| First: | 1981 |
The World Fly Fishing Championship is organised by the Confédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive (FIPS Mouche) and takes place annually since 1981 between 30 teams of six individuals per country over five sessions. The WFFCs consist of four separate categories: the Youth Division, the Senior Division, the Masters Division and the Women's Division.
FIPS Mouche[1] is an abbreviation of "Fédération Internationale de Peche Sportive Mouche" (in English, the "International Fly Fishing Federation"), which is the fly fishing arm of CIPS (Confédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive), founded in Rome in 1952,[2] the world regulating body for many different disciplines of fishing.[1] FIPS Mouche hand over the management responsibility for the organisation of upcoming FIPS Mouche event, in its entirety to selected host nation's fly-fishing governing body. The host nation is to ensure health and safety welfare, promotion, sponsorship and media arrangements, meet financial requirements and selection of suitable venues.[3]
Six rounds with a duration of three hours of fly fishing are fished at five different geographical locations (sectors), a mixture of lakes and rivers to test all skills, as chosen by the host nation beforehand for its abundant trout and game fish populations. All fish caught will be measured for length, rather than weight and are returned to the water alive.[4] Points are awarded to the most successful anglers and section points per round according to placing, with the winner receiving one point; the lowest overall score wins.[4]
The first ever Seniors WFFC was held in Luxembourg in 1981 and won by team Netherlands, that winning team also produced the first ever individual world champion who was Cor Wittkamp.[5] Three years later in 1984, the 4th WFFC held in Spain was won by first class cricketer and footballer Tony Pawson of England, Although his team England were just beaten to the title by Italy.[5] Four years later in 1988 at the 8th WFFC in Australia the Individual world champion was John Pawson of England, son of Tony who won in 1984.[6] Pascal Cognard of France became the first angler to win the individual world championship three times when he won the 20th WFFC in England in 2000, having previously succeeded in Norway in 1994 and in the United States in 1997.[7] The Czech Republic set the standard in 2014 at their home water, having won the team tournament a record 10 times.[5] The World Fly Fishing Championship Team event has been won by the host nation on just 10 of the 40 occasions that the tournament has taken place (to 2021), a one in four chance.[5]
Youth Team Results
| WFFC | Host nation | Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||||||
| 10th WFFC |  Bosnia and Hz | 2023 | United States |  France |  Slovakia | |
| 9th WFFC |  Italy | 2022 |  Spain |  Czech Republic | France | |
| 8th WFFC | Czech Republic | 2019 | Czech Republic | United States | Spain | |
| 7th WFFC |  Poland | 2018 | Poland | Spain | Czech Republic | |
| 6th WFFC |  Slovenia | 2017 | France | Poland | United States | |
| 5th WFFC | Spain | 2016 | France | United States | Czech Republic | |
| 4th WFFC | United States | 2015 | United States | Poland | Czech Republic | |
| 3rd WFFC | Poland | 2014 | United States | Poland | Czech Republic | |
| 2nd WFFC | Ireland | 2013 | United States | Ireland |  South Africa | |
| 1st WFFC | France | 2012 | Czech Republic | United States | France |
Masters Team Results
| WFFC | Host nation | Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th WFFC | Czech Republic | 2024 | Italy | Spain | Czech Republic | France | United States | |
| 8th WFFC |  Canada | 2023 | Spain | United States | Czech Republic | Canada | Ireland | |
| 7th WFFC | Italy | 2022 | United States | Italy |  Belgium | |||
| 6th WFFC | Czech Republic | 2021 | Czech Republic | Italy | Spain | United States | Belgium | |
| 5th WFFC | South Africa | 2019 | Spain | United States | Italy | |||
| 4th WFFC | Spain | 2018 | Spain | Italy | France | United States | ||
| 3rd WFFC |  Portugal | 2017 | Italy | France | United States | |||
| 2nd WFFC | Ireland | 2016 | Italy | Scotland | Ireland | United States | ||
| 1st WFFC | Chile | 2014 | Italy | Czech Republic | Chile |
