June 30, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
Tropidilla Productions 808-327-1440
Kona Classic Results:
Vegas Angler Strikes it Rich in Kona
Proving that the game ain't over until it's over,
Jeffrey Stafford and Team Intrepid hung in there til the bitter end and pulled off the win
at the 7th Kona Classic. Their game was a bit stressed after they cracked an
injector on Capt. Dennis Cintas boat "Intrepid" on the first day and were
forced to find a replacement vessel at short notice for the second and final day of
fishing.
With a record field of 48 boats already entered into the tournament, finding a boat that
was not already booked was tough, but they got lucky with one of the finest teams on the
Kona Coast, Capt. Fabulous Fay and Capt. Butch Chee, both local legends, or
-at the very least - rumors in their own minds.
Stafford hooked his fish with only 30 minutes left in the game, and then landed his 579.5
pound blue marlin shortly after the call of "stop fishing". He easily
arrived at the weigh scales in time to qualify. When all of the daily categories
were tallied, Team Intrepid walked home with $31,999.98 in total prize money.
In addition to the competition and prize money, the Maui Jim Series is actively working to
do their part in research of marlin in order to insure sustainability of the prized fish.
Scientists from the National Marine Fisheries Service, University of Hawaii,
University of the Nations and the Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research
managed to deploy two pop up archival tags on the backs of marlin on Sunday. These
high tech devices measure water temperature, depth and sunrise/sunset data for pre-set
amount of time. Once the time frame is up, the devices pop to the surface and
transmit the data to scientist who are then able to see where the marlin traveled after it
was set free.
The Kona Classic has grown from 27 teams to 38 to 48 teams in the past three years, due in
no small part to the popularity of the four flags format.
Organizers hoped to level the playing field between local fishermen in skiffs and the
larger, more heavily armed charter boats of the world famous Kona fleet. Event
producers intended to mix the old with the new, the local with the visitor - all through
the spirit of Aloha. Even with the best intentions, the mix created a scenario no
one would have asked for.
Veteren local fishermen were ecstatic to fish the Kona Classic on board the private boat
NJN. On the first day of fishing, they were even more elated when the boated the
only mahi mahi of the event. Unfortunately, their radio broke and they were unable
to get a confirmation of their hook up with tournament control radio. After more
than an hour, they were able to get it repaired, but in the mean time they did not get
another boat to relay thier hook up or catch to tournament control. Local style
would say - no problem - however, in a high stakes event of the Maui Jim Series, the rules
are carefully written and followed to the detail by tournament managers. The rules
dictate that tournament control radio must confirm each hook up, not just that a fish was
boated.
This technicality was sufficient to disallow the only mahi mahi caught from winning, and
the dissapointment was felt no only by the team on NJN, but by tournament organizers as
well. As stipulated in the rules, the purse reserved for the largest mahi mahi was
awarded to the second largest fish of the tournament, so last year's Kona Classic champion
skipper Kent Montgrieg received some consolation after the Humdinger knocked him from
first place in the marlin department.
Team NJN was not without some success though, as they pocketed $1,530.00 for the largest
ahi of day two, along with 6 pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses - worth about $1,500.00 more.
The largest ahi of the tournament went to Capt. Steve Kaiser's "Medusa".
Al Sullivan angled a 190.5 pound beast to pick up the $3,199.98 reserved for the
ahi division.
Largest ono honors went to Hugh Coates on board Billfisher II with Capt. Howard
Whitcomb. The base entry fee of the Kona Classic generated just under $12,800.00 in
prize money, which was divided equally between the largest marlin, ahi, ono and mahi mahi.
Each category was worth $3,199.98.
Other winners in optional categories were Mike Jacobsen on Blue Hawaii and Grant
Schumacher on Hokulia for marlin, and Jeffrey Bennet on Long Ranger for ahi.
The 14th Firecracker Open is slated for the 4th of July weekend, followed the next weekend
by the Skins Marlin Derby. The Maui Jim Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series then hops
across the channel to Maui for the Lahaina Jackpot, returning to Kona in mid August for
the Big Island Marlin Tournament. The Ho'ole'a Fishing Tournament in Honolulu is
next followed by the Okoe Bay Rendezvous and Maui Jim Series Championship in early
October.
Television coverage of the Maui Jim Series is provided locally by the weekly series
"Outside Hawaii" airing on OC 16 three times a week.
National TV coverage is made possible by the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Maui Jim
Sunglass company and airs on "Pacific Expeditions" on the Outdoor Life Network.
All the tournaments of the Maui Jim Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series are open to all
interested anglers. For more information call 808-327-1440.