Ocala Angler and Little Rock Amateur Win 2007 Angling Against Cancer Tournament
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Lee McCracken, an angler from Ocala, Fla., who will sign up for the 2008 Bassmaster Open Circuit, and Carlton Wing of Little Rock, Ark., who helped emcee the event weigh-in, partnered to haul in a five-fish limit of 16 pounds to win the eighth annual Angling Against Cancer, a one-day bass fishing tournament benefiting The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Early boat trouble caused the duo to miss nearly two hours of fishing time Sunday, but once on the water they capitalized with a four-pound bass, the biggest of the competition, in the first 10 minutes of action.
The pair threw Carolina-rigged worms in 8 feet of water. Targeting shell beds with points of hydrilla, the winning team boated 20 bass despite the shortened competition time.
“It was an awesome day,” McCracken said. “It’s always a good day when you catch fish, but to be able to contribute to a great cause really enhances the experience.”
Second place was taken by Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Lane, of Winter Haven, Fla., and his amateur partner, Nancy Smith of Kissimmee, Fla. The two weighed more than 11 pounds of bass.
Twenty-three groups of pros and amateurs competed in the event. The field included many Bassmaster Elite Series pros including BASS winners Peter Thliveros of Jacksonville, Fla., and Palatka, Fla., pros Terry Scroggins and Preston Clark. Nine-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year and BASS legend Roland Martin also competed.
The tournament was the centerpiece of Kissimmee’s Great Outdoor Fest and Expo, a two-day festival celebrating the outdoors and organized by Bassmaster Open competitor Terry Segraves’ sponsor, the Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureau. Segraves also served as emcee of the event.
The event raised nearly $60,000 this year for the V Foundation, according to officials. Angling Against Cancer has raised more than $200,000 for The V Foundation, a cancer-research organization founded in 1993 by the late N.C. State basketball coach and ESPN commentator Jim Valvano.
About the V Foundation:
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has raised more than $70 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received five consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Review Committee. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit http://www.jimmyv.org.
About BASS:
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, staging more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation Nation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages and sanctions bass fishing tournaments for every skill level culminating with the Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry’s widest array of services and support to its nearly 530,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
