16 Dec 2008

28th International Game Fishing Tournament, 2008

The 28th International Game Fishing Tournament, organised by the International Game Fishing Club (IGFC) based at the Pearl South Pacific in Pacific Harbour, Fiji Islands.
IN Association with RIVIERA Fiji and SHIMANO.

25th June to 29th June, 2008.

4 Jul 2008

Press Release for IGFC 28th International Game Fishing Tournament, 2008

PRESS RELEASE JULY 3 2008

The 2008 Invitational International Game Fishing Tournament has concluded with team Fosters Fiji on the Bertram Golden Eagle the outright winner after a runaway Day 1 performance Tagging & Releasing two Pacific Sailfish and fifteen Yellowfin Tuna boated.

Team Fosters Fiji finished on 980.1 points ahead of Pearl 1 on 712.1 and Mango Bay Princess on 593.1.

The tournament, organized by the International Game Fishing Club, in association with Riviera Fiji, Shimano, the Fijian Ministry of Youth and Sports and thirty one local sponsors was based at The Pearl South Pacific Resort at Pacific Harbour from June 25-29.

A total of 99 fish were weighed in as 57 anglers from Fiji, Australia and New Zealand battled it out for the major prizes in Fiji's premier game fishing tournament.

Team winners were Fosters Fiji, Pearl 1 and Mango Bay Princess.

Champion male anglers were Zoheb Razak (491.6) and George Trinkler (320.6) from Golden Eagle Fosters Fiji team , and Les Crossingham (302.4) of the Pearl Resort Team on Pearl 1.

Champion Lady Angler was New Zealand's Lyn Salvidge (108) aboard the Riviera flagship Opulence.

Champion Junior Angler (53.4) was Jordan Whittacker from Saltwater 1 and Champion Smallfry Angler was 10 year old Max Collingwood(46.5) from the newly launched Riviera La Moana – based at the Uprising Resort.

In the individual species section the heaviest Billfish weighed went to Risto Harmat for his 45.9kg Pacific Sailfish on 15 kg line from La Moana and the Uprising Team 1. Risto also took out the heaviest Mahi Mahi with a 10.5kg capture on 15kg line.

The heaviest Tuna went to junior angler Darcy Gibson who weighed a 20.8 kg Yellowfin Tuna on 15 kg line from Turaga Levu and the Sustainable Forest Team.

Heaviest Wahoo went to Lyn Salvidge on Opulence for a 32.1 kg capture on 24kg line, and the heaviest Walu and a new Tournament Record went to Rob Stephenson on Wai Tadra for a 12.5kg fish on 8kg line.

"Our 2008 tournament will go down in the club's history as a David and Goliath story" said IGFC President Chris Donlon. "We had a fleet of nine smaller craft competing against three Rivieras and a Bertram. While all boats scored well, two of the smallest boats finished second and third, three major prizes went to junior anglers, and the heaviest Wahoo went to our Champion Lady Angler fishing on the Riviera flagship Opulence".

A new national and Tournament Record was set by David Murray from Australia fishing aboard Mango Bay Princess for his 8.1 kg Skipjack Tuna on 8 kg line. Also aboard Mango Bay Princess, Australian angler Darren Cook set a tournament record for Grand Trevally with a 12.3k fish on 10 kg line. Rob Stephenson, a veteran angler from New Zealand now resident in Pacific Harbour, also set a tournament record for his capture of a 12.5kg Walu on 8 kg line from local charter king Wai Tadra.

"The 2008 tournament also marks the start of a new era for game fishing in Fiji" said President Chris Donlon. "During the tournament all anglers participated in a research survey by Pacifc Harbour Fisheries Consultant Robert Stone, which is aiming to determine the economic value of recreational fishing throughout the Pacific. This information will be used in the further development of fisheries policies in a bid to conserve and better manage the stocks of fish in our waters".

"From this year, the International Game Fishing Club, in association with Suva and Denarau Game Fishing Clubs, will be hosting a national calendar of events promoting sustainable recreational fishing throughout Fiji. In addition to the major tournaments, this will include an all line class Yellowfin Tuna Tournament at Pacific Harbour during the peak of the Yellowfin season in April. Capping the line class at 15 kg will attract leading international anglers wishing to compete with our local champions".

"To promote junior angling we will be running Smallfry (up to10) and Junior (up to16) tournaments in conjunction with tackle workshops and tag and release training from our new club headquarters, planned for construction at the Pacific Safari in Pacific Harbour".

"The clubhouse is a local initiative to create a base for all those interested in fishing and watersports. Concept drawings were on display throughout the tournament and attracted a lot of interest. The club has also been approached by major sponsors with a view to funding its construction and making the new club headquarters a reality in the near future".

3 Jul 2008

Video Footage from Turaga Levu



Vinaka Vaka Levu to Horace Gock of Turaga Levu for your video and photos!

2 Jul 2008

Fishing on Golden Eagle - First Place

Golden Eagle - 980.1 points - HIGHEST SCORING TEAM









Golden Eagle - 1st place


Vinaka Vaka Levu to George Trinkler for your fantastic photos.

