The final round of the Yorkshire Winter League was washed away on Sunday along with the hopes of the chasing teams battling for the single semi-final place.

The river was carrying over eight feet of floodwater and the team captains took a pragmatic decision to abandon the contest.

The cancellation therefore left Anglers World as league champions on nine points.

Hirst Tackle 'B' on 13 points, Wibsey Angling 14 and Armley Angling 16 proved their closet challengers.

The Ouse at Thorpe Underwood and Hunters Lodge was carrying at least six feet of raging floodwater and rising fast for Saturday's 50-pegger.

It was odd roach that could locate a lobby in the swirling murky depths that made the running.

Andy Dargue (Darlington Angling Centre) made another fruitful foray South to win again from fancied peg 221 on the Bungalows. With bream failing to show he had to settle for a trio of roach, including a bonus pound redfin, for his winning 1lb 10oz. All three fish fell to a straight lead and lob tail fished down the gutter.

Phil Austin (Armley Angling) was on peg four at Thorpe Underwood and took advantage of the relative shelter to take four smaller roach on feeder and worm for 1lb 7oz.

Others: Bob Foster (Wibsey Angling) 1-6-0; Dave Armitage (Hirst Tackle) 1-5-8; Dave Pollitt (Hirst Tackle) 1-3-0; Martyn Highe (Hirst Tackle) 1-2-0.

A total of 27 anglers fished at Carpvale in a match organised to accommodate flood refugees.

Andy Gallant (Armley Angling) led with 38lb 7oz. His catch comprised eight carp to 7lb on pole and corn from peg 53.

Runner-up Mick Addinall (Spectrum) enjoyed some brisk sport for his 16-14-0. After failing to contact carp he switched to a silver fish attack and netted roach on pole and caster from peg 14.

Others: Simon Shepherd (Leeds) 15-7-0; Stuart Wilson (Marsh Tackle) 11-2-0; Graham Broadley (Leeds) 10-7-0.

At Raker a full house of 30 fished from which the winner was Phil Walker (Spring Close Lakes) with a creditable 41lb 2oz. Carp to 3lb fell to pole and maggot at 13 metres from peg 15. Others: Gareth Sellars (Team Gem) 39-10-0; Norman Dixon (Anglers Corner) 27-11-0; Al Martindale (Tang Hall MG) 23-13-0

Despite the Nidd having fallen two feet overnight the 60-strong field at Knaresborough were still faced with nearly a yard of coloured and leaf-strewn floodwater.

Those that caught picked up odd fish out of the flow under rod tips.

Dave Wood (Durham) led from a peg in the wood at Sawmills, where he stuck to the trusty lobby for a 4lb chub and six grayling for his 5lb 12oz.

Also at Sawmills was Stuart Proctor (Knaresborough), who was in the Green Field. He rang the changes netting a chub on bomb and meat and half a dozen grayling on maggot feeder.

Others: Kevin McGalughlin (Marsh Tackle) 4-0-0; Dave Owen (Knaresborough) 3-3-0; John Whitehouse (Darlington) 3-0-0

The 51-entry Sunday open at Sessay's Oaks complex was fished on Maple Lake, where it was pasty carp that made all the running.

Rab Ogilvy (Team Oaks) used his encyclopaedic knowledge of the venue to good effect. After drawing peg 44 he chose to fish down the margins rather than across and netted 29lb 10oz of carp to 4lb alternating pellet and maggot.

Another venue regular John Allerton (Tricast Whizzo) took second from peg 56, where he used the more usual long pole and maggot approach for 21lb 12oz of carp to 2lb.

Others: Steve Hodson (RSPS) 15-8-0; Will Henderson (Elmtree) 12-5-0; Rob Wood (Wibsey Angling) 11-0-0; Dean Smith (Van den Eynde Goole) 10-13-0.

Updated: 11:41 Wednesday, January 30, 2002