{"id":112997,"date":"2025-10-15T20:20:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T17:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uus.marine.ee\/silver-medal-for-the-estonian-team\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T15:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T12:16:54","slug":"silver-medal-for-the-estonian-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marine.ee\/en\/silver-medal-for-the-estonian-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Silver medal for the Estonian team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Text written by: Alexander Andrusenko and Lehar Leetsaar<\/p>\n\n

The World Championships in Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv are over and it’s time to draw conclusions. In the next part, Alexander writes about how our training and the competition itself went, and in the second part, Lehar gives a short summary of our participation in the World Spinning Championships in the last 10 years. <\/p>\n\n

— Alexander —<\/p>\n\n

Official training + competition dayI won’t write about the unofficial trainings at length, but I would briefly say that we have caught zander, perch and pike and according to the preliminary trainings, zander fishing has always been more successful than all other fishing methods. A week before the official training of the World Championships, we did a proper training cycle together. Of course, this training cycle was difficult, because autumn storms started and the behavior of the fish changed. However, we were of the opinion that if we want to win this World Championship, we have to try for a place.After the unofficial training, we were able to rest at home for 2 days and on Monday morning we were back in V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv. The schedule stipulated that 3 official training days would start on Monday and there would be 3 competition days from Thursday to Saturday. Official training is only 7 hours, so I had to act quickly and efficiently. Otherwise, we usually spend 9-11 hours on the water. Before the official trainings, we marked 11 zones on the map where we have gotten a good place at some times. Janno and Siim’s boat crew and I agreed on which zones each one would control, and the goal was to find the best zones during official training, to pull off the non-working ones and to understand how and what would take place at the moment. The third boat was catching pike at the same time. <\/p>\n\n

On the first day of training, we went through about half of the zones, most of them we had to pull down because there were no more fish there, but in some of them there were still fish. At that time, the general situation seemed completely promising and quite a few areas were still unchecked. However, the sudden change in weather was a concern. The nights suddenly became colder, the easterly wind began to blow and the water temperature began to drop rapidly. Before the second day of training, the first night frosts came. The second day of training showed that the place sank completely to the bottom and became very passive. We drove through all the other areas and had to admit that the fish were gone and there was nothing to catch. This fact made me quite worried, because the number of fish was getting worse and worse every day and the fish started to move around more and more. For the third training session, the plan was to find the lost swarms of zander. We drove around all day and finally managed to find 3 zones where there were enough fish. By the evening the mood was much better, but since the rafts are very mobile, we were of course worried whether these rafts would stay there for the competition days or move away again. <\/p>\n\n

Before the first day of the competition, we had a meeting with the team and set the tactics for the first day of the competition \u2013 we will go with two boats to try for a place. It was difficult for us to find any major advantages in pike fishing compared to other teams, because everyone knows how to catch pike and everyone has found the fish. We didn’t have any special secret places or any tricks that no one else could find. But in zander fishing, we knew that most of the teams did not beat it, and zander is also larger than pike on average and on a good day you can get more than 10 spots. So, we decided to take this risk. <\/p>\n\n

On the morning of the first day of the competition, we started in the first group and Siim and Janno started 10 minutes later in the second group. We decided to start from the zone we found the day before and where it showed quite a lot. Siim went to his zone where he found fish on his last day. If someone started to catch fish, we had to call the other boat crew and, if necessary, fish in one zone if the other boat had a problem with the fish. The starting gun went off and all the boats headed to their places at full speed. Most of them went to the southern part to fish for pike, the Lithuanians went to fish for perch and we were probably the only ones to catch a zander. We reached our place zone and started fishing. In the morning the fish showed a little more, but very little and the mouth was completely closed. At best, we got a few swims, but none of them took the lure. The large flock of zander that we had found the day before had dispersed. We went to another zone and there the situation was repeated \u2013 the fish is gone. Plan C was the third zone, it was a long drive there, but there was nothing better to do, we went there. The result is the same, there is simply no fish. <\/p>\n\n