30 Jun 2008

Final Results of the 28th International Game Fishing Tournament

Highest Scoring Team
Golden Eagle
980.1 points

2nd Highest Scoring Team
Pearl 1
712.1 points

Third Highest Scoring Team
Mango Bay Princess
593.1 points

Highest Scoring Male Angler
Zohed Razak - Golden Eagle
491.6 points

2nd Highest Scoring Male Angler
George Trinkler - Golden Eagle
320.6 points

3rd Highest Scoring Male Angler
Les Crossingham - Pearl 1
302.6 points

Highest Scoring Lady Angler
Lyn Salvidge - Opulence
108 points

Highest Scoring Junior Angler
Jordan Whittacker - SaltWater
53.4 points

Champion Small Fry Angler
Max Collingwood - La Moana
46.5 points

Tag and Release
George Trinkler - Golden Eagle
Zoheb Razak - Golden Eagle

Heaviest BillFish
Risto Harmat - La Moana
45.9kg on 15kg line

Heaviest Wahoo
Lyn Salvidge - Opulence
32.1kg on 24kg line

Heaviest Tuna
Darcy Gibson - Turaga Levu
20.8kg on 15kg line

Heaviest MahiMahi
Risto Harmat - La Moana
10.5kg on 15kg line

Heaviest Walu
Rob Stephenson - Wai Tadra
12.5kg on 8kg line

Most Wahoo Points
Les Crossingham - Pearl 1
302.4 points

Best Dressed Team
SALT WATER ONE

2nd Best Dressed
LA MOANA

Outstanding Contribution to the 2008 Tournament
Jo Boddam-Whethem

Outstanding Service to the IGFC
Albert and Pauline Threadingham

Fiji National Record
David Murray - Mango Bay Princess
8.1kg Skipjack on 8kg line

IGFC Tournament Records
David Murray - Mango Bay Princess
8.1kg Skipjack on 8kg line

Rob Stephenson - Wai Tadra
12.5kg Walu on 8kg line

Darren Cook - Mango Bay Princess
12.3 Giant Trevally on 10kg line

Congratulations FISHERMEN!

DAY THREE

Day Three - Final day of the 28th International Game Fishing Tournament, 2008.




Adi Cagilaba with their catch, Albert Threadingham checking their lines.



The Pearl One with their haul of seven fish.


Two sail fish were bought in today on La Moana and Turaga Levu

La Moana with their sail fish

Risto brought in the 45.9 sail fish on a 15kg line


Junior angler Darcy Gibson


bought in the sail fish for TuragaLevu.

Congratulations

Mango Bay Princess caught the only saqa of the tournament!

After a few more drinks and speeches all captains and crew and friends finished the night off at Uprising Beach Resort.

Results at the end of DAY TWO

Opulence - 206.8
Mango Bay Princess - 543.9
Pearl One - 314.5
Saltwater One - 130.8
Xtasea - 46
Cagilaba - 38.4
La Moana - 331.9
Wai Tadra - 463
Kania - 271.7
Golden Eagle - 980.1
Freelance - 272.6
Forceline - 131.4
Turaga Levu - 138.8

DAY TWO

DAY TWO: The boats started returning from their fishing spots with their catch at 1630 hours on Friday.

FreeLance

La Moana

SaltWater One

Forceline

Adi Cagilaba

Kania Unloading their catch

Albert checking the lines and lures for Mango Bay Princess' catch (below).

Day Two Results

Opulence - 64.9
Mango Bay Princess - 187.2
Pearl One - nil
Saltwater One - 130.8
Xtasea - nil
Cagilaba - nil
La Moana - 31.5
Wai Tadra - 62.5
Kania - 174.3
Golden Eagle - 51.5
Freelance - 197
Forceline - nil
Turaga Levu - 138.8


Bruce Southwick of Kania with his 20.5kg Wahoo caught on a 10kg line.

Mango Bay Princess crew with their haul.

Opulence with Dave Aidney's 8kg Mahi Mahi caught on an 8kg line.

Rob Stephenson on Wai Tadra caught a 12.5kg walu on an 8kg line.
Wai Tadra crew

Risto on La Moana and his 10.5kg mahi on a 15kg line

Freelance with their wahoo catch

Saltwater with junior angle Jordan Whittaker's 17.8 wahoo caught on a 15 kg line.

Turaga Levu with their catch of the day.


28 Jun 2008

DAY ONE RESULTS

Day One brought in a haul of 54 fish and two tag and release.


The results for Day One:
Opulence - 141.9
Mango Bay Princess - 356.7
Pearl One - 314.5
Saltwater One - nil
Xtasea - 46
Cagilaba - 37.4
La Moana - 300.4
Wai Tadra - 400.5
Kania - 97.4
Golden Eagle - 928.6
Freelance - 75.6
Forceline - 131.4
Turaga Levu - nil

The Weigh In - Day One

Opulence Crew

Crew of La Moana

Wai Tadra Crew

Crew for Golden Eagle

Tag and Release - George Trinkler on Golden Eagle

Tag and Release - Zahib Ruzak on Golden Eagle

Salt Water Junior Anglers

Mango Bay Princess Crew
Crew on Freelance

The Forceline crew

Cagilaba crew

The Pearl One

Bruce Southwick for Kania

The line up for FRESH FISH and sashimi prepared by Gourmet Foods.

Max Munch-Collingwood of La Moana with his catch of the day!