Winning boats RumBum, Bimba and Reel Affair, and anglers Carlos Ramírez, Jorge Pavía and Doug Covin receive awards.

With 99 releases, the 56th edition of the International Billfish Tournament of Club Náutico de San Juan succesfully concluded. Out of 46 registered boats, 40 of them released. “Almost all competing boats reported action on board,” said Gonzalo M. Ferrer, Chairman of the 56th edition.

“We had many boats with multiple releases. Most international anglers kept releasing and we had good weather,” said Ferrer.

The Rum Bum, which traveled from the United States specially for the Tournament, kept its winning place since the second day of competition and won with six releases (2,400 points), followed by local boats Bimba and Reel Affair, each with five releases (2,000 points).

Local angler Carlos Ramirez won the first position as angler when in the last few moments he hooked and released two marlins that, along with other previous two pieces, pushed him to the winning position with 1,600 points, followed by visiting angler Doug Covin, and local anglers Jorge Pavia and Nicolas Carvajal, all of them with three releases each (1,200 points).

The most coveted International Winning Team award went to United States 05 with Doug Covin, Luis Bacardi and Salim Merheb. They received an entry for three anglers to participate in the Rolex/IGFA International Championship to be held in Cabo San Lucas on 2010, and three plane tickets to Panama courtesy of Copa Airlines.

The Guatemala angling team composed by Antonio “Che” Kozina, Juan Cobar, Jr. and Midel Gómez, came in second position for the International category, followed Venezuela with lady anglers: María Rivera, Carolina Figueredo and Ivette Rodríguez. In fact, the Best Lady Angler award went to local angler, Maria Rivera with two releases or 800 points.
In the Interclub category teams, winning positions went to United States with Carlos Ramírez, Bill McGough and Carlos Luis Rodríguez, followed by Club Náutico de San Juan with Mike Benítez, Ralph Christiansen III and Luis Enrique Terrassa, and in third position “Club Deportivo del Oeste” with Eugenio Belaval, Efraín González Caro and Omar Joglar.

Best Visiting Angler awards went to USA anglers: Doug Covin, Luis Bacardi and Charles Forman.
 
For the last few years, Club Náutico de San Juan has not promoted the tag and release format, and since the Club has always being an active leader in conservation it established the all-release format in 2003. Currently, only two awards, out of more than 30, recognize tagging. These awards are: Anglers with most tags which went to lady angler Maria Rivera and Captain with most tags, which was won by Ariel Correa from Bimba boat with four tags.

A group of 170 experienced, deep sea fishing anglers participated in this 56th edition on the 46 boats and yachts with representatives from 10 competing countries: Australia, Brasil, Ecuador, Perú, Panamá and Guatemala, as well as Dominican Republic, US Virgin Islands, United States and Puerto Rico.

To register for 2010 please visit www.sanjuaninternational.com, or send an e-mail to Gonzalo Ferrer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Marely Gutierrez, tournament coordinator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or to Delma Lugo, administrative assistant, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Telephone 787-722-0177, Fax 787-724-8059. Enjoy the magic of the IBT of Club Náutico de San Juan!