An impressive fleet of 92 boats and 500 lady anglers turned out to compete in the 27th Annual Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament in Manteo, North Carolina. The annual event is held prior to the start of the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament and is not only a local favorite but also a fund-raiser for the Outer Banks Cancer Support Group.
By the end of the one-day shootout, 61 sailfish had been released along with nine white marlin and seven blue marlin. Lo Que Sea, a 56-foot Paul Mann run by Capt. Keven Paul, tallied five sailfish releases for the win and 500 points. Capt. Jordan Croswait and his team on Legacy, a 58-foot Bobby Sullivan, earned the second-place trophy for releasing three sails and a blue marlin, good for 150 points. Capt. Dennis Endee guided owner Cheryl Russell and her family team aboard A-Salt Weapon to a third-place finish with four sailfish releases.
The Alice Kelly optional jackpot category is a winner-take-all prize for the boat landing the largest mahimahi. This year’s winner was Sniper, a 58-foot Paul Mann run by Capt. Jimmy Bayne. Twelve-year-old Emily Bracher, competing aboard Pelican, a 56 Paul Mann captained by her father Arch Bracher, earned the Top Junior Angler trophy after releasing a blue and white marlin.
