Top three spots go to Brazilian fishing teams at 2018 Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship.
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Eleven Brazilian fishing teams competed at the 2018 Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship. Four of those fishing teams finished in the top four spots. At the end of the awards banquet, Brazilian anglers joined together on stage to celebrate.
At the Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship April 15-20, some of the world’s best anglers gathered for the opportunity to earn the most exclusive title in international tournament fishing. But of the 51 elite teams in the competition, only one could be crowned 2018 Offshore World Champions. This year the title went to Team Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In fact, the top-four finishing teams all won qualifying events in their home country of Brazil.
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Team Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) wins the 2018 Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship.
The victory was especially sweet for anglers Matheus Assad, Elias Houaiss, Mateus Marques, Helio Marques and Carlos Assad. Last year, their team came in second place to fellow Brazilians, Team Torneio de Peixes de Bico. The 2017 OWC Champions team finished a respectable seventh in 2018. As 2018 champions, Team Rio de Janeiro received coveted OWC champion rings by VanMark Jewelry and the opportunity to apply for the Offshore World Championship for many years to come.
Of the 11 Brazilian teams competing in the tournament, seven finished in the top ten. Team Torneio De Peixes De Bico followed in second place. Anglers Nilo Cottini Filho, Luis Roberto Teixeira Soares, Gustavo Pustiglione Santos and Nilo Cottini Neto each received a gold VanMark pendant and a one-year extension to compete in the 2019 championship. Team Torneio De Peixe De Oceano, composed of Leonardo Bochner, Eliseu Soares Neto, Pedro Salema Von Bertrand, Fernando Almeida Neto and Joao Victor Lopes Zanur, had clutch third and fourth days of fishing to jump into third place overall after the final day.
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Team Torneio De Peixes De Bico finished in second place, composed of Nilo Cottini Filho, Luis Roberto Teixeira Soares, Gustavo Pustiglione Santos and Nilo Cottini Neto.
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Team Torneio De Peixe De Oceano, composed of Leonardo Bochner, Eliseu Soares Neto, Pedro Salema Von Bertrand, Fernando Almeida Neto and Joao Victor Lopes Zanur, had clutch third and fourth days of fishing to jump into third place.
The top angler award was presented to angler Juan Cabrera Pena of Team XXV Torneo De Pesca De Aturo Puerto Calero (Spain). Pena released two blue marlin and eight Pacific sailfish, plus weighed in a 49.6-pound dolphin, for a total of 2,649.60 points. Anglers Elisangela Pina (XIV Billfish Challenge, Angola), Miro Vrlja (Kup Grada Hvara, Croatia), Nilo Cottini Filho (Torneio De Peixes De Bico, Brazil), Matheus Assad (Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Sam Worden (2011 Offshore World Champions, U.S.) followed in second through sixth place, respectively.
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The 2018 Offshore World Championship first place angler was Juan Cabrera Pena, of Team XXV Torneo De Pesca De Aturo Puerto Calero (Spain).
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The 2018 Offshore World Championship second place angler was Elisangela Pina, of Team XIV Billfish Challenge (Angola).
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The 2018 Offshore World Championship third place angler was Miro Vrlja, of Team Kup Grada Hvara (Croatia).
The world-class boats and crews of Costa Rica led the Offshore World Championship teams to success all week. Captain Michael Alligood and his crew on Epic earned the top prize in their category for assisting with the release of 15 sailfish, one blue marlin and 55.7-pound dorado for 3555.7 points in three days. Only the top three days are scored for fishing captains and crews, because not all charter boats fish all four days. Alligood also won top captain in the 2013 Offshore World Championship.
Throughout the tournament, 240 anglers from 30 countries released and video-verified 328 sailfish, 23 blue marlin, and one black marlin for a total of 352 billfish overall. This year’s billfish numbers are a boost compared to last year’s total of 254 billfish released.
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Captain Michael Alligood and his crew on Epic earned the top prize in their category for assisting with the release of 15 sailfish, one blue marlin and 55.7-pound dorado for 3555.7 points in three days.
Eighteen dorado, three tuna and three wahoo over the 25-pound minimum were brought to the scales during the week. The top six dorado all weighed more than 50 pounds, and top nine dorado all weighed more than 45 pounds. Let the records show that 2018 was the year of monster dorado off Quepos, Costa. The top dorado weighed 62.6 pounds, caught by angler Sam Worden, of Team 2011 Offshore World Champions (U.S.A.).
Anglers from Team Caicos Classic Billfish Tournament reached milestones during the 2018 Offshore World Championship. Delphine Hartshorn landed her first Pacific blue marlin ever, and Michael DeCamp landed his first ever Pacific blue marlin and sailfish. DeCamp could be seen walking around the docks and marina with a cane.
