By IGFA Offshore World Championship
Los Cabos, Mexico: 2011 IGFA Offshore World Championship
The 2011 IGFA Offshore World Championship brought 59 teams and 282 anglers from more than 25 countries to the beautiful destination of Los Cabos Mexico. The billfish were also in attendance with the anglers catching a grand total of 282 striped marlin, 6 sailfish, 2 blue marlin and 2 swordfish. The tournaments first ever swordfish, estimated at 250-pounds was caught on the first day of fishing by Fernando Garcia of Brazil. On the following day Jean Robin Dubouchet from Sengal released the second swordfish of the tournament estimated at 250 –pounds. The top game fish included a tournament record 262-pound yellow fin tuna caught by Flavio Campios Reis from Brazil. All catches are very impressive considering the anglers were using 30-pound IGFA class Momoi line and were required to video the catch and release to score points.
Los Cabos: The tournament was extremely competitive,
with most teams scoring multiple releases. By the end of the first day the team from Senegal representing N’Gor Marlin Cup led all others with 1,000 points from five striped marlin releases for the family team of Eric, Jean Robin and Carole Dubochet. Eric caught three of the marlin earning enough points to hold third place angler position. Trailing close behind with 800-points was the 2008 IGFA Championship team from Florida led by Robert Collins Jr., the only angler to ever win the IGFA Offshore and IGFA Inshore World Championships. Robert’s teammates including Richard Black, Kenneth Longaker, Scott Salley and Erik Akins are no strangers to the tournament winners circle giving this team a great chance to contend for the Championship rings. Holding third with 800-points from four striped marlin releases was the VIII Desafio Mediterraneo team from Spain including Marc Casulleras, Arturo San Juan, Pedro Sierra and Omar Valles. The team spread the fishing wealth as each angler released one marlin for the day.
Los Cabos: On day two,
the anglers once again descended on IGY Marina to board the boats in hopes of adding points to their score. Another day of fishing in Los Cabos brought another 79 marlin releases and the second swordfish release for the international field of anglers. Some nice game fish were weighed including an impressive tournament record 226-pound yellowfin tuna caught by Flavio Campos Reis from the Brazilian team representing the Torneo De Marlin Azul. It takes a very skilled and fit angler to best a tuna using 30-pound IGFA class line loaded on a spinning reel. In the wahoo division, Jury Kozlov from Russia representing the 60th Ernest Hemingway Int. Billfish Tournament caught a nice 43.50-pound fish to take the lead in the category. In the Dorado division, Lorento Ferretti from Italy on the Trofeo Circolo Nautico Sambenedettese team moved into first with a 37.6 pound fish. Yesterday’s leading team, N’Gor Marlin Cup, and angler Jean Robin Dubouchet added a striped marlin release and the tournament’s second swordfish release adding 700 points to their score. The family team from Senegal sat in third place with 1700-points after day two.
Los Cabos: The third day of fishing
continued to stay consistent with many anglers catching fish. The team from the Islamorada Fishing Club Captain Cup Sailfish Tournament continued to pour it on adding six striped marlin releases. The Lyford Cay Offshore Tournament team from the Bahamas and USA also had a hot hand with angler Dean Adler catching the tournaments second blue marlin and a striped with teammate William Stratton adding another striped marlin. Another team making a move with four striped marlin releases was the 2010 IGFA Offshore World Championship Second Place Team from the Bahamas led by Paul King.
Los Cabos: The final day of fishing
saw another 68 striped marlin and two sailfish releases for the teams. The top team on day four was the Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament scoring six striped marlin releases. Angler Eddie Flack was the hot angler for the team scoring 2200 of the 2400 points scored by the team during the tournament. The team from South Africa representing the S.A.D.S.A.A. Billfish Classic had a fantastic day releasing five striped marlin. Other teams scoring critical points was the Bahamas team representing the 2010 IGFA Offshore World Championship Second Place Team who released four striped marlin earning them a repeat result and final standing of the 2011 IGFA Offshore World Championship Second Place Team. The 2008 IGFA Offshore World Championship team added three striped marlin releases which were enough to earn the team third place position. The Islamorada Captains Cup Sailfish Tournament team continued their consistency catching three striped marlin on the final day. The 2010 IGFA Offshore World Championship team added two striped marlin releases.
Some unforeseen circumstances and issues with communications on the charter boat assigned to the 2010 IGFA Championship team on the third day of fishing was reviewed by the tournament committee and all effected teams in contention were communicated to so everyone involved was informed. Recognizing the complexity of the situation and issues that were outside the written rules the tournament committee awarded the 2010 IGFA Offshore World Championship team enough points for their video verified releases on Wednesday to become co-championship winners with the Islamorada Fishing Club Captains Cup Sailfish Tournament Team. Both teams and the tournament committee accepted the resolution with both teams recognized at the awards banquet as 2011 IGFA Offshore World Champions. This was one of the greatest acts of sportsmanship ever witnessed in a tournament and the international group of anglers recognized the act with a resounding loud standing ovation for the Islamorada team at the Los Cabos leg of the World Championship.
Click HERE to download your free EBOOK with images of Los Cabos!!!
