3rd LEG OF LOS SUEÑOS SIGNATURE TRIPLE CROWN FINISHES ON A HIGH NOTE – 2nd Annual Billfish Series Continues Record-breaking Tradition: 5,732 billfish, 39 boats, 9 days, 50 fish per boat per tournament.
Los Sueños Resort and Marina, located at Playa Herradura on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, is home to the annual Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown billfish series, presented by Poms & Associates. The third leg of this year’s triple header, held March 25-28, 2015, broke the standing record for the most billfish released during a single tournament day on the third and final day of competition, with 879 fish, including 875 sails and 4 marlin. A total of 1890 fish were released over the three days of the third leg by the 37 participating teams. Over the nine days of competition that spanned over three separate events, one each of the first three months of the year, an incredible total of 5,732 billfish were released by an average of 39 teams, translating to 147 fish per boat, or nearly 50 fish per boat per tournament.
DAY 1
The week before the third and final leg of the tournament, boats were reporting between 40 and over 100 billfish releases a day. However, as is custom before any Los Sueños tournament, fishing slowed down the day of registration on Wednesday the 25th. To keep things in perspective, slow fishing around Los Sueños means teams were reporting between 15 and 30 releases! At the start of Day 1, with 30 fish in as many minutes, we thought the bite was heating up. However, fishing slowed down mid-morning and remained slow and steady for most of the day. Midday, Fish Tank was in first with 1,600 points, ahead of High Hook and Tarheel, but fell back for a while. At 2:40 pm they released fish #444 and bumped High Hook out of second place. They slowly picked away at the teams on the leaderboard, and went on to bump Tarheel out of first at 3:51 pm. They didn’t know it yet, but they had just secured the top spot for the day, two minutes ahead of Tarheel, each team achieving 23 sail and 1 marlin release for 2,800 points. High Hook placed third for the day with 26 sail releases and 2,600 points. A total of 536 billfish were released, including 531 sails and 5 marlin.
In the race for the Signature Champion of the Triple Crown Showdown, Tarheel started the day in first overall with a two-leg score of 18,200 points. Trophy Box had 18,100 points in second and Team Galati was in third with 15,000 points. By the end of Day 1, Tarheel had 21,000 points, Trophy Box 20,300 points and Team Galati 17,600 points.
DAY 2
The bite was similar on Day 2, with good numbers in the morning, slowing down around midday and then heating up in the afternoon, taking us well past lines out. By 8:30 am, the fleet had released 37 billfish, including 1 marlin. By 10:06 am, they had 114 billfish releases and 640 billfish overall. Uno Mas Smith started making their presence known just before 10:00 am with a marlin release taking them to 1300 points and top position on the daily leaderboard. Looking at the two-day scores Fish Tank, Tarheel, Team Galati and Uno Mas Smith were all tied for first place, each with 3,400 points. By 3:30 pm, the overall billfish releases had increased to 963, 427 on Day 2 alone, including 9 marlin and 418 sails. Team Galati had pushed Fish Tank out of first with 5,300 points, Tarheel was in second with 5,000 points and Fish Tank still on the leaderboard in third with 4,300 points. Fishing continued for 29 minutes after lines out was called at 4:00 pm, with 10 billfish releases in that time. It was Uno Mas Smith who made a last minute run at the leaderboard, hooking up to a marlin at 3:43 on and releasing it at 4:29 pm (the last fish of the day), successfully bumping Southern Pride off the leaderboard and into fourth place overall. Team Galati finished in first with 5,400 points, Tarheel in second with 5,300 points and Uno Mas Smith in third with 4,700 points. Wire We Here was the silent competitor on Day 2, not even on the leaderboard as of the 10:00 am update, but taking first for the day with 3100 points after releasing 26 sails and 1 marlin and finishing 300 points ahead of Team Galati. A total of 475 billfish were released over the course of Day 2, including 465 sails and 10 marlin, making a two-day total of 1,011 billfish.
In the Triple Crown Showdown, it was Tarheel firmly in first with 23,500 points, Trophy Box in second with 21,600 points and Team Galati gaining tremendous ground in third with 20,400 points.
DAY 3
The goal going into the third and final leg was to achieve the magical number of 1,236 billfish releases. This would get us to the record three-leg total of 5,078 billfish releases achieved in 2014. By 9:28 am on Day 3, the fleet surpassed this goal with a quadruple sailfish release by Tarheel. There were 112 releases within the first 47 minutes of the day, including two back-to-back quads. A total of 14 quads were reported to tournament control on Day 3 alone, and too many doubles and triples to count! Within the first hour and 25 minutes, the fleet had released 217 billfish, or an average of over 2.5 fish a minute. Three and a half hours into the day, there were already 446 billfish releases. Tarheel was at the top of the leaderboard for Leg 3 with 7,100 points, Uno Mas Smith followed in second with 7,000 points and Sea Angel was in third with 6,200 points. That said, the leaderboard was a moving target, keeping participants and spectators alike on the edge of their seats. Tranquilo was in top spot for the day with 2,500 points. By mid-afternoon, a three-day total of 1,686 billfish had been released, including 1,668 sails and 18 marlin, 675 fish on Day 3 alone. It was Uno Mas Smith in first as of 2:11 pm with 8,100 points, Tarheel then in second with 7,700 points and Team Galati in third with 7,300 points. Sea Angel had taken first place for the day from Tranquilo on time, who in turn put Uno Mas Smith in third on time, each of the top three teams showing 3,400 points.
