Elite Series angler Luke Clausen will soon have to decide if he wants to get back to tournament action as soon as he’s physically able or sit out the rest of the season to recover from injuries he suffered this week while retrieving tackle from a friend’s shop.
Because only one Elite Series tournament has been contested so far, Clausen does have options, but his injuries and how quickly he can heal from them will likely determine which direction he chooses to go. Clausen suffered five broken ribs, a separated shoulder and a concussion after falling from a 12-foot high platform on Tuesday near his home in Spokane, Wash. He was gathering tackle from a storage area in a friend’s shop when he fell onto a concrete floor.
B.A.S.S. does have a medical hardship available to Elite Series anglers in the event of an incapacitating illness or injury to the angler or member of his immediate family. An angler who receives the exemption prior to midseason must requalify for the following season based on Angler of the Year points from the most recent completed season.
Earlier this season, Mark Davis withdrew from competition for the rest of the season to have hip replacement surgery. Assuming his recovery goes as planned, Davis will be back in the Elite Series field next year based on his top-70 finish (21st) in 2017 Angler of the Year points.
If Clausen opts to sit out the rest of the season, he’ll also be eligible to return in 2019 based on where he finished in the 2017 AOY points – 23rd.
Missing a tournament or two and then returning to competition is also an option, but will make the path to requalify more difficult. If Clausen chooses that route, his requalification will be based on where he ultimately finishes in the AOY standings this season. If he falls outside the top 70, he’ll be ranked with other anglers outside the top-70 based on his average finish in points over his Elite Series career.
The timing of Clausen’s accident couldn’t have been worse. With four tournaments in the next seven weeks, he stands to miss nearly half the season if he’s unable to bounce back before the schedule shifts to the North in mid-June. By then, it’s assumed he’d be at or near the bottom of the points standings and well out of contention to qualify for next year’s Classic.
