That’s Fishin’ – July 2015
You can feel the energy before you get there. You can smell it. You can taste it. And when you arrive at Marina Pez Vela, you can experience it. ‘IT’ is The Offshore World Championship.
Wonder why there’s energy? Why you can taste the competition and the fish in the air? It’s because each of the qualifying 67 international teams had to WIN a qualifying tournament the previous year. Then, they had to get sponsors and get here–with all their gear.
Next up, BOAT DRAW. Scariest part of the tournament if you ask me. Why? The boats are divided up into classes and each team draws 1 boat from each class. It’s a big difference to teams who are used to fishing on one particular boat, with all particular gear, and very particular crew. It’s downright unsettling to see. I stopped in at The Parador after the boat draw had been made. Teams from out of town who didn’t know the local boats or crews were given a blissful ignorance of the experience. For those of us in the know, it only heightened the level of pressure.
There is no better way to sum up the tournament than with an excerpt from the official Bonnier Press Release…
“QUEPOS, Costa Rica (April 20, 2015)—After setting a world record for most billfish released in a tournament, it wrapped up with a total of 2,840 billfish releases, which included 2,822 sailfish, fourteen blue marlin, two black marlin and two striped marlin. There were 13 qualifying dolphin, 3 wahoo and 1 tuna weighed over the 25-pound minimum by the time the scales closed on the final day.
The competition was tough and with less than 10 minutes to go in the tournament only a few hundred points separated the top three teams. Two of those teams hooked up with just minutes left and ended up tied at lines out with 13,400 points each. After final review, the team representing the Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament of Bermuda released their final fish 3 minutes before the team representing the Torneio de Marlin do Rio de Janeiro Brazil to claim the tie breaker and win the championship. It was an amazing outcome that after 1,900 minutes of fishing it all came down to the wire on the last day in the last minutes of fishing.
The team of American anglers qualified by winning the Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament in Bermuda. The team caught 67 sailfish for a grand total of 13,400-points to win the 16th Annual 2015 Offshore World Championship (OWC). The anglers include Taylor Beckford, Rob Moore, David Berard and Frank Rodriguez.”
So. It’s just that awesome. You might have missed this year’s tournament, but this girl has some inside information to share. That’s right, I’ve already heard that The Offshore World Championship is coming back next year. Bigger, and better! So GET READY!!!
A big SHOUT OUT to Marina Pez Vela and all the other local sponsors, suppliers and volunteers. Your continued support of the community and making world class events happen here does all of us good.
Speaking of doing good, I’m organizing a fishing tournament for August and would like to challenge all business owners to enter a team. All proceeds will go to feeding the hungry in Quepos and surrounding areas. As always, my contact information is included at the bottom of the article; and check MA Locals for official information once dates are confirmed. Looking forward to throwing a wicked-ass-super-happy-fun-time and feeding the hungry while doing it.
Pura Vida.
Want a referral to one of Sarah’s preferred Captains? Call 8708-6152 or email [email protected] OR… come on down to THE HAWG ‘N’ BILL at Playa Espadilla! Our five star chef cooks your catch and our waiters serve up the coldest beer on the beach! All that and LIVE MUSIC, THURS-SUN 6-9pm!
Sarah Munro is an ex-pat Canadian living in the Manuel Antonio area; who has been fishing since infancy. Rumor has it, Sarah gutted her first fish before she could ride a bike. It’s quite likely, that yes, one day, the fish will come for her.
Looking for more of That’s Fishin’? Check out all the articles at: www.quepolandia.com/category/thats-fishin/
Until then peeps, keep your sea legs swayin, and your rod hand ready! So, what are you waiting for????? Get out there and GET FISHIN!!!!!