Unfortunately, the plans ended with this and we had to start looking for fish again from scratch on the day of the competition. So we just drove around and searched. Quite a few hours passed like this. Time is ticking, there are less than 2 hours left until the end of the race day and we still have 0 in the protocol. You can imagine what a nervous tension it is when you go to the World Cup with the aim of winning, but at the end of the day the score is 0 and with each subsequent minute you only sink deeper into the hole.Some time after 1 p.m., Siim called and said that he had found a slightly better zone and I think he started to take a place there a little bit and they managed to get 2 places. Without thinking for a long time, we turned on the engine and rushed to them to get something. The fish was indeed in a slightly better condition there than elsewhere, but there was very little time left until the end. At 14:06 we got out of zero with a 67cm spot and at 14:35 we had to stop fishing to reach the finish line on time. For us, it was probably a record for zeroing \u2013 more than 7 hours at zero and only then did we manage to get out of zero. The mood was not good and we realized that this day was of course a failure, but it was good that we at least got out of zero, it gives us some chance to improve the situation in the coming days. By the evening, it turned out that the results of the first day gave us 6th place in the national ranking. Our nerves were completely exhausted and by the next day we had no thoughts on what to do next. Lehar and I talked about that since we don’t have any good plans for the next day, maybe the captain should make a replacement and a third boat crew should go fishing for pike instead of us, we would have fully accepted this decision. At the evening meeting, however, the captain decided that if we said that we would go to “Va banque”, we would go to “Va banque”. For us, this meant that we would go for a place again. There was a faint hope that if we go to yesterday’s zone first thing in the morning, then maybe we will be able to get something with the morning activity. <\/p>\n\n

The morning before the start, Maksim came to us and asked how we were doing and what our plans were. We honestly said that it was good if we could get out of zero. After that, Maksim showed me a pike point on the map, where there have usually been 1-2 guard pikes, and if we run out of our minds, we can try there. At the same point, we have once caught a pike ourselves. I remembered it and then Lehar and I went to try for a place. Immediately in the morning it became clear that there would be no morning activity, because the night was cold again. By 11 o’clock we had 0 again. He showed the place a little, but his mouth was completely locked. We got over 20 reruns and only 1 place took away the lure, but unfortunately it went away. At 11:30 I presented Lehar with Maksim’s morning suggestion that maybe it was time to go pike fishing. We called the captain and the captain told us to wait for lunch, because there should be a moment of activity at lunchtime. We fished for another hour, there was no activity, and at 12:30 we called the captain again with the same suggestion. The captain gave us permission and we went fishing for pike. <\/p>\n\n

It should be mentioned that we haven’t caught pike in the hay for the last year and a half, and even spinning with a spinning reel was very strange to the first casts, as if it were the first time we were fishing. But the muscle memory came back quickly and we have been doing this kind of fishing for years and we have a lot of previous experience. A little after 1 p.m. the first pike of size came. My self-belief slowly began to return. Morally, of course, it was again difficult to reset the morning until 1 p.m. and be in the same hole as yesterday. But it took a while and another pike of the same size came from the same zone and after a while a third one, although quite a few boats had passed through this place before us and at the same time a Latvian boat crew also bombed the same place, but they did not catch a pike of that size. At the same time, Siim and Janno found a new zone where there was a more active place and got a place of 5 sizes there. We didn’t have the time or the point to rush there anymore and caught a pike until the end. So, we ended the day with three pikes and rose to third place in the national ranking. In the evening, we talked to each other that if we could even finish third overall, it would be very good. At that moment, I couldn’t even dream of anything more. <\/p>\n\n

As on the second day it seemed that we would probably be able to manage pike fishing normally, then for the third day we had chosen such a tactic that we would go pike fishing in the morning, and if the other boat crew started to get a place well enough during the day, we would reorient ourselves to zander fishing. In the morning we went to the zone where other teams have been fishing for pike for 2 days, and hoped that maybe we would be able to pick some more active pike there in the morning. The downside, of course, was that we have never fished there. On the spot, however, it turned out that the pike was not active in the morning, we only caught undersized pike, but no pike of any size. The other teams didn’t look good either, they got undersized ones here and there, but it seemed that the eldorado had run out there. So we went to yesterday’s zone, maybe there are still a few pikes left. From there we managed to catch 2 sized perch and some undersized pikes. In the morning the second boat got 2nd place, but we decided to try pike again. We started to check the other points, but they didn’t bring anything either. At 11:30 the second boat crew announced that they had gained 3 places with a short interval, at the same time our score was only 2 perch. It was clear that we had to change something and we rushed to get a place. The other boat, of course, warned us that the wind was getting stronger and think twice about whether it is worth coming here, because the wind might not get anything anymore. Since we didn’t have anything better to take, we had to take a risk. <\/p>\n\n

