NEWS - 2009 Riviera NSW Interclub
The Lake Macquarie and Newcastle & Port Stephens Game Fish Clubs shared the honours at the 2009 Riviera NSW Interclub gamefishing tournament.
The Riviera NSW Interclub is the biggest gamefishing tournament in the southern hemisphere and one of the biggest in the world, organisers said. This year the event attracted 180 boats and around 1000 anglers from every gamefishing club in NSW as well as a number of visiting boats.
The Interclub is a teams tournament with clubs entering squads of five boats each. The event runs over two weekends at the end of February and early March with anglers competing for a range of trophies. There are no cash prizes at the Interclub.
Otto Volz, president of the NSW Game Fishing Association, said: “It was a great result for both clubs. Every club competed strongly, resulting in rewards for six clubs in various categories.”
The Newcastle & Port Stephens club took the Champion Club Tag and Release while Lake Macquarie picked up the trophy for Champion Club Capture.
Heading the teams for Newcastle & Port Stephens was Team 2 including Riviera 42 Diversion, Billistic, Born Free, Di-Da-Ke and Gunrunner.
Diversion skipper Garry Holt said: “The last day of the tournament really came alive. We picked up a striped marlin and a yellowfin tuna, but in the last hour we hooked up three marlin only to lose each one!”
Garry said his team has now been part of the winning Interclub team five times, twice on board Diversion.
The Interclub Shield for the Champion Club Team Capture went to Lake Macquarie’s Team 2 made up of Ba’ja, Boss Hogg, Kurri Tackle, Head Hunter and Offshore.
Champion Boat Tag and Release went to Born Free from Newcastle & Port Stephens while the Champion Boat capture went to Offshore.
Shane and Judy Jonathan on board their Riviera 42 Birds of Prey had a successful tournament without featuring in the results.
“We had a very exciting day on the final Sunday,” said an excited Judy. “Our daughter Angelique caught her first gamefish during the tournament.
“We found a huge bait ball and it was incredible to watch scores of dolphins chasing around and through them. I’ve never seen anything like it - unbelievably exciting,” Judy said.
Junior Kate Lamb completed a very successful tournament, tagging four marlin and taking the trophy for most tag-and-release points by an angler, most tag-and-release points by a junior/small fry, and most tag-and-release points by a lady angler.
Riviera was represented through the tournament by the company’s gleaming silver-hull 48 Offshore Express Fascination IV skippered by gamefishing legend Bob Jones. Registered among the visiting boats was angler Lorraine Golightly who tagged and released two marlin.
The Riviera Trophy for a Riviera scoring the most tag-and-release points went to Riviera 42 Running Bear skippered by Duncan Manderson.
A total of 149 marlin, 19 sharks and 151 other gamefish were tagged and released throughout the tournament.
RESULTS:
Champion Club (tag-and-release):
Newcastle & Port Stephens GFC
Champion Club (capture):
Lake Macquarie GFC
Champion Team (tag and release):
Newcastle & Port Stephens GFC Team 2
Runner-up:
Lake Macquarie GFC Team 2
Champion Team (capture):
Lake Macquarie GFC Team 2
Runner-up:
Sydney GFC Team 1
Highest point scoring angler:
Mitchell Ryan
Highest tag/release points - lady angler:
Kate Lamb
Most tag/release points - small fry:
Sam Barning
Most tag/release points - junior/small fry:
Kate Lamb
By DENBY BROWNING, RIVIERA BRANDCOM
PHOTOS: Tagging; Tag & Release winners; Shane and Judy Jonathan had a successful tournament on board their Riviera 42 Birds of Prey without featuring in the results.