Yamaha/Contender Miami Billfish Tournament
April 4-6, 2008
- Miami, FL
- 98 Boats
- 3rd and Final Leg of the Contender Boats Libertad Challenge
On the first day, the fleet was met with strong winds. As usual along with
the wind came the sailfish. At day’s end Ovation took the lead by releasing
nine sailfish for 1,800 points. Eric Croft with also held the title of top angler
for the day with six of his team's nine releases. Warrin Peace was in second place
on time, also with nine releases and 1,800 points. Viking 50 was third with seven
sailfish released for 1,400 points and Wound Up was fourth with six releases and
1,200 points. At the end of the day, 166 sailfish had been released.
Day two didn’t calm the winds. With the bite on, everyone still had a
chance to be a part of the running, and the lead would change several times during
the day. Ovation and Warrin' Piece swapped places for the lead Saturday, each
boat releasing one sailfish for a two-day total of 10 releases each and 2,000
points.The rest of the field changed completely with 4 Aces in third after releasing
an incredible six sailfish for a total of 2,000 points. Priceless was in fourth,
followed by Hat Time and Viking 50, each with 1,800 points. The fleet released
120 sailfish Saturday for a two day total of 286. Although the competition was
closer than ever, it was still anyone’s game!
As the last day kicked off, the stage was set for a shootout. It was a battle
for the top boat to the very end, but it was if fate had intervened and replayed
the comeback of the year prior. A year earlier, Miss Britt had come back from
behind on the final day to win the tournament, and this year they had done the
same. Miss Britt started Sunday in eighth place, but by day’s end Capt.
Jim Mulcahy and his team caught and released four sailfish in the final 20 minutes,
hooking the last fish 30 seconds before the 1 p.m. lines out, to win the 26th
annual event. The Miss Britt team of Mulcahy, Cartwright, mate Markian Galadza,
and anglers John Melton and Bill Weber of Naples, and Ed Poole of Cape Coral,
who were joined this year by Hans Evald, had six releases for a three-day total
of 14 sailfish and 2,800 points. It was quite an accomplishment considering that
no one boat,crew and angling team had ever won BOTH the tournament and the Libertad
Series in consecutive years.
Viking 50, a company boat skippered by Capt. Ryan Higgins of Winter Park, finished
in second place but only seconds seperated them from first. They actually were
fighting a doubleheader while the Miss Britt was fighting their final fish. It
was one of the closest finishes I've ever seen. Ryan and his team exhibited, as
usual, the highest level of class by actually running his boat over to the Miss
Britt to personally congratulate them on their win.
Final Tournament Standings:
- Miss Britt I - 14 releases
- Viking 50 - 14 releases
- Priceless - 13 releases
- Fish Tales - 13 releases
- Bouncers Dusky - 12 releases
- Ovation - 10 releases
- Warrin Piece - 10 releases
- 4 Aces - 10 releases
Final Libertad Standings:
- Miss Britt I - 41 releases
- 4 Aces - 35 releases
- Rock Star - 32 releases
- Miss Costa - 30 releases
- Uptight - 29 releases
- Fish Tales - 27 releases
- Advanced Roofing - 26 releases
- Sandman - 25 releases
- Qualifier - 25 releases
- Weez In The Keys - 23 releases
The Yamaha / Contender Miami Billfish Tournamnet is the Grand Finale in Miami
for the sailfish circuit. Next year's date is April 2-5,2009. For more info contact
them @ www.miamibillfish.com
I just wanted to take a minute to thank Pat Healy (Viking) , Doc Austin and
Steve Moynihan (HMY) and Chaz McDonald and Al Perkinson from Costa Del Mar, along
with the dozens of people on each team that made this season possible. Without
their support, our season of fishing and this show would not have happened.
There is one more report to follow. We finish our season in Boat Harbour, Bahamas
at the HMY Billfish Blast. Until then - Ray
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