First Day standings of 14th International I’a Lapo’a Tournament — NZ leads
The 14th International Game Fishing Tournament competition kicked off early Monday morning with ten boats registered on Sunday. An additional late fee boat went out Tuesday morning, making it 11 — that’s American Samoa’s “Reel Cat”.
All together, there are six boats competing from New Zealand: Girlfriend, Adrenalin, Brave Hart, Game Keeper, Kai Time, and Te Ururoa; there is one from Samoa: the King Fisher II — which has been one of the most threatening competitors in previous tournaments with massive captures brought to the scale; and American Samoa’s boats are: Sau Ia!, Happi Hooka, Bonavista II and latecomer, the Reel Cat.
The tourney’s major sponsors are Steinlarger, the Pago Pago Game Fishing Tournament Association and the American Samoa Visitors Bureau.
The tourney, as is their tradition, will be donating most of their ‘catches’ to Hope House, with some going to sponsors.
(Samoa News will bring each day’s standings as they are made available.)
MONDAY — DAY ONE STANDINGS
Biggest Masi Masi by Glen Newman Boat Game Keeper, New Zealand 27.8lbs
Biggest Skip Jack Tuna by Christine Elmiger Boat Brave Hart, New Zealand 27.2lbs
Biggest Wahoo by Russ Cox Boat Bonavista 2, American Samoa 29.4lbs
Biggest Yellow Fin by Heinz Hagedorn; Boat Bonavista 2, American Samoa 49.4lbs
BLUE MARLIN TAG & RELEASE
It’s a Tie between Fred Schmidt of King Fisher II from Samoa, Nicole Bol of Brave Hart of New Zealand, Mitch Shimasaki of Sau Ia from American Samoa and Darrin Spillane of Girlfriend of New Zealand
BOAT PLACE STANDINGS
#1 Brave Hart Captain Clyde Fraser of New Zealand 320 Points
#2 Tie between: Sau Ia Captain Rodney Reid of American Samoa 200 Points, King Fisher II Captain Alfred of Samoa 200 Points, and Girlfriend Captain Marc Noakes of New Zealand 200 Points
#3 Bonavista 2; Captain Andy Wearing of American Samoa 140.8 Points
#4 Happi Hooka Captain Candy Man of American Samoa 50.6 Points
#5 Game Keeper Captain Angus Hume of New Zealand 27.8 Points
TOTAL WEIGHT OF FISH CAUGHT: 246.4 Lbs
COUNTRY OVERALL POINTS REPORT
New Zealand leading 547.8 Points
American Samoa 2nd 391.4 Points
Samoa 3rd 200 points
Today will be the Women and Juniors competition of who can lurer in the biggest catch of the day, then the program will turn back to the regular fishing tournament starting tomorrow and Friday, and the conclusion of the Tournament that will be held Saturday May 11th.