When the subject turns to billfishing, much can be said for having a fast boat, knowledgeable captain or the best equipment. However, angler experience cannot be discounted. That was certainly the case during the second edition of the Presidential Challenge of El Salvador, held in beautiful Bahia del Sol October 22 through 24, 2009. Davis Clapp, owner of the A-Fin-Ity, elected to bring the boat down from her current home port in Guatemala for this year's event-he would not return home disappointed in his team's results, as Clapp and teammates Dan Pimental and Luis Fernando literally led the tournament from wire to wire to emerge victorious.

The weather throughout the Presidential Challenge was spectacularly Central American, with cool mornings and clear, sunny skies throughout the event. After a short wait following the call for lines in, Clapp released his first sailfish of the tournament at 7:58 a.m. and never looked back, ending Day One with ten releases to his credit. Adding to the boat's total in the Costa Del Mar Team Division standings and also putting himself in second place in the Baptist Health International Angler division was teammate Dan Pimental with nine sails, while Fernando added another six for a team total of 25.
 
However, the local teams were not to be outdone.  Paco Saca led his team aboard the Sandy-Ita into second place with an accumulation of 1,000 points. Saca ended Day One as the third place angler with six releases. Marciano, with anglers Jose Gonzalez D. Rodrigo Gonzalez and Ricardo Gonzalez, released nine sails to move into third place in the team division.  All anglers must use Berkley Big Game 20-pound test line provided by Berkley and Eagle Claw circle hooks on trolled baits.
 
Going into Day Two, the A-Fin-Ity still held a sizeable lead but by 1:20 p.m, the radio started humming again.  Release after release was called in for thirty-five minutes as the action heated up offshore. By the 2 p.m. report, Paco Saca's Sandy-Ita moved up to second place.  Team USA made their move up the ladder with Jimmy Taylor and Bill Easum trading off releases, while Team OBX also began a steady climb up the leaderboard. As the call for lines out was announced, A-Fin-Ity still held down first, followed by the Marciano and Sandy-Ita in second and third.
 
The final day of the PCCA El Salvador brought a slight change in the weather, with cloudy skies and a considerable breeze ruffling the surface of the Pacific. With A-Fin-Ity holding down a substantial lead, the battle today was going to be for second and third place on the leaderboard. The morning action was steady, with ten fish called in an hour.  Marciano made their move early with their anglers releasing eight sails first thing in the morning.  Not to be left in the dust, Team OBX anglers put nine on the leader board to creep into third place. As the day progressed, Team USA overtook OBX and tied Marciano for second place. By the time scorekeeper Dan Kipnis called lines out of the water, A-Fin-Ity was declared the winner. Presidential Challenge tournament veteran angler Davis Clapp had released the first fish of the tournament and never slowed down. Teammates Dan Pimental and Louis Fernando were right behind him. Team USA with anglers Bill Easum, Jimmy Taylor and JW Bones fought hard and it paid off with a second place finish.  The Marciano, with anglers Jose Gonzalez D., Ricardo Gonzalez, Jose Gonzalez G. and Rodrigo Gonzalez did some fine fishing to finish in third place based on time.
 
The Baptist Health International/King Sailfish Angler Division was another hard fought battle. Finishing in second place behind Davis Clapp was teammate Dan Pimental.  Paco Saca, fishing on his Sandy-Ita, fished a great tournament to finish in third place. In the Maspor Marine Boat Division, A-Fin-Ity was first with 3500 points, followed by the Mojo in second with 2400 points and the Marciano in third with 2400 points. For the tournament, there were 147 sailfish released.

The tournament also serves as an important fundraiser for The Billfish Foundation, specifically for TBF's efforts in Central America. The El Salvador leg of the Presidential Challenge raised $5,000 for TBF, which will directly support conservation measures vital to billfish stocks throughout the region.

  FINAL RESULTS
 
147 SAILFISH RELELASED ON CIRCLE HOOKS
 
  COSTA DEL MAR TEAM DIVISION
1ST PLACE TEAM:  A-FIN-ITY 3500 pts
2ND PLACE TEAM:   USA 2400 pts
3RD PLACE TEAM: MARCIANO 2400 pts
 
BAPTIST HEALTH INTERNATION/ KING SAILFISH ANGLER DIVISION
1ST PLACE ANGLER:   DAVIS CLAPP 1400 PTS
2nd PLACE ANGLER:   DAN PIMENTAL 1300 PTS 3RD PLACE ANGLER:  PACO SACA 1200 PTS
 
 
MASPOR MARINE  BOAT DIVISION
TOP BOAT:  A-FIN-ITY  3500 PTS
2ND BOAT: MOJO  2400 pts
3rd BOAT:  MARCIANO 2400 pts

www.preschallenge.com