MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, BP introduced its star-studded professional angling team for the 2007 Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Team BP is comprised of pros Ray Scheide, Jim Moynagh, Guido Hibdon, Shinichi Fukae, David Walker, J.T. Kenney, Tracy Adams and Alfred Williams. Co-anglers Judy Israel and Charles Ward will fish for Team BP from the back of the boat.
"BP is excited about competing in the one of the largest sports in America," stated Kevin Phelan, Sr. Vice President of Marketing for BP. "This team of all-star anglers was selected based on their commitment to quality, performance and the environment."
The BP 2007 angler team has a combined record of 89 top-10 finishes and total career winnings that surpass $2.8 million. The team was assembled from across the professional fishing world to create one of the most diverse and successful groups of fishermen in FLW Outdoors history.
Earlier this year, BP came on board with FLW Outdoors and announced its platinum sponsorship, including title sponsorship of a division in the revamped 2007 Wal-Mart FLW Series. The new FLW Series will consist of two divisions -- the FLW Series BP Eastern Division and the FLW Series National Guard Western Division -- each consisting of four $1 million qualifying events.
"I can't imagine a more natural fit than BP and bass fishing," Scheide said. "They complement each other so well; they are everywhere we are. It just really makes sense for the fishermen and for BP. They've picked an unbelievably talented group of anglers, too."
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses exceeding $43 million through 238 events in 2007.
Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world's leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit http://www.Wal-Mart.com .
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit http://www.FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
About BP
BP markets more than 15 billion gallons of gasoline every year to U.S. consumers through 13,000 retail outlets and supplies more than four billion gallons of fuel annually to fleets, industrial users, auto and truck manufacturers, railroads and utilities. BP is the single, global brand formed by the combination of the former British Petroleum, Amoco Corporation, Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol. BP is a global producer, manufacturer and marketer of oil, gas, chemicals and renewable energy sources. For more information, please visit http://www.BP.com .