On the heels of a successful season-ending Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga, BASS announced today that the Florida fishery will be the site for the 2008 Federation Nation Championship. The amateur championship event, which will feature television coverage on ESPN2, will be held Nov. 8-10 out of Kissimmee, Fla. BASS Announces Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga as Site of 2008 Federation Nation Championship
On the heels of a successful season-ending Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga, BASS announced today that the Florida fishery will be the site for the 2008 Federation Nation Championship. The amateur championship event, which will feature television coverage on ESPN2, will be held Nov. 8-10 out of Kissimmee, Fla.
A total of 55 contenders will vie for six coveted spots in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 22-24 on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell. The top anglers in each of six divisions will move on to the Classic to compete for a $500,000 top prize.
ESPN2 will air coverage from Toho on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 9 a.m. ET.
“BASS is delighted to return to the Kissimmee area,” said Don Corkran, director of the Federation Nation. “Kissimmee is a fantastic venue for championship tournaments, as evidenced by the success of the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.”
In addition to one of the Classic berths, the overall Federation Nation champion will receive a Triton/Mercury boat package as well as a berth in the Bassmaster Elite Series, the most visible level of tournament fishing.
The tournament will feature 47 qualifiers who have advanced via their performance in the Federation Nation Divisionals. Each will represent one of the 47 states that have chapters in the Federation Nation.
The rest of the contenders include six international anglers from Canada, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and Zimbabwe; Royce Dennington of Barnsdall, Okla., who will defend his Federation Nation Championship title and the top angler from the Paralyzed Veterans of America circuit.
Practice days will be Nov. 6 and 7. The last qualifying tournament for the championship event, the Mid-Atlantic division, will end this week in Pittsburgh, Pa., and determine the final six competitors.
Weigh-ins and launches will be held at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. Fishing fans can find launch/weigh-in times and an updated roster of anglers at http://www.Bassmaster.com.
To download related images, visit http://www.ESPNOutdoorsmedia.com.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit http://www.Bassmaster.com. Visit http://www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more
Sponsors of the Federation Nation include Toyota Tundra, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, MotorGuide, Lowrance Electronics, Advance Auto Parts, Mustang Survival, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn and Ramada Worldwide.
Local sponsors of the Federation Nation Championship include the Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Central Florida Sports Commission.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning 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 bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates 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.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208. To join BASS, call 1-877-BASS-USA or visit http://www.bassmaster.com.
