PILAR” YACHT WINS THE 6OTH “ERNEST HEMINGWAY” INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH FISHING TOURNAMENT.

 

With the victory per teams and the prize to the first valid capture of the 60th “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament, destiny wanted a Spanish team on board the symbolic yacht “Pilar”, moored in Marina Hemingway, to win a Hemingway Tournament for the first time. Ernest Hemingway did not have that luck on his legendary “Pilar”, boat which is exposed today at the Hemingway Museum of Vigía country estate, in Havana, where the author of “The Old Man and The Sea” lived for more than 20 years.

“With this victory we paid homage to that man who agreed on giving his name to this sport fishing event. Cuban anglers had a lot of influence on Hemingway and he liked them enough to allow this Tournament to have his name even though he was still alive,” José Luis “Pepe” Conde, member of the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba and owner of “Pilar” yacht said.

In the Captains Meeting, at 18:00 hours on Monday May 24th, at the headquarters of the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba, the Commodore and Representative of the International Game Fish Association in Havana, José Miguel Díaz Escrich welcomed anglers from 31 teams representing 17 countries, Rob Kramer, James Meredith and Hort Schneider, presidents of the International Game Fish Association, The Ernest Hemingway Foundation and Society and the European Federation of Sea Anglers, respectively, as well as Ralph “Agie” Vicente, Commodore of the Club Náutico de San Juan, Puerto Rico and Representative of the Billfish Foundation for the Caribbean.

The countries that had more participation on this 60th Hemingway Tournament were the United States of America with 4 teams and Italy, Russia, Cayman Islands and Cuba with 3 teams each. The United Kingdom had 2 teams. Many followers of the Hemingway Tournaments refer about a possible record; it was the first time no American team came from the United States of America sailing their own boat.

Before analyzing the rules of the tournament, President Kramer and Trustees of IGFA Martin Arostegui Finlay and Jason Schratwieser gave a lecture on the use of circle hooks for the preservation of billfish species. Also, the Commodore of the Club Náutico de San Juan made a brief presentation about the objectives and current tasks of The Billfish Foundation. During his stay in Havana, a reciprocity agreement was signed between the Club Náutico de San Juan and the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba.

The Hemingway Tournaments award prizes to the three teams accumulating the highest score, to the first valid capture of the tournament and the biggest dolphin. There are also awards for the women anglers and the youngest angler.

The first fishing day began with a shining sun and the weather forecast of no rain for the whole day. It ended with the First Valid Capture of the event made by the team on board “Pilar” which tagged and released a blue marlin, and with the hope of “My Paradise” team from Cayman Islands to win the prize for the biggest dolphin of the Tournament with the capture of a 27 pounds dolphin. Also, a team from Russia, on board the “DC-9-11” tagged and released a white marlin. In this journey, it was notable the capture of 41 dolphins.

The second fishing day had the same weather conditions. The team from Denmark on board “Marlin XVIII” tagged and released a blue marlin, captured 3 dolphins and 2 wahoos. The team on board “My Paradise” lost temporarily the hope to win the prize to the biggest dolphin. The team from Czech Republic on board “Macondo III” captured a dolphin of 31.25 pounds. It was also notable the amount of dolphins captured, 85.

After a lay day, availed for some participants to visit the Hemingway Museum, Ambos Mundos Hotel, La Bodeguita del Medio, Floridita bar, “Las Terrazas” restaurant, places that Hemingway used to visit, and for others to exchange opinions about the different sides of the life of the American writer in a sports journalists meeting where James Meredith, President of The “Ernest Hemingway” Foundation and Society was present. The third fishing day took place with a white marlin and a blue marlin tagged and released by teams from Argentina and the United States, respectively. This time the amazing amount of dolphins captured reached 162. The team from Cayman Islands on board “My Paradise” captured 55 dolphins, among them one of 35.5 pounds, which took the place of “Macondo III”, and won the prize to the biggest dolphin of the Tournament. Yet, in this third journey, “Pilar” yacht kept the first place.

Traditionally, the fourth fishing day lasts from 09:00 to 14:00 hours. Commodore Escrich suggested starting this journey at 08:00 hours with the aim of increasing the possibility to tag & release more marlins. This suggestion was accepted by the 31 teams in competition.

The fourth and last journey started calm; up to 12:00, just the team on board “Wet Dream”, from the United States of America headed by Mr. Johnnie A. Jacobs, member of the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba, had captured 8 dolphins. At 12:20 hours, the team from Ecuador on board “Tag and Release”, informed having tagged and released a white marlin. Almost at the end of fishing day, “Tag and Release” reported to be working on a new  marlin. Meanwhile, another team from Grand Cayman on board “Tiburón” informed Mrs. Haidi Jafroudi had tagged and released a blue marlin.

When the team on board “Pilar” heard that “Tag and Release” was working on another marlin, they were satisfied with taking the prize for the First Valid Capture of the Tournament, but, Mr. Werner Campoverde, member of the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba and the rest of the Ecuadorian team were looking desperately for the camera to take pictures of the fish, because without pictures no points were accumulated and the camera never appeared. Releasing the marlin, they let the first place go and the glory of being winners of the 60th “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament. The members of “Pilar”: Sergio González Arcis as skipper, Santiago Álvarez Trujillo as sailor, and the anglers José L. Conde Álvarez, Félix L. Álvarez Tinguillo and Boris Marcelo Bartulín, released tension and as rumor says, you could even hear their whoops of joy in Malecón ocean drive in Havana. José Luis Conde had won the prize for the First Valid Capture of the Tournament and his team, the first place and the right to be present in the IGFA Offshore World Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on May 2011, and have a picture with the Hemingway Cup that has just returned from France, where the team from the Big Game Fish Club of France had taken it last year after winning three Hemingway Tournaments.

Everything was set for the awarding and closing ceremony that would take place in the pool area of Acuario hotel in Marina Hemingway.

Commodore Escrich, Representative of IGFA in Havana, had the honor to start this ceremony with the acknowledgement to the 7 women anglers. Each of them received flowers and a book with paintings from Guy Harvey related to “The Old Man and the Sea” and devoted to the 60th Hemingway Tournament. The youngest angler of the Tournament, the Cuban Lázaro A. Alonso Rodríguez, also received a book from Guy Harvey, as well as the 15 repeating teams.

The team that has participated the most in the Hemingway Tournaments: the team of anglers from the Big Game Fish Club of France, received from Mr. Nicky Pappadakis, Honorary Member of Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba, a beautiful painting made by Guy Harvey.

Next, Haidi Jafroudi, from the team on board “Tiburón” and the only woman that tagged and released a marlin, received a wonderful painting entitled “Las tetas de Managua” of the Cuban painter Jorge Guanche.

Russian team on board ”DC-9-III” won the second place per teams and the Danish team on board “Marlin XVIII” won the third place.

After the awarding ceremony, all anglers were invited to participate in the 61st “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament that will take place from June 6th to 11th, 2011.

With a: “See you soon”, an elite group of artists from the world famous Tropicana cabaret closed the activities of the 60th “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament.