With four blue marlin released, Quiet Storm has jumped into the lead in after two days of fishing with 2000 points. However, three boats are nipping at her heels with 1500 hundred points—Follow Me, Freebie and Liquid Goal.
Two days of outstanding fishing have been the hallmarks of this first annual event, with an official 15 fish released each day. The tournament is an all release format, with the fish recorded on date and time stamped digital cameras, as format that has worked successfully at the Bahamas Billfish Champions for several years.
“We have accomplished two of our three goals for the tournament already,” said Tournament Director Lawrence Wheatley, “to put on a world class tournament and demonstrate that our waters have some of the finest fishing in the world. Our third goal, to raise money for local charities, will be fulfilled at Saturday’s award banquet with the presentation of the check.”
“We’re having a ball,” said Rob Ruwitch, owner of Sharkey’s Revenge. “We’re definitely coming back next year and bringing all our friends. The fishing’s been great, the Bitter End staff is first class and the parties have been terrific. I’ve fished tournaments all over the Caribbean and this tournament is the equal to any of them.”
The A.H. Riise BVI Billfish Tournament is a qualifier for the IGFA Offshore Championships and a participant in the World Billfish Series.
Sponsors of the Event are A.H. Riise, the BVI Department of Tourism, Mainsail Management Group, Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Sonoma Cutrer, Five Rivers Vineyards, Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Jose Cuervo, The Crystal Shoppe, Waterford Crystal, Southern Boating magazine, Hatteras Yachts, Antilles Yacht Sales, Gregory Poole Marine Power, Mt. Gay rum, Carib beer, Clearpoint, Raffles Tortola, First Bank, Murray Products, Mainsail Resort and Spa BVI, Island Global Yachting and the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association.
For more daily results and photographs at the tournament go to the event website at http://www.bvibillfishtournament.com.
