que mas
After missing last year’s season, team Que Mas enjoyed a sweet welcome back to Bermuda Big Game Classic by becoming the first team to ever win the event twice by scoring 1400-points from two blue and two white marlin releases. One of the blues took angler Tyler Valles over 3 hours to bring to leader and was estimated to be well over 600-pounds based on video footage and measuring in the water prior to release.
Team Que Mas captain Travis Butters, Owner Wally Whitley, mates Robert Helms, Tyler Valles, Donny Lange and guests Chad and Blake Ford took the Bermuda Department of Tourism First Place Team honors, Atlantic Water Development Day One Release Jackpot, Argo Group Overall Release Points Jackpot, First Place Team and the Marlin Magazine Manufacturer’s Cup for American Custom Yachts winning a total of $141,600. The team also received the custom Vanmark BBGC Money Clips, Steve Goione artwork, Geoffrey Smith bronze sculptures, King Sailfish Mount trophies, Bacardi Spirits, the Garmin Grand, and an invitation to compete in the Offshore World Championship.
The final day of the Classic will always be special for 14-year old junior angler, J.T. Winston, and the rest of the team aboard Kerry D which included Captain David Soares, mate James Nantz, John Cochrane, Ann Marie Cochrane, and Jeremiah Sullivan_._ One can imagine what it must have been like for J.T.’s father to see his son catch his first blue marlin which was the competition’s largest fish coming in at 693-pounds. Team Kerry D took the Bacardi Day Two Marlin Jackpot, Vanmark Jewelry Day Three Marlin Jackpot, and the CAT Engines Largest Marlin Jackpot for total winnings of $167,700. J.T. Winston also won the Steve Goione High-Point Junior angler trophy.
Another consistent team, Uno Mas, scored 1200-points from releasing two blues and a white to win the Miles Market Second Place Team award, King Sailfish Mounts Day 3 Release Jackpot and Second Place Argo Group Overall Release Points Jackpot for total winnings of $87,600. The PW’s Marina High Point Angler went to Brooks Smith owner of Uno Mas. Captain Tommy Lynskey, Mates Sander Cerdas, Jeremy Cubillo, Sam Peters, Sean Gallagher, Eric Rojas made up the rest of the winning combination.
Team Wound Up earned the Garmin Third Place Team award with 1,200 points from 2 blues and a roundscale spearfish. They also took third place in the Argo Group Overall Release Points Jackpot for total winnings of $36,000. The team included Captain James Robinson, Mate Gethin Adderley, Mark Munt, Logan Bass, John Cooper III and Borum Cooper. Captain Robinson’s Wound Up has placed in at least one of the Triple Crown events 6 of the past 7 years and is a past World Cup Blue Marlin champion.
Other teams taking home prize money included team Chaos winning__ the Island Construction Day Two Release Jackpot earning $26,400. The team included owner Brent Slade, Dorian Kouri, Tim Agajanian, Nick Martin, David Croom and Jason Lewis. The Pettit Paint Day One Marlin Jackpot went to No Vacancy for their 573-pound blue caught by angler Vincent Cerrone. Captain Eric Soderholm, mate Chris Weeks, Owner Bill Walsh, Bill Pullman, Jamie Henderson, Brett Jamieson and Vincent Cerrone took home the Daily Jackpot worth $25,800. The Fairmont Hamilton Princes Biggest Game Fish check went to Triple Play angler David Campbell for his 39.9-pound wahoo winning $7,200.
The Ocean Blue Graphics Top Lady Angler award went to Ashley Dent fishing on Frayed Knot who released a blue and a white.
The tournament celebrated the winners at the gala Bacardi Cocktail reception at their International Headquarters followed the Harbour View Ballroom dinner and live entertainment at the historic Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel. _ _
