Sandy Smith’s team Zues scored 2,600 points during the Harbour Island Championship to capture First Place for the tournament and maintain their impressive lead in the overall standings of the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship. Smith, from St. Cloud, Florida led his team in catching and releasing three blue marlin, one white marlin and six sailfish during the tournament which was the third leg of the BBC’s five tournament Series. Team Zues caught qualifying billfish each day keeping the pressure on and the points consistently accumulating
The Harbour Island Championship sponsors were on-hand to present the Randy Rich designed First Place trophy to team Zues during the awards ceremony at the Coral Sands Resort. Sponsor representatives making the trophy presentation were Vanessa Darling of International Special Risks, Casey Sinclair of Smith- Merritt Insurance, Lisa Verbit and John Domenico of Bank of America’s US Trust and Mike Romanchuk of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
As the Top Release Team for the Harbour Island Championship, Zues received a Hy Jacobson original teak sculpture presented by BBC sponsors Murray Products and the Al Behrendt Marine Group. Top Crew trophies, sponsored by the Lewis Marine Group, were awarded to Capt. Glenn Cameron and the crew of Zues
Catching and releasing four blue marlin for 2,400 points was Mike Sandifer’s Makin Reel Memories, a 60 Hatteras. The Second Place team, from Jacksonville, Florida, caught their blues on the first two days of fishing and led the tournament until the final hours when Zues caught and released two sailfish giving Smith’s team the 200 point margin
Gary Angel’s Sea Angel, a Weaver 60 from Baytown, Texas, finished third with 2,100 points after releasing three blue marlin, one white marlin and one sailfish. In addition to the Randy Rich trophies, the top three finishers all received gift certificates from Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service (ROFFS) and Bacardi Anejo compliments of Bacardi International and Bahamas based Bristol Wine and Spirits
Twenty seven of the world’s top sportfishing boats occupied slips at Romora Bay Resort & Marina, Valentines Resort & Marina and Harbour Island Marina & Yacht Club for the third of the Championship’s 2011 tournaments. Over the three days, the participating boats caught a total of 51 billfish. Blue marlin accounted for 21 of the total along with 13 white marlin and 17 sailfish. At all BBC tournaments, catches and releases are validated using time and date stamped digital images. Affidavits signed by all participants fishing on each team further confirms that the fish was released in accordance with IGFA and Bahamas Billfish Championship rules
The opening reception, hosted by Gulfstream International Airlines, was held at the Romora Bay Resort overlooking the harbor at sunset. The closing cocktail reception was hosted by Caterpillar Marine. Both the opening dinner and awards banquet were hosted by the tournament sponsors International Special Risks, Smith-Merritt Insurance, Bank of America’s US Trust and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
With the win at Harbour Island and accrued points from the two earlier tournaments, Zues maintains a strong lead in the overall standings for 2011 with 9,100 points. Team Wave Paver, which has had consistently good fishing this season, added 1,400 points at Harbour Island and maintained their Second Place Overall standing with 7,600 points. Team Chasin Tail, winner of the Cape Eleuthera Championship, only added 200 points at Harbour Island but continued in Third Place Overall with 5,600 points. See overall standings of this year’s BBC teams.
Now celebrating its 38th season, the BBC is the oldest billfish tournament series in the world. Anglers can fish any or all of the tournaments with cumulative points determining the overall Bahamas Billfish Champions. In an effort to give-back to the Bahamian people, the Bahamas Billfish Championship has two endowed scholarships that enable Bahamian students the opportunity to pursue a degree in marine biology or advanced education in marine technologies
For the complete details about the Championship, the very latest information and overall standings visit www.bahamasbillfish.com or contact the Bahamas Billfish Championship at 866-920-5577