| WFFC | Host nation | Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th WFFC | Czech Republic | V Santi Amantini | Borek Kopecky | Marek Macka | V Carlo Sciagurii | Francois Deloup | ||
| 8th WFFC | 2023 | Pete Erickson | Mike Learmonth | Jordi Oliveras | Tony Baldwin | John Nishi | ||
| 7th WFFC | Italy | 2022 | Bret Bishop | Michael Twohig |  Rene Koops | |||
| 6th WFFC | Czech Republic | 2021 | Karel Sklenar | Jaun Bautista | Bret Bishop | |||
| 5th WFFC | South Africa | 2019 | Richard Goriel | J Alvares | Michael Twohig | |||
| 4th WFFC | Spain | 2018 | I. Ferreras | Jean Meya | Armando di Giacomo | |||
| 3rd WFFC | Portugal | 2017 | Edgardo Dona | Jean Meya | Massimo Clini | |||
| 2nd WFFC | Ireland | 2016 | Jacky Coyne | Edgardo Ferrero | Mike Cordiner | |||
| 1st WFFC | Chile | 2014 | Rene Koops | V Santi Amantini |
Senior Team results
| Event | Host nation | Year | Winners | Runner up | 3rd place | 4th place | 5th place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43rd WFFC | Font Romeu, France [8] | 2024 | France | Spain |  United States | Czech Republic |  Australia [9] |
| 42nd WFFC | Slovakia | 2023 | France | Czech Republic | Spain | Italy | Poland [10] |
| 41st WFFC | Spain | 2022 | Spain | France | Czech Republic | Belgium |  Finland [11] |
| 40th WFFC | Finland | 2021 | Finland | France | Spain | Slovakia | Italy [12] |
| 39th WFFC | Australia | 2019 | France | Czech Republic | Spain | Finland | Italy [13] |
| 38th WFFC | Italy | 2018 | Spain | Czech Republic | Italy | United States | Finland [14] |
| 37th WFFC | Slovakia | 2017 | France | Czech Republic | Spain | Slovakia | Australia [15] |
| 36th WFFC | United States | 2016 | Spain | France | United States | Czech Republic | Slovakia [16] |
| 35th WFFC | 2015 | Spain | United States | Bosnia and Hz | France | Slovenia [17] | |
| 34th WFFC | 2014 | Czech Republic | France | England | Finland | United States | |
| 33rd WFFC | 2013 | Czech Republic | Italy | France | Finland | United States | |
| 32nd WFFC | 2012 | Czech Republic | Italy | Spain | France | Slovakia | |
| 31st WFFC | 2011 | Italy | Czech Republic | Poland | Spain | United States | |
| 30th WFFC | 2010 | Czech Republic | France | Slovakia | Poland | South Africa | |
| 29th WFFC | 2009 | England | France | Scotland | Finland | Wales [18] [19] | |
| 28th WFFC | 2008 | Czech Republic |  New Zealand | France | Poland | Italy [20] | |
| 27th WFFC | 2007 | France | Czech Republic | Finland | Portugal | Spain | |
| 26th WFFC | 2006 | Czech Republic | France | Spain | Italy | Portugal [21] | |
| 25th WFFC | 2005 | France | Finland | Czech Republic | - | - | |
| 24th WFFC | 2004 | Slovakia | Czech Republic | France | Poland | Belgium [22] | |
| 23rd WFFC | 2003 | France | Belgium | Spain | - | - | |
| 22nd WFFC | 2002 | France | Belgium | Spain | - | - | |
| 21st WFFC | 2001 | France | Finland | Czech Republic | England | Poland [23] | |
| 20th WFFC | 2000 | France | Wales | Australia | - | - | |
| 19th WFFC | 1999 | Australia | France | New Zealand | Spain | England [24] | |
| 18th WFFC | 1998 | Czech Republic | Poland | England | Italy | Slovakia [25] | |
| 17th WFFC | 1997 | France | Belgium | Italy | - | - | |
| 16th WFFC | 1996 | Czech Republic | France | Poland | - | - | |
| 15th WFFC | 1995 | England | Wales | Belgium | - | - | |
| 14th WFFC | 1994 | Czech Republic | Italy | England | - | - | |
| 13th WFFC | 1993 | England | Poland | Italy | Wales | Czechoslovakia [26] | |
| 12th WFFC | 1992 | Italy | Belgium | France | - | - | |
| 11th WFFC | 1991 | New Zealand [27] | Poland | England | ? | ||
| 10th WFFC | 1990 | Czechoslovakia | Poland | Belgium | France | England [28] | |
| 9th WFFC | 1989 | Poland | France | Finland | - | - | |
| 8th WFFC | 1988 | England | France | Australia | New Zealand | Scotland | |
| 7th WFFC | 1987 | England | Australia | New Zealand | Wales | Poland | |
| 6th WFFC | 1986 | Italy | Belgium | Czechoslovakia | - | - | |
| 5th WFFC | 1985 | Poland | Czechoslovakia | France | - | - | |
| 4th WFFC | 1984 | Italy | England | France | - | - | |
| 3rd WFFC | 1983 | Italy | Belgium | Netherlands | - | - | |
| 2nd WFFC | 1982 | Italy | Spain | Luxemburg | - | - | |
| 1st WFFC | 1981 | Netherlands | Luxemburg | Belgium | - | - | |
Senior Individual results
| WFFC | Host nation | Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43rd | Font Romeu, France | 2024 | Pierre Kuntz | Sebastian Delcor | Gregoire Juglaret | Michael Bradley | Andres Torres | [29] | ||
| 42nd | 2023 | Pierre Kuntz | David Arcay Fernandez | Grégoire Juglaret | Tom Jarman | David Chlumsky | [30] | |||
| 41st | 2022 | Julien Daguillanes | David Arcay Fernandez | Ruben Santos | David Chlumsky | Julien Lorquet | [31] [32] | |||
| 40th | 2021 | Heikki Kurtti | Jari Heikkinen | D Arcay Fernandez | Santeri Kinnunen | Mikko Rasanen | [33] | |||
| 39th | 2019 | Howard Croston | D García Ferreras | Kristian Sveda | Sebastian Delcor | V Santi Amantini | [34] | |||
| 38th | 2018 | D García Ferreras | Jyrki Hiltunen | Andrea Pirone | František Kouba | J Oliveras Cortina | [35] | |||
| 37th | 2017 | Antonin Pešek | Grégoire Juglaret | Sebastian Delcor | Julien Daguillanes | Iván Vergé | [36] | |||
| 36th | 2016 | Julien Daguillanes | J Oliveras Cortina | Lance Egan | Pat Weiss | Roman Heimlich | [37] | |||
| 35th | 2015 | Piotr Marchewka |  Nikola Trebjesant | Devin Olsen | D Arcay Fernandez | Sebastian Delcor | ||||
| 34th | 2014 | Luboš Roza | Piotr Armatys | Andrew Scott | Peter Alexovic | J-G Mathieu | [38] | |||
| 33rd | 2013 | V Santi Amantini | Martin Drož | Julien Lorquet | Antonin Pešek | Sebastian Delcor | [39] | |||
| 32nd | 2012 | D Arcay Fernandez | V Santi Amantini | Tomáš Adam | Howard Croston | Antonin Pesek | [40] | |||
| 31st | 2011 | V Santi Amantini | Stefano Cominazzini | Roman Heimlich | Pablo Castro Pinos |  Thomas Drinan | [41] | |||
| 30th | 2010 | Pavel Chyba | Tomáš Adam | John Horsey | Julien Daguillanes | Sandro Soldarini | [42] | |||
| 29th | 2009 | Iain Barr | Donald Thom | Christian Jadouille | Yann Caleri | Calum Crosbie | ||||
| 28th | 2008 | Martin Drož | Julien Daguillanes | Tomas Starychfojtu | John Horsey | Lucjan Burda | ||||
| 27th | 2007 | Marek Walczyk | Eric Lelouvier | Antonin Pešek | Bertrand Jacquemin | Yann Caleri | [43] | |||
| 26th | 2006 | Antonin Pešek | Jonathan Torralbo Ruiz | Martin Drož | - | - | ||||
| 25th | 2005 | Bertrand Jacquemin | Massimo Valsesia | Andrew Dixon | - | - | [44] | |||
| 24th | 2004 | Miroslav Antal | Kazimierz Szymala | Dan Svreek | J. Canda | P.Machen | ||||
| 23rd | 2003 | Stefano Cotugno | Bernard Marguet | Jeff Currier | - | - | ||||
| 22nd | 2002 | Jerome Brossutti [45] | Tomas Starychfojtu [46] | Bernard Marguet | - | - | ||||
| 21st | 2001 | Vladimir Sedivy | Mark Yelland | Pascal Cognard | Stanislaw Guzdek | Scott Tucker | [47] | |||
| 20th | England | 2000 | Pascal Cognard | Jean Michel Lauret | Gareth Jones | Edgardo Dona | Erik Eikre | |||
| 19th | 1999 | Ross Stuart | Sandy Nicolson | Pat O’Keefe | Shane Murphy | Bernard Marguet | ||||
| 18th | 1998 | Tomas Starychfojtu | Angelo Ferrari | Jozef Trnka | Milan Janus | Artur Raclawski | [48] | |||
| 17th | United States | 1997 | Alain Magnien | Tomas Starychfojtu | Jeremy Herrmann | Alain Gigot | ||||
| 16th | Czech Republic | 1996 | Pierluigi Cocito [49] | Antoni Tondera | Jan Pecina | - | - | |||
| 15th | Ireland | 1995 | Jeremy Herrmann | Alain Gigot | Owen Nuttridge | - | - | |||
| 14th | Norway | 1994 | Howel Morgan | Pierluigi Cocito | - | - | ||||
| 13th | 1993 | Russell Owen | Franciszek Szajnik | Jeremy Lucas | - | - | ||||
| 12th | Italy | 1992 | Pierluigi Cocito | Carlo Baldassini | Antoni Tondera | - | - | |||
| 11th | 1991 | Brian Leadbetter | Adam Sikora | Jan Astier | Milan Janus | Slavoj Svoboda | ||||
| 10th | 1990 | Franciszek Szajnik | Adam Sikora | Albert Bigare | Milan Janus | Rene Brugere | ||||
| 9th | 1989 | Vladi Trzebunia | Slavoj Svoboda | Jyrki Lamsa | - | - | ||||
| 8th | 1988 | John Pawson | Brian Thomas | T. Piggott | Bob Church | J. Ramf | ||||
| 7th | 1987 | Brian Leadbetter | John Pawson | Chris Ogborne | - | - | ||||
| 6th | 1986 | Slavoj Svoboda | Angelo Ferrari | Andre Terrier | - | - | ||||
| 5th | 1985 | Leslaw Frasik | Kazimierzs Sasula | Pavol Gavura | - | - | ||||
| 4th | 1984 | J-P Guillemaund | Angelo Ferrari | - | - | [50] | ||||
| 3rd | 1983 | Alvarez | Silvano Ventura | Didier Bischops | - | - | ||||
| 2nd | 1982 | Diez Y Diez | Pereda | Giovanni Vigetti | - | - | ||||
| 1st | 1981 | Cor Wittkamp | Marc Reckinger | Didier Bischops | - | - |
Women's Team Results
| WFFC | Host nation | Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd WFFC | Czech Republic | 2024 | Czech Republic | |||
