fishing the 2018 FLW Tour are eligible to compete. Advancement to the FLW Series Championship is based on each team’s finish and eligibility, so both members of the team must be eligible for advancement for either team member to claim their spot in the FLW Series Championship.

Watch for the relaunch of FLWCanada.com and the FLW Canada Facebook page in the next 30 days. In the meantime, all FLW Canada inquires can be directed to andrew@fishandboatshow.com or victoria@csfl.ca.

About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 258 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

About The Canadian Pro Bass Tour
The Canadian Pro Bass Tour is a recognized leader in the sportfishing industry with seven annual tournaments serving anglers across Canada and the United States. The Canadian Pro Bass Tour utilizes an in-water weigh-in system developed through Queens University. Using aerated tanks, in-water weigh-in scales and state-of-the-art live release boats enables the safe return of bass to host fisheries and helps ensure the future of the sport. The Canadian Pro Bass Tour produces the Canadian Open of Fishing, a nationally recognized event, as well as the Pro Bass Elite Tour and provides a social media experience for all anglers and sponsors. Innovation and putting the resource first are paramount. The Canadian Pro Bass Tour provides its customers, spectators and supporters direct delivery of product knowledge, fishing techniques and an exciting weigh-in show. These reasons and more keep the Canadian Pro Bass Tour the first choice of tournaments. Don’t just watch us grow, come grow with us.