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Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Revises Championship Qualification

Category: npaa

 Feb 1st, 2011 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Feb 1st, 2011 at 12:00 AM

January 31, 2011-MINNETONKA, MN-With the assistance and support of anglers across its three divisions, the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit has revised its system for qualifying for the prestigious $100,000 Cabela’s World Walleye Championship.

Combined with the MWC’s performance-based points system announced in late 2010, the new qualifying system levels the playing field for all teams fishing at least three MWC tournaments-regardless of division. It also maintains the Championship’s elite position as the pinnacle of team walleye fishing events, and allows teams to select venues across the entire nine qualifying events that best fit their schedules and fishing styles.

The MWC designed the new system with the insight from MWC anglers on all three divisional Angler Advisory Panels, as well as a number of other longtime MWCers. The result was an angler-crafted formula that has received high marks from teams across the 27-year-old Circuit.

“Listening to their anglers is one of the reasons that the MWC is the premier team circuit in the country today,” says AAP member Chad Maloy, of Fargo, North Dakota. “The revised championship scoring offers anglers more opportunities to qualify for the championship, while also rewarding those that fish more than one or two events.”

Fellow MWC angler Matt Davis, of Marion, Ohio, echoed Maloy’s sentiments: “I am impressed to see the MWC management team listen to the anglers and be willing to make changes based on the feedback the anglers provide them. I really think these changes will help the MWC to grow their field size and position them for future growth. I’m excited to see this new system put into place!”

“The option to fish any three of the nine qualifiers is huge,” added Central Division AAP member Brad Engebretson, Rochester, Minnesota. “Anglers can choose the waters they want to compete on. Plus, signing up as a Premier Team has never been more important.”

Highlights include:
1. The top 20 overall point-accumulating MWC teams (fishing a minimum of 3 events), along with the top 25 point-accumulating MWC Premier Teams (teams that sign up for at least 3 tournaments by the earlybird deadline of February 28) will be invited to the 2012 Championship. Premier Teams are eligible for all 45 of these berths. In addition, the reigning Cabela’s National Team Championship and MWC World Walleye Champions, and each team that wins a 2011 MWC Qualifying Tournament (must fish at least 3 MWC tournaments) will be invited to the Championship-if they did not qualify through the Overall and Premier Points races.

2. Teams can only qualify for the Championship once, and the order they will be taken will be: Winner of 2011 Cabela’s National Team Championship (NTC); 2011 Overall Points Race; 2011 MWC Premier Team Race; 2011 MWC Qualifying Tournament winners; winner of 2011 World Walleye Championship.

3. A team’s best 3 finishes will be used for Overall and Premier Championship qualification, though a team is not limited to fishing 3 tournaments. No partner changes are allowed for the Championship or for accumulating qualifying points as a team. If one partner is unable to fish the Championship or a qualifying tournament, the remaining partner may fish on their own, with an MWC-appointed, non-fishing observer at their request-or at the discretion of the MWC.

4. MWC Premier Team entries must enter at least 3 events (which DO NOT need to be in a single division), and will be accepted from 8 a.m. (CST) on Monday, January 10th, 2011 through Noon (CST) on Monday, February 28, 2011. Installment billing is an option for Premier Teams. If installment billing is elected, each tournament fee (including the first tournament) will be due 30-35 days prior to the tournament date. Premier Teams are obligated to pay for all tournaments selected on their initial registration form, regardless of circumstances that change throughout the season. Premier Teams will be eligible for Premier Team contingencies.

5. Each Division Team of the Year title will be awarded to the team with the most total points taken from all three tournaments in an MWC Division. Points cannot cross divisions. The Division Team of the Year will receive 65% of $30 per unique team in the Division. If a tie occurs for the Team of Year title, the team earning the highest points at any one tournament that year will determine the tiebreaker. If a tie remains, the following tiebreakers will be used: heaviest two-day catch at any one tournament in the Division that season; heaviest total catch for all three Divisional tournaments; and lottery. The remaining 35% will be distributed equally to 2nd through 5th place teams.

6. To win the Overall MWC Team of the Year a team must participate in at least 4 events, and the team accumulating the highest total of points from their best 4 events from the 2011 season will be awarded the title, and will receive 65% of $20,000 with the remaining 35% equally distributed 2nd through 5th place.

7. The performance-based points system announced last fall works as follows: The first-place team at each tournament will receive 100 points. Remaining teams will receive points using the following formula: Team’s Weight divided by Winning Weight, times 100 (scored to the second decimal point). All teams will also receive 10 Participation Points for launching at least one tournament day. These 10 points will be added to the Performance Points to determine the team’s total score for the tournament.

The qualification changes are effective immediately for the 2011 season. Teams that have already registered will have the opportunity to change tournaments if they so desire, or make other adjustments to their registrations in light of the changes. In addition, the Premier Team (earlybird) deadline will be extended two weeks-through February 28, to allow teams to select the MWC tournaments that best fit their schedules and fishing styles.

For more information, call the MWC Hotline at: 877-893-7947 or email [email protected].

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is entering its tenth season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley, Ranger Boats, Mercury, MotorGuide, Lowrance, Fishouflage, Versus (Vs.) Television Network and North American Fishing Club. Associate Sponsors include: O2 Marine Technologies, Northland Fishing Tackle, Ryjus, Reflections, Worldwide Marine, Sea Grant and Wildlife Forever. Now heading into its 27th season, the Cabela’s MWC is the oldest team circuit in walleye fishing. For more information, visit: masterswalleyecircuit.com.