By the end of Day 3, the teams had released 879 billfish, including 875 sails and 4 marlin, effectively vanquishing the standing record for the most billfish released in a single tournament day by 3:40 pm. This record was previously set on the first day of the third leg of the 2014 Triple Crown. The teams released a three-day total of 1,890 billfish, including 1,871 sails and 19 marlin. Uno Mas Smith took the day with 4,100 points after releasing 41 sails. The Leg 3 leaderboard had Tarheel in first with 9,100 points (86 sails and 1 marlin), Uno Mas Smith in second with 8,800 points (78 sails and 2 marlin), and Team Galati in third with 8,200 points (82 sails).
The Triple Crown Showdown was, not surprisingly, won by Tarheel with an impressive three-leg, nine-day total of 27,300 points.
In 2014, over the 3 legs of the Triple Crown, an average of 39 boats released 5,078 billfish. This year? An average of 39 boats released 5,732 fish, 654 more, for a per boat average of 147 fish, or nearly 50 fish per boat per tournament.
BACK STORIES
Tarheel, a 47’ Scarborough, joined the Los Sueños tournament roster for the first time in January 2015; however, all eyes have been on anglers Robert Shore, E. Smyth McKissick, Carrol Brizendine and Wells Hula, since their first place win in Leg 1. Owner, boat builder and team captain, John Bayliss, is a legend in his own right. Over his 25 years on the water, John has compiled considerable winnings on the international tournament circuit. Tarheel ended in fourth place in Leg 2 and going into the final leg of the Triple Crown, had 18,200 points towards the Triple Crown Showdown. Aside from Trophy Box, who was only 100 points behind, Tarheel was leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the pack.
Uno Mas Smith, a 68’ Bayliss, has been participating in the Los Sueños tournaments for a number of years now. Captain Tom Lynskey and Owner Brooks Smith stood on the podium to take second during the second leg of the final Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series in March 2013, and not too long before that they placed third during the last Los Sueños Marlin Invitational in December 2012. Brooks and fellow anglers Michael Murray, Christophy Lynskey and David Berard, Jr. finished twenty-second in Leg 1 of the 2015 Triple Crown, and seventeenth in Leg 2. Their showing for the third and final leg was nothing short of impressive, especially with Brooks achieving the honor of Top Angler for Leg 3 with 3,700 individual points after releasing 27 sails and 2 marlin.
Team Galati anglers Bob Hixson; Pat Healey, Drew McDowell and Don Gemmell of Viking Yachts, and Carmine Galati of Galati Yacht Sales, have been participating in the Los Sueños billfish tournaments since their inception in 2004, although not always together. Capt. Tony Carrizosa has now been on stage eight times total, including a first place win during Leg 1 2007 on Stephanie Lee, the Series Championship 2007, and second place during Leg 1 2013 on Rebel. 2009 was the first time this year’s team joined forces on Game On and together they have placed first three times, including Leg 1 2011 on Game On, Leg 2 2014 on Team Galati and now. They also placed third during Leg 2 2009. Team Galati finished ninth during the first leg of the 2015 Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown, first in Leg 2, and was third in the race for the Signature Championship of the Triple Crown Showdown.
On behalf of the tournament committee, congratulations to all of the winners of the second annual Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown and their challengers!
CASH PRIZES & AWARDS
The weather was ideal for the awards ceremony on Saturday night. It was held under the stars on the white sand in front of the Los Sueños Beach Club. Guests enjoyed a phenomenal buffet dinner and a live musical performance by Rice n’ Beans. Immediately preceding the presentation of trophies, prizes and checks to the tournament winners, guests enjoyed the highly anticipated dock show filmed and produced by Rich Christenson and Michael Butler. The ceremony was closed out by a spectacular fireworks display by Faisa and a jam-packed after party with DJ Charlie Stevens was hosted at the Terrace Lounge in the Los Sueños Marina Village. Tournament winners took to the stage to receive a total of $216,000 in cash, as well as other prizes provided by tournament sponsors.
1st $58,000 Tarheel: 9,100 points, 86 sails, 1 marlin;
Triple Crown Showdown $100,000 Tarheel: 27,300 points, 263 sails, 2 marlin
2nd $35,000 Uno Mas Smith: 8,800 points, 78 sails, 2 marlin
3rd $23,000 Team Galati: 8,200 points, 82 sails
Trophies by Gray Taxidermy
Other prizes and awards by: Costa Rica Dreams- a fishing trip with accommodations in a Del Mar condominium; Tunaskin- apparel; Rick Bogert- framed prints of the 2nd annual Triple Crown tournament art; Vanmark, Inc.- gold pendants; Costa– sunglasses for the winning anglers; and Flor de Caña- aged rum for winning teams and top angler.
