Gate City Recap: Lambert wins second AOY title in five years, Malena wins ROY

The Gate City Classic saw high pressure, a strong breeze and bluebird skies. Those conditions are the recipe for a tough bite, especially in shallow water. The expected fall pattern was not available as fish backed off from shallow schooling and summer ended and the advantage went to deep-water anglers.

They didn’t have it much better, but they found the fish to get the job done. And there were some twists along the way, as anglers battled for top prizes and qualifying spots in the invitation-only Tournament of Champions.

Here is one example of how it went….The first spot out of the money was fourth place. But the fourth place winner would also win a new trailer from On the Water Innovations. Brooks Lanier occupied the fourth place spot not once, but twice during the day. He held it at mid-morning, only to be overtaken by Jared Stanley at mid-day. At one point, Lanier dropped as far as sixth place, only to cull and reclaim fourth place when it mattered most: at the end.

When it was over, we all gathered at Get Outdoors Pedal and Paddle to applaud the champions, distribute prizes and celebrate another great season.

Lambert Wins 2024 Angler of the Year

In the first decade of CKA history, there were seven champions. As we finish the first season of our second decade, there remain only seven. The reason for that is because Will Lambert won his second Angler of the Year points title in the past five seasons (his first win came in 2019).

The run began last season, when Lambert won the Gate City Classic and Tournament of Champions, then followed through with three additional wins in 2024. By winning the Gate City Classic, he became only the second angler to do so in consecutive seasons, too.

Along the way, Lambert broke Brian Tsiolkas run of back-to-back AOY victories. Tsiolkas finished in second place overall in the standings (and took third place at the Gate City Classic). 2023 rookie of the Year Ryan Hayes took third place overall in the points race, and Joey Sullivan (4^th) and Justin Faircloth (5^th) rounded out the top five.

Comparatively speaking, the 2023 and 2024 seasons were quite similar. In 2023, five different anglers won separate events (with Tsiolkas and Clay Lanier combining for five wins, and Sean Boorsma, Will Lambert and Brooks Lanier taking the other three). In 2024, four different anglers won events, as Lambert and Faircloth won three apiece and Dontrell Sullivan and Dave Hart won an event each.

The numbers show that CKA remains a competitive series where every cast counts and where high quality competition remains a priority. Lambert’s recent hot streak of five victories in ten regular season events spanning two years is an outlier; when considered within the span of the five years since he last won an event, it is par for the course in our club.

Also, with his season-sealing win at the Gate City Classic, Lambert ties Brian Tsiolkas and P.C. Hawj with six wins all-time in CKA competition. You can see all the championship stats at the CKA Hall of Champions.

For his win, Lambert won a Ketch trophy, a $500 Get Outdoors Gift card, a custom rod from The Rod Shop, and more.

Malena wins Rookie of the Year

There are no repeats for Rookie of the Year: you get one crack at the title. Thomas Malena made the most of his chance in winning the title in 2024. And he did so with grace, showing class in his appreciation for the club and fellow competitors. In his words:

“It’s an honor to be named Rookie of the Year. A big shoutout to Ron [Singletary] and the rest of the rookies who challenged me to the very end. And best of luck to everyone heading into the Tournament of Champions next weekend. Those guys earned it, and it’s far from easy out there.
Personally, I made more mistakes than I care to admit this season, but all you can do is turn them into learning opportunities. There is still a long way for me to go and I am looking forward to coming back stronger next season.”

For his win, Malena won a Ketch trophy, a $250 Get Outdoors Gift card, a custom rod from The Rod Shop, and more.

Duff Digital Big Bass

Justin Faircloth took the 2024 Big Bass competition as his 23.25” bass caught at Jordan Lake held up over the course of four events. For the win, Faircloth receives a $500 prize.

Looking Ahead

And speaking of Jordan Lake….

Two events remain on our fall calendar: the Tournament of Champions will be held on September 28-29^th at Jordan lake. If you qualified, check your email for instructions about how to register.

The 6^th annual Battle on the Border will take place on November 2nd at Kerr Lake. It is now a possible qualifying event for the Virginia B.A.S.S. Nation kayak championship.

And then, the CKA winter Series will begin!