Freeport, GB, 9 December, 2019 – The
Bahamas – Anglers across Florida converged in the settlement of West End, Grand
Bahama for the highly anticipated 3rd Annual Old Bahama Bay Wahoo Charity Cup.
For participants, the event was a thrilling opportunity to sail the beautiful,
boundless blue waters of Grand Bahama Island in hunt for wahoo large enough to
earn them the competition’s top prize and, of course, bragging rights.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation
served as a proud sponsor of the Wahoo Charity Cup, which attracted 37
participating boats this year, the largest showing since its inception. With an
average of six anglers aboard each
vessel, this means approximately 222
visitors took part in the event at the Old Bahama Bay Resort & Marina.
Participants engaged in two intense days of
fishing, leaving the marina at 6:30 a.m. and returning by 4 p.m. to weigh their
catch. Each crew was allowed to weigh three fish per day, with a minimum
qualification weight set at 15lbs per fish. The ultimate winner would be the
team with the heaviest total weight of its three biggest wahoos over the
two-day period.
Tournament Committee Member, Andy Flack
said he was surprised by the turnout considering rough weather around this time
of year deters some Florida natives from making the journey to West Grand
Bahama. However, he credited the large showing to the participants’ desire to
support the island during this recovery period.
“It was important that everybody not just
get here to fish but get here to support West End and Old Bahama Bay and help
the Bahamian economy get moving again,” Flack said. “We’re going to put
probably $300,000 into the economy just by being here. So, we’re excited about
that. We’re glad to help.”
The visiting anglers typically spend an
average of four days on the island during the tournament. Though most of their
time is spent fishing, they are afforded many opportunities to enjoy the local cuisine,
pristine beaches and the company of friendly residents. According to Flack,
these elements are more than enough to keep participants coming back.
“You can fish just about anywhere, but
Grand Bahama and West End, especially, is a place we’ve fallen in love with
over the years as a committee, so we like to come here,” Flack said. “It’s a
great place to have a tournament, logistically. It’s a great way to help the
Bahamians who are our family now, and through the tournament, the fishermen get
to have a good time.”
In the end, the top prize went to Team LLANGUS
with a three-fish aggregate of 132.7lbs while second and third place went to Team
CorksCrew (130.7lbs) and Team Chief (126.4lbs) respectively. The winners were
recognised during a dinner and awards banquet on Saturday, November 23. Prizes
were also distributed for Men’s Biggest Wahoo of Tournament, Women’s Biggest
Wahoo of Tournament and Biggest Fun Fish of Tournament.
For the last three years, the Wahoo Charity Cup has served
as a fundraiser for Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, a non-profit charity that
supports the research and treatment of blood cancers. All cash donations,
silent auction and raffle funds and a percentage of the boat fees are given
directly to the charity in Northern Ireland. This year, Flack revealed, the
tournament committee will select a non-profit organisation in West Grand Bahama
to make a donation to.
Release: Ministry of Tourism & Aviation