When we reached the place zone, the wind and waves were already quite considerable and every minute was getting worse and worse. For the first 15 minutes we still saw a stable fish, but as time went on, the more the zander started to sink to the bottom and there were no more good readings. The wind was strong, the waves were big, the fish started to move and it was very difficult to catch it. Fortunately, we had a long, 72-inch Lowrance Recon bow engine that doesn’t jump out of the water with big waves and holds very well in place.Again there was a lot of tension because things didn’t go as planned at all and by 1 p.m. we had only 2 perches in the protocol. At 1 p.m., however, we managed to get a 73cm place and the mood got a little better, but we still realized that it was not enough for a good result. By that time, the place had already sunk to the bottom practically in its entirety and since there was nothing better to throw, we started trying to get a place from the bottom. At some point we saw a nicer dash on the bottom of the Scout screen (Lowrance Active Target LIVE transducer) and without thinking for a long time I made one cast and was very surprised when this fish decided to take it away. But when I started to tire the fish, it started to come to the surface suspiciously quickly and it seemed to me that it was probably not a place after all. The fish came to the surface and started to rage in the ground and it became clear that it was a pike. A thousand thoughts went through my head that I have a spot rod with a thin 0.4mm fluoro tie and an extra triple with a regular line, and probably the pike will still chew through either the tie or the assist. Lehari’s pale head came off the stem in a hurry! I don’t know how, but somehow we managed to catch this pike! The length was 71cm. My heart immediately started to lighten, because a 73cm pike and a 71cm pike with two perches give out more or less 5 standard pike points, which is not a bad result at all. Siim and Janno also managed to get 1 place in this time and they won the day. However, we managed to get out from under the train again, just like on previous days. <\/p>\n\n

On the shore it turned out that the Lithuanians, who were in second place after the second day, failed with the perch today. It was clear that it would not be possible to catch up with the Romanians, but whether the Lithuanians failed so much that we would rise to second place, we could not believe. After a few hours, the numbers were added up and we had risen to the silver medal! If you might think that a silver medal is a loss on a body of water at home, then considering all the circumstances, we can say with certainty that it is a silver won, not a lost one! <\/p>\n\n

It’s hard to put into words the nervous tension that accompanied us all these 3 days. Every day is morally like a roller coaster. Every day we fought practically until the end of the day and only at the end of the day did we manage to get out from under the train. I think that the experience of previous World Championships and the great experience of competitive fishing in general helped us not to break down every day and fight until the last second. We have never had such a nerve-wracking and responsible competition! We will also talk a few words about the equipment we used on Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv. For zander fishing, both we and Siim and Janno’s boat crew used two Lowrance Active Target sensors, one of which is in the Forward view and the other in the Scout (i.e. Perspective) view. Thanks to this, we were able to make more accurate casts and better assess whether the lure lands accurately enough in the offensive zone of the place or sinks amiss. The trick with the passive spot was that the lure had to get to the place exactly at the chin with an accuracy of a few centimeters, only then could you hope that it would take it off. Otherwise, he either did not react at all or chased the lure to the boat but did not take it away.We had a Lowrance Recon as the bow engine, which has now become much more comfortable to drive. The remote control has a “joystick” type control and also a display where you can conveniently view the direction of the bow motor without having to peek over your shoulder or stand up all the time. With our fishing style, it was key to monitoring the direction of the bow motor on the screen, because otherwise our necks would not have survived this World Championship. <\/p>\n\n

There were a lot of trainings and we got to experience all kinds of weather \u2013 15 m\/s wind, 1.5 m wave, rain, hail and a few times also sunshine. Gill clothes \u2013 Aspect Bib overalls and jacket \u2013 were very helpful. Gill is a very well-known sailing clothing brand and it should be mentioned that these clothes are also perfect for fishing, because we have not gotten wet even when a one-and-a-half-meter wave goes exactly over our heads, but at the same time they are very comfortable to wear and do not hinder active movement. We’ve tried on all kinds of clothes, but I can’t ask for anything better. <\/p>\n\n

So, the Estonian team won a silver medal at the World Championships and the boat team Siim Enders and Janno Jaadla also won bronze in the individual competition. The team consisted of: Siim Enders, Janno Jaadla, Alexander Andrusenko, Lehar Leetsaar, Maksim Konovalik, Konstantin Aksyonov, Igor Varlamov, Sergei Varlamov and captain Raigo Padar. <\/p>\n\n

I would like to thank our entire team. We have all done a great job! Everyone’s contribution was very important and without it, this medal would not have happened! Many thanks to Captain Raigo for taking on this responsible position! I would also like to thank the owner of J\u00f5esuu Tourism Farm, Jaanus, who hosted us during the competition and training, offered us good and better food for dinner and helped us in every way! If you are looking for a good place to relax, then J\u00f5esuu Tourism Farm is a very good place by Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv, where you will feel at home and where there are picturesque views of Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv! And finally, I thank all the supporters for their moral support, and certainly my husband and loved ones for their patience. It’s not easy to manage everything when your husband is away from home for 2 weeks! We wish good luck to next year’s national team, so that they can do at least as well or even better in Hungary! <\/p>\n\n

