A Bermuda sportswoman will take her place among 45 top anglers in the fourth annual Rolex/IGFA Inshore World Championship in Florida next month.

Cindy Mitchell from Devonshire earned her spot in the elite field after qualifying last year at the IWFA Light Tackle Tournament ? one of 50 International Game Fish Association (IGFA) sanctioned events held during 2003.

More than 2,500 anglers from four continents were among those who attempted to qualify for the upcoming tournament.

Competition in the big event is set to begin on May 2 and will continue until May 5 in waters off the Florida Keys.

Besides Mitchell there will be anglers from 13 US states.

The Rolex/IGFA features three days of fishing beginning with a captain?s draw on the opening evening which matches a different guide and angler each day.

The targeted species for the championship are bonefish, tarpon, snook, redfish and permit in a catch-and-release format.

The point value of each fish caught will be determined by species and the angler?s choice of fly-fishing, artificial lure or bait casting.

IGFA tournament director Mike Myatt explained that with so many different fishing disciplines represented by the qualifying champions, this format levelled the ?on-the-water playing field?.

The Islander Resort will serve as tournament headquarters with fishing and daily scorekeeping taking place from the Worldwide Sportsman. Both are located at mile marker 82 in the Keys. The three days of competitive fishing will start on Monday, May 2 and conclude on Wednesday, May 5.

Anglers will be allowed to drop their lines at 7 a.m. each day and must stop fishing at 3 p.m.

Once on shore all anglers will gather at the Zane Grey Lounge where the day?s scores will be posted.

Up for grabs will be Rolex timepieces for the grand champion and runner-up while division champions ? first to third in fly, spin and bait ? plus the overall top three guides will also receive trophies and prizes.

Like the Masters in professional golf, past champions are invited perpetually.

Competing this year will be a record nine women champions, several celebrity champions and a junior angler champion.

The ICT is one of three world class series events that also includes the fifth annual Rolex/IGFA Offshore Championship Tournament which will be held from May 16-22 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. In that tournament over 65 winning teams of anglers representing tournaments in 29 countries will be hunting for a variety of billfish around the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula.