APRIL 12-13-14, 2008 - PLAYA CARRILLO, COSTA RICA

DOWN TO THE WIRE!

SEA ANGEL WINS 2008 SEASON OPENER BY SECONDS

 

 

WHERE: PLAYA CARRILLO, COSTA RICA

WHEN: APRIL 12-13-14, 2008

PARTICIPANTS: 11 BOATS/33 ANGLERS

CATCH: 102 Sailfish/5 Blue Marlin/4 Striped Marlin

PURPOSE: To raise funds for The Billfish Foundation’s Costa Rican Research Project

 

Playa Carrillo is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. It borders the anchorage where the tournament boats were moored.  The tropical setting of the Villas Playa Samara together with the swim-up pool bar offered a relaxed setting for anglers at the end of an active fishing day.  It is this setting that drew eleven boats and thirty three anglers to the area to fish the Twelfth Edition of The Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica.

 

Day One of the competition began at 7am when the fleet departed the Carrillo Anchorage.  They were greeted by calm seas and pleasant weather.  At 8:04am the 2007 champion angler, Mainor Oporto Downs, fishing aboard the Maverick Boat, Spanish Fly, released the first sailfish of the '08 season.  Gamefisher II and Team Decisive wasted no time putting points on the scoreboard by releasing a triple header of sails shortly after 9am.  This team kept up the momentum and took top daily honors.  Alex Nole fishing aboard the Let It Ride had a busy morning releasing four sails to top the leader board in the BAPTIST HEALTH INTERNATIONAL ANGLER DIVISION.  Desperado and Gallo Pinto scored blue marlin releases which moved them up in the standings.  The weather seemed to be changing as the day progressed.  Clouds rolled in off the mountains and rain showers hit the coast.  The theory among the competitors was that this could possibly perk up the fishing for Day Two.

 

Fishing did pick up on Day Two of the PCCA Costa Rica.  The 2007 Grand Champion Team, A-Fin-Ity, fishing aboard the Permit III, made their move to the top of the leaderboard early.  Capt. Chepe Santana put his anglers on sails beginning at 9am and the action was steady all morning.  Decisive was not to be denied and held on to second place, putting pressure on A-Fin-Ity.  Let It Ride saw some late morning action to move them up to challenge the leaders.  Desperado released their second blue marlin of the event to secure third place by the end of the day.  The big excitement came from the Wet Ass II when they called in a grand slam to radio man, Capt. Dan Kipnis.  Monica Guevara released a nice blue followed by teammate Nelson Castillo's striped marlin and three sails.

 

The fleet got off to a good start on the final day of the 2008 competition.  Gallo Pinto called in a striped marlin release at 8:25am. They followed with a sailfish release a few minutes later.  A-Fin-Ity added a sail to keep them in first place. Capt Junior Bustas of the Gamefisher II kept Team Decisive in the hunt with a steady release of sails.  The excitement of the day began at 9:09am when Sea Angel called in their first catch- a double header sail and striped marlin.  Capt. "BC" also notified Tournament Control that they had lost their steering due to a broken hose! He did a remarkable job of maneuvering the boat to get the releases.  This team did not stop there. They continued to fish and released another striped

marlin and a sail.  Let It Ride made their move just before Noon calling in two more sails.  Now we had a battle between Sea Angel, A-Fin-Ity, Decisive and Let It Ride. 

 

The afternoon action slowed for all but Sea Angel.  Still with no steering, they continued to call in a steady number of fish.  Let It Ride hit the mother lode at 2pm and called in several releases.  The excitement peaked at 3pm with only a half hour left to fish.  Tension mounted with each call on the radio.  At 3:22pm Decisive called in a sail release to

 

PAGE TWO – THE PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE OF COSTA RICA

 

 

tie Sea Angel and secure at least second place on time.  The Gamefisher II and team Decisive pulled into the anchorage and was greeted by the news that Sea Angel was disabled and may not make it back to the harbor by 6pm.  Since Sea Angel was thirty eight miles from Playa Carrillo with no steering and a 6pm deadline, their winning spot was in jeopardy.  At 5:45 they blew around the point into the anchorage with horn honking in victory!  Angler Greg Voell anxiously awaited the panga transport and put foot on the beach with thirty seconds to spare!  It was an exciting ending to a fun packed week in Costa Rica.

 

This event marks the beginning of THE BERTRAM YACHTS / EVERMARINE GRAND CHAMPION TEAM competition.  Anglers commenced competition for the EAGLE CLAW GRAND CHAMPION ANGLER award. Both of these prestigious titles will be decided at the Presidential Challenge of Guatemala in November.  Please note that teams and anglers must compete in THREE out of the four Presidential Challenge tournaments to qualify for the championships. 

 

We give special thanks to the I.C.T. (Costa Rican Tourism Bureau) for their support of this event.  We also would like to thank Aerobell and Villas Playa Samara for their sponsorship participation.

  

 

On behalf of the Tournament - anglers & sponsors - PCCA Costa Rica raised $30,000 for The Billfish Foundation.  This money will be used for the TBF conservation work in Costa Rica.

 

 

 

102 Sailfish/5 Blue Marlin/4 Striped Marlin

11 Teams/33 Anglers

Berkley Big Game Line / Eagle Claw 2004 EL circle hooks

 

1st Place Team:  Sea Angel 1900 pts - Greg Angel, Bob Osborne, Greg Voell

(Receives invitation to the IGFA Offshore World Championship-2009)

2nd Place Team:  Decisive (Gamefisher II) 1900 pts - Bill Easum, Jimmy Taylor,

JW Bones

3rd Place Team:  Let It Ride  1800 pts - Artie Kontos, James Kontos, Alex Nole

1st Place Angler:  Cleynor Ruiz (Gallo Pinto) 1200 pts

(Receives invitation to compete in the WBS Championship - 2008)

2nd Place Angler:  Alex Nole (Let It Ride) 900 pts

3rd Place Angler: Bob Osborne (Sea Angel) 900 pts

1st Place Boat:  Sea Angel 1900 pts

2nd Place Boat:  Gamefisher II 1900 pts

3rd Place Boat: Let It Ride 1800 pts

 

 

For further information on this event and all other Presidential Challenge tournaments please check out our web page:  www.sportingtraditions.com OR call us 305.361.9258.