— Lehar —Ten years of journey in spinning sportsWhen talking about fishing, many people first think of a joke about “big fish”, exaggerated catches or fishermen who hold a bottle instead of a fishing rod.The reality, however, is quite different. Fishing is a dignified and deeply balancing hobby that gives you the opportunity to be in nature, clear your thoughts and find peace with yourself.In today’s world, where there is more and more talk about mental health and burnout, fishing is one of the few activities that teaches patience, concentration and joy in simple moments at the same time.A person needs love, purpose and hope in life \u2013 and these three are always present in fishing.However, this simple hobby becomes a lifestyle for some \u2013 and for some, a sport where passion and determination take you to the top of the world.Many people ask why it is necessary to compete in fishing at all. The answer is simple \u2013 the desire to do things as well as possible. Fishing sports provide an opportunity to experiment, learn and compare yourself with others in order to better understand how different fish species behave, what effects weather, light and water temperature have, and how to hone your skills. <\/p>\n\n

Fishing is a science \u2013 and science is fascinating. It combines emotion and analysis, creativity and precision. It is this mixture that makes fishing more than a hobby \u2013 it becomes a lifelong passion and a constant journey to become better. <\/p>\n\n

Beginnings in FranceWhen I stepped onto the spinning world stage for the first time at the 2014 World Championships in Lac du Bourget, France, I had no idea what a long and educational journey awaited me. It was my first World Championship \u2013 a nervous, exciting competition with a completely new experience. It was there that I saw for the first time at what level the world’s top athletes are actually striving for, and I realised how much there is still to learn.The journey of the two men began at Lake Viljandi <\/p>\n\n

Already the next year, in 2015, on Lake Viljandi, I was again at the start of the World Championships. This time Alexander and I were both fishing, but still in different boats.The competition lasted two days. On the first day, we tried to imitate the teams of other countries \u2013 their style, lure and movement choices \u2013 and we failed. On the second day, we decided to do exactly what we did best, and it brought a completely different result. In the end, the Estonian team achieved a good fifth place in the national ranking. In retrospect, it can be said that it was this competition that took place on Lake Viljandi that gave Alexander and I several important thoughts and ideas on how to reach the top of the world.After the World Championships in Viljandi, we threw the spinning together \u2013 and that was the beginning of our journey together, which has lasted to this day. <\/p>\n\n

Gold, bronze and domestic silverFrom there, the World Championships took us through many places: in 2017 to the Ivankovskoye reservoir in Russia, in 2022 to the Slapy reservoir in the Czech Republic, and in 2023 to Latvia, where they competed in the waters around Riga. Every lake and reservoir has had its own face \u2013 sometimes windy and crisp, sometimes quiet and warm in the middle of summer. <\/p>\n\n

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  1. In England, the Estonian team was crowned world champion for the first time \u2013 an event that marked a turning point in the history of our spinning sport. This proved that even a small country like Estonia can compete with the strongest fishing nations in the world. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. In the Czech Republic, Alexander and I managed to repeat this success in the Estonian team \u2013 win the world championship title again and also take an individual bronze medal. This year’s team silver medal at Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv finally confirmed that Estonian spinning fishing is definitely among the best in the world. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Home lake and responsibilityFor me, however, Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv is more than just a competition venue. As a child, I spent all my summers with my grandmother and grandfather by Lake V\u00f5rtsj\u00e4rv \u2013 fishing, rowing and swimming. Coming back here, now to the world’s top competition, was like closing the circle. A lake at home, childhood places and ten years of work \u2013 all of them met in one moment. <\/p>\n\n

    When preparing for the competition and especially on the competition days, Alexander and I felt a very clear responsibility \u2013 not only to the Estonian team, but also to the organizing team and the entire Estonian fishing community. We realized that failure at home would be a great disappointment for many and would have been remembered for many years. This knowledge made us work even harder for every cast and every fish than perhaps any previous competition.This year’s World Championships were therefore emotional and demanding. The water at home did not give anything easily, the weather tested both technique and patience. However, it was this experience and years of cooperation with Alexander that finally helped us to formalise the result. <\/p>\n\n

    Acknowledgments and supportersI would especially like to thank Ivo S\u00f6\u00f6t and his super awesome team, who brought this World Championship to Estonia and organized it with a grade of 5+. It was an event that will be remembered for a long time by all participants and showed that Estonia is capable of organising world-class competitions. <\/p>\n\n

    Also, a big thank you to the team of Alter Baltics O\u00dc, who have consistently supported us with sonars, bow engines and competition clothing. Their input has helped us to be better prepared and focus on what really matters \u2013 striving for the best result. <\/p>\n\n

    And finally, the biggest thanks go to my loved ones, first of all my husband, whose burden was often heavier than mine. Without their support, this journey would not have been possible. <\/p>\n\n

    Thank you to everyone who has been on this path \u2013 fellow competitors, supporters and friends. We will meet on the next lake, with a new challenge. <\/p>\n\n

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