- +300 blue marlin caught and released
- 1,268-pound blue marlin, world’s largest of 2024
- +$4 million in prize money awarded
- +5 million in social media reach
For Immediate Release
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July 31, 2024 – WINTER PARK, FL – Bermuda showcased its wonders during the 2024 Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship, producing a truly world-class experience highlighted by historic catches, record payouts, and an electric tournament atmosphere. Good weather, great fishing and a new suite of optional jackpots introduced for 2024 all contributed to the record results.
A fleet of 52 boats from the U.S. and Bermuda competed with a record of $4,127,250 in prize money awarded across the three-tournament series. Participating anglers caught 353 billfish during the championship’s nine days of fishing, including 310 blue marlin and 39 white marlin. Nine blue marlin were weighed during the series, the largest being a massive 1,268-pound fish that took the big-game fishing world by storm.
“We knew early in the spring that we had something special happening with this year’s series,” said David Ritchie, CEO of The Marlin Group, operator of the Bermuda Triple Crown. “Interest in our new jackpot structure was through the roof, the marinas were all reporting record bookings, and sponsor support had never been stronger. That monster fish was the cherry on top.”
The 1,268-pounder – the third largest in Bermuda history and largest marlin caught anywhere in the world thus far in 2024 – helped generate global interest in the Bermuda Triple Crown, as evidenced by the series’ organic social media reach of more than 5 million in the month of July.
For decades, some of the finest sport-fishing teams in the world have traveled to Bermuda each July in pursuit of world-class fishing and to compete in the prestigious Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship. The three legs of the Bermuda Triple Crown comprise the Bermuda Billfish Blast, the Bermuda Big Game Classic, and the Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament. The champion of the Bermuda Triple Crown is determined by the highest overall combined points of all three tournaments.
Led by Capt. Sean Dooley, Viking Yachts’ new demonstrator vessel, the Viking 82, won this year’s championship through consistent performance across all three legs. The team released 15 blue marlin and one white marlin, and weighed a 622-pound blue marlin, to accumulate 8,222 total points. The Viking 82 team headed home with combined winnings of $616,129 from their success throughout the series.
The 62-foot Spencer, Fender Bender, led by Capt. Colin Oxnard, finished in second place. Their releases of 15 blue marlin and one white marlin earned them top boat in the Bermuda Billfish Blast, and their second-place finish in the overall series brought their total series payout to $621,188. Sea Striker, a 61-foot Jarrett Bay with Capt. Pete Zook at the helm, took third place in the series and received $505,218 in combined winnings, releasing 14 blue marlin and one white marlin over the three legs.
Thanks to its 1,268-pounder, a local charter boat, the UnWined, claimed top blue marlin of the series, taking home a check for $482,240.
“I will never forget the 2024 Bermuda Triple Crown,” said Tournament Director, Jennifer Dudas. “Between the impressive fleet, that huge grander, massive payouts, incredible fishing, and the sportsmanship and camaraderie displayed by the teams, it was truly special.”
About The Marlin Group
The Marlin Group is the world’s largest big-game fishing network reaching more than one million captains, anglers, mates and boat owners annually across a variety of touchpoints. The group publishes Marlin magazine, the industry’s No. 1 source since 1981, and operates the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica; Los Cabos Billfish Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Scrub Island Billfish Series in the British Virgin Islands; and the Bermuda Triple Crown, making it the worldwide leader for international billfishing tournaments. Marlin Expeditions, formerly Marlin University, has led anglers on educational excursions to the globe’s top big-game fishing destinations for more than 20 years. The Marlin Group is a core division of the US-based outdoor adventure company Bonnier LLC.Learn more at marlinmag.com and bonniercorp.com.
Sample Bermuda Triple Crown Imagery | Credit: Michelle Gaylord / Out Your Front Door
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