Kevin VanDam and Dustin Connell capture the pairs title as the United States tops South Africa and France on Lake Hamilton.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Team USA defended home waters in a big way, winning the 20th Black Bass Fishing World Championship after three days of international competition on Lake Hamilton.
The United States claimed the overall team title ahead of South Africa and France, while Kevin VanDam and Dustin Connell added another American gold medal by winning the pairs competition.
The championship brought together competitors from 22 nations, along with two pairs from the Philippines, showcasing the depth of talent and growing international reach of bass fishing.
Team USA Tops the Team Standings
Fishing on home waters, the United States delivered a strong performance across the three competition days to secure the world championship.
The race remained competitive through the final day, with quality catches and movement in the standings keeping pressure on the field. When the competition concluded, South Africa earned silver and France rounded out the podium with bronze.
Final Team Podium
- United States — Gold
- South Africa — Silver
- France — Bronze
VanDam and Connell Lead an American One-Two Finish
Kevin VanDam and Dustin Connell’s consistency across all three days earned them the world title in the pairs classification.
Fellow Americans Scott Martin and Dakota Ebare finished second, giving Team USA the top two positions. France’s Benjamin Da Costa Lopes and Bastien Nicolay secured the bronze medal.
Final Pairs Podium
- Kevin VanDam and Dustin Connell, United States — Gold
- Scott Martin and Dakota Ebare, United States — Silver
- Benjamin Da Costa Lopes and Bastien Nicolay, France — Bronze
Lake Hamilton Delivers on the World Stage
Lake Hamilton provided a productive setting for the championship, with quality fish landed throughout the event and a final day that brought significant changes in the standings.
The three-day competition tested the anglers’ preparation, decision-making and ability to adjust while representing their countries against an international field.
For Hot Springs, the event put its home fishery in the spotlight. For the sport, the turnout offered another sign of bass fishing’s expanding global reach.
Next Stop: South Africa in 2027
With the championship complete, attention turns to the Fishing World Games, scheduled for October 2027 in South Africa.
The event will bring the world’s top anglers together again to compete for international honors and write the next chapter of global bass fishing.
The International Federation thanked the athletes, team officials, organizers, volunteers, judges and partners who helped make the Lake Hamilton championship possible.
For Team USA, this chapter ended with a team world title, gold and silver in the pairs standings, and a memorable victory on home waters!