| 2nd WFFC | 2023 | Czech Republic | United States | |||
| 1st WFFC | 2022 | Czech Republic | ||||
The 2020 event was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though resumed in August 2021 in the Kuusamo and Taivalkoski regions of Finland.
The 41st WFFC took place in September 2022 in the principality of Asturias in Spain, fished on the rivers Caudal, Piloña, Trubia, Narcea,[51] and on lake El Arenero [52] near Tineo. Spain as hosts, were also the winning team, with France in second and Czech Republic third.Julien Daguillanes of France won the individual title for the second time, having previously won before in 2016 in the United States.
The 43rd WFFC will be held in the Ariège, Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales regions of Occitaine, in France from 22nd - 30th June 2024.[53]
Italy Hosted the 38th FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships in 2018, which was fished in Comano Terme, Trentino area of Italy. Spain won the team event and also the individual with David García Ferreras victorious at The event was based at the Sarca River in Tione di Trento at the foot of the Natural Park Adamello Brenta, at Arco and at Pinzolo. Also at the Noce River at the Val di Non, and the Cornisello lake at the foot of Monte Giner near Mezzana within view of the Brenta Dolomites.[54] Species available in these waters include Marble trout (Salmo marmoratus) and Lake Char (Salvelinus umbla), both species indigenous to this region, also Brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Grayling (Thymallus thymallus).[54]
Australia hosted the 39th FIPS-Mouche World fly Fishing Championships, which took place between 30 November to 8 December 2019 in on the island of Tasmania. The venues fished were Penstock Lagoon, Meander River, Woods lake, Mersey river and Little Pine Lagoon which had featured before in the 1988 World Fly Fishing championships.[55] The lakes and lagoons are situated near the small town of Miena, Tasmania, including Penstock lagoon, Great Lake and Little Pine Lagoon. The geographic centre of Tasmania is located on the western shore of the lagoon.[56] The species of fish caught were brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Brown trout (a non-indigenous species to Tasmania) were first introduced to Australia on 4 May 1864 when 2700 live brown trout ova, which had been packed in ice since leaving England, were hatched into the Plenty river near Hobart, Tasmania. Rainbow trout from North America were introduced in 1894.[57] The team event was won by France, the individual title went to Howard Croston of England.
The 40th FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships was originally postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then fished during August 2021 in the Kuusamo and Taivalkoski regions of Finland.[58] [59] Both the team event and individual titles were dominated by the home nation Finland taking 4 of the top 5 places including the new world champion Heikki Kurtti.[60]
Slovakia held the 42nd FIPS Mouche World Flyfishing Championship 2023, which was won by France, who also won the individual prize with Pierre Kuntz securing the title. The venues fished were the rivers Váh, Belá, Poprad and Orava and on the water dam Palcmanska Maša located on the river at Dedinky near Dobšiná.[61]
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Medals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 11 | 11 | 6 | 28 | |
| Czech Republic Czechoslovakia Total | |||||
| Italy | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 | |
| England | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 | |
| Spain | 4 | 2 | 8 | 14 | |
| Poland | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | |
| Finland | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Belgium | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 | |
| Wales | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| United States | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Luxemburg | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Scotland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 40 | 40 | 40 | 120 |
Pascal Cognard 3, Brian Leadbetter 2, Pierluigi Cocito 2, Valerrio Santi Amantini 2, Antonin Pešek 2, Julien Daguillanes 2, Pierre Kuntz 2. [6] [5] [37] [31] [30] [29]
See main article: world championships.