AREA EVENTS | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE


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ESPN Bassmaster Elite – Presented by

Weekly Update #6 & Last!

ESPN Bassmaster Elite Smith Mountain Lake “Blue Ridge Brawl” – June 7-10, 2007

For Immediate Release – May 29, 2007

Scott Martin, Director

Franklin County Commerce & Leisure Services

40/483-3030 or 540/263-0431

smartin@franklincountyva.org

2007 ESPN BASSMASTERS ELITE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Below is the general schedule of events (all of which are free and open to the public):

Event	Description	Date & Time	Location
Anglers Alley	Chance for fans and spectators meet the anglers, check out their gear/boats/fishing rigs. Get fishing tips and autographs from the best in the bass fishing business	4:00 PM – 5:15 PM Wednesday, June 6	Trinity Ecumenical Church 40 Lake Mount Drive (Just off Va 122 between Westlake Corner and Bridgewater Plaza) Moneta, VA 24121 www.smltep.org
Tournament Boat Launches	Anglers depart Parkway Marina for fishing each day in flights	5:50 AM – 6:30 AM June 7-10	Parkway Marina 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy. Huddleston, VA 24104
Tournament Fishing	Anglers spread out all over SML chasing the biggest, baddest black bass.	6:30 AM – 3:00 PM June 7-10	On the Lake (You are welcome to go on the water and follow the anglers while fishing. Please be courteous and remember these anglers are competing. They don’t mind being followed, just give them room on the water to fish and operate.)
Free Parking Shuttles	Shuttles to the EXPO and Weigh-In Site	11 AM – 5:00 PM June 9 & 10	Shuttle from remote parking lots for spectators.
Full Field Weigh-Ins	Full field tournament field bring in the Catches for the on-stage weigh-ins. Taped for ESPN broadcast. Live web cast on www.espnoutdoors.com	3:00 PM June 7 & 8	ESPN/BASS Event Stage Parkway Marina 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy. Huddleston, VA 24104
Casting Kids Competition	BASS Federation fishing skills competition that is open for all kids. Winners move onto the national championship circuit for BASS/ESPN at the Bassmaster Classic.	10AM-12 – June 9 & 10	ESPN/BASS EXPO Parkway Marina 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy. Huddleston, VA 24104
Cabela’s Dock Dogs	World Championship Dog Jumping Competition – watch as the dock dogs attempt to outdo one another in distance and height www.dockdogs.com	1 PM – FRI June 8 8:30 1 PM SAT June 9 9:00 – 1:00 SUN June 10	ESPN/BASS EXPO Parkway Marina 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy. Huddleston, VA 24104
Championship Weekend Pre-Show Entertainment	Featuring music from “The Crooked Road” - the best Virginia bluegrass, and ESPN online event coverage www.thecrookedroad.org	12-3PM June 9 & 10	ESPN/BASS Event Stage Parkway Marina 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy. Huddleston, VA 24104
Championship Weigh-Ins	The ESPN on-air taping of the championship weigh-ins featuring the best anglers in the nation	3 PM – June 9 & 10	ESPN/BASS Event Stage Parkway Marina 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Pkwy. Huddleston, VA 24104

2007 ESPN BASSMASTERS Elite Tournament Background

The 2007 ESPN Blue Ridge Brawl will be the first nationally televised professional fishing tournament ever hosted at Smith Mountain Lake. Franklin and Bedford Counties collaborated to bring the big league of BASS fishing to SML. Parkway Marina (Huddleston, Va.) will be the host of the weigh-ins and the 100,000 sf Outdoor EXPO. The entire event is free for spectators. Local committee members anticipate over 20,000 spectators will attend the tournament during its four-day run.

The Elite Tournament is the next level up from the Northern Open Tournaments that SML hosted in 2004 and 2006. Using a baseball analogy, the Northern Open is AAA level while the Elite tournament is the Major League. The Blue Ridge Brawl Elite tournament highlight show will be televised on ESPN2 on June 16 at 9 AM. This will be the first professional fishing tournament aired nationally from Smith Mountain Lake. For current Elite standings and up to the minute information:

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/index or www.bassmaster.com.

Credentials, Media Parking, and Event Access

As with past ESPN/BASS events held on the Lake, camera boats will be made available to members of the media on a first-come, first-serve basis. BASS/ESPN will be credentialing all media who wish access backstage. Parking will be made available for media vehicles and sat/broadcast vehicles and equipment near the ESPN Stage. Adjacent parking for print journalists will be provided. Please forward all credential requests to Doug Grassian – doug.grassian@espn.com.

Scott D. Martin, Director

Franklin County Commerce & Leisure Services

40 East Court Street

Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151

540-483-3030 (ph)

540-483-3035 (fx)

smartin@franklincountyva.org