HOT News from the IGFA – November 2009 - Central and South American teams dominate

Central and South American teams dominate 10th IGFA OWC

A trio of teams representing Central and South America beat out 40 other teams from 20 countries on six continents at the 10th annual IGFA Offshore World Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

On their combined 14 marlin releases, eight of them coming in the final round, a local Mexico team from Los Cabos won the four day championship held November 8 - 13. The team which advanced to the IGFA OWC after their win in the World Championship Billfish Release Tournament last year was made up of Hernando Gonzalez, Jobe Villavicencio, Cubi Villavicencio and Oscar Daccarrett, all of Cabo along with Drew Andrews from the U.S. state of Georgia. In the final hours of the tournament they vaulted from 11th place past a major contingent of teams on six marlin caught with live bait and two more on ballyhoo.

All billfish were safely released at the boat in the catch-and-release tournament.

Second place went to the team representing the Presidential Challenge of Guatemala on 3000 points from nine marlin releases and three sailfish releases.

With steady fishing throughout the tournament and nine marlin released, third place went to a team representing Brazil’s XLVI Torneio Annual de Peixes de Bico ICRJ, with 2700 points.

The defending world champions, with most of its members from the U.S. Florida Keys, held the lead the first day but slipped over the course of the tournament finishing in sixth place. They combined with seven striped marlin releases and a 29 lb dorado as its sole weight fish for a total of 2129 points.

The tournament was hosted and managed by Bonnier Corporation, the publishers of three of the world’s leading saltwater fishing magazines which include Marlin, Sport Fishing and Salt Water Sportsman.

The championship is considered international fishing’s most prestigious billfish tournament entertaining winning teams from locations spanning the globe who have been invited after winning one of over 130 qualifying events held in 2008. It’s also the largest contingent of international teams to compete in a single catch-and-release fishing tournament world wide.

For a complete wrap-up of the tournament visit Marlin Magazine online and Charlie Levine’s coverage at http://www.marlinmag.com/news/news/cabo-team-takes-the-igfa-offshore-world-championship-title-on-the-final-day-of-fishing-1000078351.html

And for complete scoring of all of the teams please go to the official IGFA Offshore World Championship web site at www.igfaowc.com

For more on the tournament or about registering a tournament as a qualifier, contact Lynda Wilson at Lynda.Wilson@Bonniercorp.com or via phone at 407-571-4517, or contact Dan Jacobs, Tournament Director at Dan.Jacobs@Bonniercorp.com or call 407-571-4680.