Hurling a lead weight on rod and line in distance competition on dry land may seem far removed from the art of tempting a fish to take a baited hook.

But for Norfolk enthusiast Colin Howlett, who has returned from the World Casting Championship in the Czech Republic with a gold medal for winning the 18 gram plug multiplier event, it is all part and parcel of the finely judged combination of tackle mastery and perfect timing.

This 60-year-old all rounder from Pightle Way, Lyng who along with his wife Anne has long been a leading light in the United Kingdom Surf Casting Federation, is equally keen on fishing his local river Wensum for chub or pursuing carp on the lakes.

However, it was on the world stage of the ICSF 33rd world Casting Championship in Hosin that he chalked up his latest triumph.

He takes up the story 'There were over 90 competitors representing European countries, the United States and Japan. The weather was not ideal but I managed to come through the qualifying rounds among the top eight going in to the three round final to decide the winner.

'I was up against competitors from Poland, Sweden, Germany, Spain and the USA. On my first cast I hit 108.1 m. This appeared to have a demoralising effect on my opponents and I remained in front for the remainder of the contest.'

The runner up was Jan Kita (Poland) with 106.2 m followed by Ola Ericson (Sweden) 104.3 m.

Our Norfolk champion concluded 'I'm off to Valencia in two weeks time for the World Senior and Veteran Casting Events from which I hope to return with more gold.'

By contrast Drennan England's coarse fishing squad failed to maintain their 16 year unbroken run of medal performances in the World Coarse Fishing Championships in Italy where they finished 5th among the 36 teams lining up on the Costellato Canal.

The host nation Italy were champions with 21 penalty points, the runners up Hungry on 27.

• On the local match scene Norwich angler Terry Smith has heaved out a massive carp catch from the Bergh Apton fishery that has smashed not only his personal best record but also the figures for the venue and his club. The 46-year-old game keeper and pest controller was fishing with the Romany club at this popular South Norfolk venue on Sunday when he filled four keep nets with more than 50 carp totalling 218lbs 14oz.

'I was fishing the pole method about 4 metres out baiting with soft pellet and feeding a few freebies at intervals,' he recalled. ' At times the fish were so eager they were snatching the bait on the drop and I was very busy for the whole fiver hours.'

• The 2011 Norwich and District Angling Champion is Tony Anderson. On a blustery day along the banks of the river Bure at St Benets Abbey the Suffolk Angling Direct ace netted a splendid catch of 20lbs 8oz consisting of quality roach to the 1lbs mark from peg number 3 behind the Abbey ruins.

Wymondham veteran Albert Farrow was runner up with 18lbs 9oz from peg 32 followed by Nick Larkin (Nisa Feeders) with 18lbs 3oz from peg 22, all three were section winners.

• Roach also dominated Saturday's Nisa Feeder Series on the river Yare where Mark Pollard (Foxmatch) won with 29lbs 15oz from peg 28 with Tony Anderson runner up with 24lbs 8oz from peg 93.

Dereham's Open Match ace Warren Martin performing under the Barford Tackle banner completed an excellent double with 119lbs 15oz at Barford and 117lbs 9oz on the Railway.

At club level the class Codgers were Mark Girling with 157lbs 3oz at Colton while Chris Nicholson was the railway winner with 113lbs 6oz.

Rodney Patrick was the leading Oddfellow with 112lbs 8oz at Barford and N Chapman was top Waggler with 108lbs 11oz at Melton Ponds.

Carp of the week was a 33lbs 12os Taswood mirror for Wymondham's Ben Germaine and others with fish in the twenties were Yarmouth's Roy Doroba and Ben Rook, Norwich regulars Jason Woods and Martin Uptext along with Kevin Smith Lingwood, Lee Leggett of Stanton and Matthew Ireland Brundall.

Best at Waveney Valley was a 39lbs catfish for Matthew Spurling.