TOP OVERALL ANGLER
Participating anglers are always curious and generally surprised by the announcement of the Top Overall Angler. This achievement recognizes the single angler who obtains the highest number of points over all three legs of the Triple Crown. This year, that achievement went to Austin Angel of Sea Angel. Austin released 87 sails and 1 marlin for 9,200 individual points, 400 points ahead of Smyth McKissick of Tarheel who was the Top Angler in Leg 2.
TOP LADY ANGLER
There were six ladies who angled all three legs of the 2015 Triple Crown. Amanda Cofer of Tranquilo released 43 sails and 2 marlin for 5,300 individual points, finishing just 200 points ahead of runner up Jackie Kopp of Family and Friends. Amanda took home a custom Triple Crown trophy, a grand slam gold pendant designed by Vanmark, Inc., Tunaskin aquatic apparel, and a bottle of champagne.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The entire tournament organizing committee would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who came together to support this event. Our gratitude goes out to all the anglers, captains, mates, observers, technical advisors, cameramen and videographers, Los Sueños staff and of course, our sponsors (in alphabetical order): Caterpillar/Gregory Poole, Chantilly Air, Costa Sunglasses, Costa Rica Dreams Sport Fishing, Costa Rica Luxury Rentals & Tours, CR Primo Fishing Tackle, Flor de Caña, Galati International Yacht Sales, Gato Gordo golf cart rentals and sales, Gray Taxidermy, Los Sueños Resort and Marina, Marriott, Moto Desmo Costa Rica (Ducati and Vespa), MTU/Tractomotriz, Poms & Associates, Rick Bogert, Scotiabank, Secure Title Latin America, Sevenstar Yacht Transport, Tunaskin Aquatic Apparel, Vanmark Inc., Viking Yachts, Weather Routing Inc. For more about our sponsors, please visit www.LStournaments.com and click on Sponsors.
We would like to acknowledge three very special individuals who make and have made considerable contributions to the Los Sueños tournaments. Rich Christenson and Michael Butler (and other members of their crew over the years) have been filming and producing the Dock Shows since 2007. Their love of fishing, appreciation of the sport and the individuals who practice it, coupled with their knowledge of Los Sueños make for memorable videos each and every time. That said, each of the dock shows in 2015 were beyond compare, whether heartfelt like in January, family-focused as in February or hilariously comical like in March. Rich and Mike film and produce the half-hour long dock shows in three days in order to have it ready for the awards ceremony on Saturday night. Their tireless efforts entertain us every time, so we thank them profusely for their caffeine highs and sleepless nights!
The third recognition goes to tournament observer John Treat. John has been observing in Los Sueños since 2006 and spearheaded the creation of the International Game Fish Tournament Observers (IGFTO) organization. He has observed, by his own account, in 75 international fishing tournaments and will be retiring from observing this year. He chose Los Sueños for his last hurrah and we are humbled and thankful for his support and encouragement over the years.
OWC QUALIFYING EVENT
The top team from each leg of the Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown will be eligible to compete in the 2015 Offshore World Championship. For further information, please visit www.offshorechampionship.com.
ABOUT THE LOS SUENOS SIGNATURE TRIPLE CROWN
2015 marks the 2nd Annual Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown billfish tournament series, presented by Poms and Associates Insurance (www.pomsassoc.com). The Triple Crown consists of three annual tournaments, in January, February and March each year, and is fished out of the world class Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Costa Rica. The dates for 2016 have been set. Mark your calendars! Leg I: January 20-23, Leg II: February 24-27, 2016 and Leg III: March 30-April 2. NOTE: The dates for Leg III in 2016 were moved back by one week to avoid overlapping with Costa Rica’s Holy Week. For future Signature Triple Crown events, the tournaments will be held on fixed weeks each year, Leg I registration on the third Wednesday of January, Leg II the fourth Wednesday of February and Leg III the fourth Wednesday of March.
ABOUT LOS SUEÑOS RESORT AND MARINA
Los Sueños Resort and Marina is the premier luxury real estate resort in Costa Rica. Nestled on the Central Pacific Coast, Los Sueños is an 1,100-acre oasis offering incredible ocean, rainforest and golf course view properties; a gorgeous waterfront Marina Village commercial area with restaurants, shops and lively entertainment; a large private beach club for residents; an 18-hole championship golf course; a superb 201-room Marriott Hotel; and much more – all within close proximity to record-setting sport fishing waters. Information on Los Sueños Resort and Marina is available online at www.lsrm.com.
For further information, please contact Ashley Bretecher, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Los Sueños Resort and Marina, Toll-free: 1-866-865-9759, Direct Tel: 011-506-2630-4005, Fax: 011-506-2630-4010, or e-mail: a.bretecher@lsrm.com.
