SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Competitors for the annual Journal Pioneer Lobster Trap Stacking Competition at the Summerside Lobster Carnival are ready to see how they stack up against their fellow fishermen.
Marlene Campbell, Cultural Programming Co-ordinator at Culture Summerside, said Thursday's competition is open only to lobster boat captains and crew members.
“We had it open to the public before, but we wanted to make it more professional, and make it about the industry itself.”
The participants will have to lift 10 working lobster traps, carrying each 30 feet away and re-stacking them.
“The competition will be judged by two members of the Lobster Fishers of P.E.I. marketing board and will be judged on their time and the overall neatness of their stack,” said Campbell.
She said the top three participants will walk away with cash prizes.
“The event is sponsored by the Journal Pioneer and the first-place prize is $1,000. The second is $300 and third place with $200.”
Check out the video below of last year's competition:
Lobster fisherman Billy Profit is new to the competition this year.
“I didn’t even know about it last year. I’m an older fella, and I just wanted to try it out,” he said.
The Charlottetown resident, who works out of Howard's Cove in the fall and Pinette in the spring, has fished lobster for more than 30 years, but said he isn’t sure what to expect at the lobster trap stacking event.
“I hope to place in the top three."
"I know Nick Rielly, last year’s winner, and he said that it is harder than you’d expect.”
I'm working on the best strategy, said Profit.
“I’ve been playing around with it, what’s the best way to carry it. I think the biggest factor is not getting winded, seeing as you’re carrying a 125-pound trap, going 20 times back and forth.”
Profit said he’s playing to win.
“I’m very competitive. I’m working on how I’m going to do this.”
The competition can be entered through the Lobster Carnival’s website at www.summersidelobstercarnival.website.
* Correction: Mr. Billy Profit's name was mispelt in the original posting- it has been corrected. We apologize for the mistake.
