$10,000 Junior Fishing Tournament
Hooks Young Anglers' Interest

St. Lawrence, NY…The St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournament set out to hook a youthful audience on the pleasures of fishing and to bring more attention to the county. The lure: a $10,000 scholarship prize.

For St. Lawrence County, the contest provides a way to capitalize on the area's tourist
potential. The tournament got its start two years ago when young British actor Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series) lent his celebrity status to the event after he and his brother, Chris, visited St. Lawrence County and caught over 3,000 pounds of fish in just eight days.

Geared towards youth ages 11 to 18, the tournament was an immediate success. Over 105 juniors from all over the world came to catch and weigh their four largest carp. The goal? To catch the four carp that most exceeded 100 lbs.

Twelve-year-old Connor Loomis of Waddington, NY cleaned up the competition with a collective catch of 107 pounds, 31 pounds more than Loomis himself.

"The $10,000 grand prize really added spice to the contest. That's all the kids talked about the second day when one boy had reached the 100 lb. threshold," says Karen St. Hilaire, executive director for St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce.

"Our biggest success so far is getting people to realize the value of this resource in their own back yard," says St. Hilaire.

The event generated an estimated $30,000 for the area over a period of four days,
according to St. Hilaire.

"In addition, the organizers of the world cup for adults have decided to hold next year's world tournament here as a result of the success of the juniors event," she says. "This will bring over 600 fishermen from all around the world to the shores of the St. Lawrence and they will return as visitors over and over."

The tournament agrees that SCA's reps made claiming the prize simple. "SCA has a wonderful reputation for sporting events," says St. Hilaire. "We've been telling folks that they should consider SCA as a way to enhance their promotions.