“When I get back to Turks and Caicos, I’m having both of my hips replaced,” said DeCamp. “Being here in Costa Rica felt like home. As soon as I can, I want to get back to Costa Rica.”
The tournament came to a close April 20 with food, drinks and live entertainment at an awards gala at Marina Pez Vela. Winners were presented with King Sailfish trophies, VanMark Jewelry pieces and prizes from industry-leading companies and sponsors.
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Sailfish releases far outnumbered marlin in the 2018 Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship. Total billfish count was 352 releases, with 328 of them Pacific sailfish.
FINAL RESULTS
Top Teams
- 1st Place: Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3955.7 points
- 2nd Place: Torneio De Peixes De Bico, Brazil, 3300 points
- 3rd Place: Torneio De Peixe De Oceano, Brazil, 2700 points
- 4th Place: Torneio de Canavieiras, Brazil, 2658.9 points
- 5th Place: XXV Torneo De Pesca De Aturo Puerto Calero, Spain, 2649.6 points
Teams received prizes from Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship sponsors VanMark Jewelry, Lucas Oil, Soundview Millworks, Guy Harvey, Costa Sunglasses, AFTCO, YETI, Garmin Marine, Fish Shimano, Flor de Caña, Big T Lures, and Heineken.
Top Anglers
- 1st Place: Juan Cabrera Pena, XXV Torneo De Pesca De Aturo Puerto Calero (Spain), 2649.6 points
- 2nd Place: Elisangela Pina, XIV Billfish Challenge (Angola), 1700 points
- 3rd Place: Miro Vrlja, Kup Grada Hvara (Croatia), 1700 points
- 4th Place: Nilo Cottini Filho, Torneio De Peixes De Bico (Brazil), 1500 points
- 5th Place: Matheus Assad, Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 1400 points
- 6th Place: Sam Worden, 2011 Offshore World Championship (U.S.A.), 1362.6 points
Anglers received prizes from Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship sponsors King Sailfish Mounts, Soundview Millworks, Guy Harvey, Costa Sunglasses, AFTCO, Garmin Marine, Flor de Caña, Big T Lures, and Heineken.
Top Boat / Captain
- 1st Place: Epic, Michael Alligood (Los Suenos, Costa Rica), 3555.7 points
- 2nd Place: Mako, Mike Springer (Los Suenos, Costa Rica), 3000 points
- 3rd Place: Super Fly, Rudy Arguedas (Los Suenos, Costa Rica), 2789.8 points
Captains received prizes from Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship sponsors King Sailfish Mounts, YETI, Guy Harvey, Costa Sunglasses, Lucas Oil, AFTCO, Taylor Offshore, Flor de Caña, Big T Lures and Heineken.
Sam Worden, of Team 2011 Offshore World Championship (U.S.A), caught the heaviest dorado of the tournament.
Heaviest Dorado
- 1st Place: Sam Worden, 2011 Offshore World Championship (U.S.A), 62.6 pounds
- 2nd Place: Ricardo Balazeiro, Torneio de Canavieiras (Brazil), 58.9 pounds
- 3rd Place: Andrey Dzhagarbekov, Kup Grada Hvara (Croatia), 56.7 pounds
Anglers received prizes from Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship sponsors Guy Harvey, King Sailfish Mounts, Soundview Millworks, AFTCO and Flor de Caña.
Calvin Du Plessis, of Team Malindi International Festival (Kenya), caught the heaviest tuna of the tournament.
Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna
- 1st Place: Calvin Du Plessis, Malindi International Festival (Kenya), 29.7 pounds
- 2nd Place: Mikal Nolan, GFA of PNG National Titles (Papa New Guinea), 29.7 pounds
- 3rd Place: Allen DeSilva, 2003 OWC Champions (Bermuda), 29.2 pounds
Anglers received prizes from Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship sponsors Guy Harvey, King Sailfish Mounts, Soundview Millworks, AFTCO and Flor de Caña.
Luis Benitez, of Team 35th International Sailfish Tournament (Costa Rica), caught the heaviest wahoo of the tournament.
Heaviest Wahoo
- 1st Place: Luis Benitez, 35th International Sailfish Tournament (Costa Rica), 33.1 pounds
- 2nd Place: Charlie (Omar) Johnson, 56th Montego Bay International Marlin Tournament (Jamaica), 31.1 pounds
- 3rd Place: Lester Purvis, 56th Montego Bay International Marlin Tournament (Jamaica), 28.9 pounds
Anglers received prizes from Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship sponsors Guy Harvey, King Sailfish Mounts, Soundview Millworks, AFTCO and Flor de Caña.
VIDEO: Team N'Gor Marlin Cup released this sailfish on the last day of the 2018 Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship.