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22 June, 2009
Vodafone has announced that it will team up with International Game Fishing Club Fiji to sponsor the 29th International Game Fishing Tournament 09 ( IGFT). The event will be held in Deuba from 24th - 28th June with over 100 participants confirming their participation this year."Vodafone 's entree into the fishing market is another milestone for us in the evolution of competitive fishing and demonstrates just how far the sport has come and how rapidly it is expanding," said Vodafone's Sponsorship Manager, Liga Gukisuva. "As Fiji's leading mobile network provider, our involvement in game fishing is historic and once again raises game fishing sponsorship to a new level." Gukisuva further stated.
"Vodafone is proud to sponsor a sport that continues to grow in popularity and whose participants will be from the local and international arena.
During the 2008 tournament Team Fosters Fiji finished on 980.1 points ahead of Pearl 1 on 712.1 and Mango Bay Princess on 593.1.
The 2008 tournament, organized by the International Game Fishing Club,had a total catch of 99 fish weighed in as 57 anglers from Fiji, Australia and New Zealand battled it out for the major prizes in Fiji's premier game fishing tournament.
Team winners were Fosters Fiji, Pearl 1 and Mango Bay Princess.
Champion male anglers were Zoheb Razak (491.6) and George Trinkler (320.6) from Golden Eagle Fosters Fiji team , and Les Crossingham (302.4) of the Pearl Resort Team on Pearl 1.
Champion Lady Angler was New Zealand's Lyn Salvidge (108) aboard the Riviera flagship Opulence.
Champion Junior Angler (53.4) was Jordan Whittacker from Saltwater 1 and Champion Smallfry Angler was 10 year old Max Collingwood(46.5) from the newly launched Riviera La Moana – based at the Uprising Resort.
In the individual species section the heaviest Billfish weighed went to Risto Harmat for his 45.9kg Pacific Sailfish on 15 kg line from La Moana and the Uprising Team 1. Risto also took out the heaviest Mahi Mahi with a 10.5kg capture on 15kg line.
The heaviest Tuna went to junior angler Darcy Gibson who weighed a 20.8 kg Yellowfin Tuna on 15 kg line from Turaga Levu and the Sustainable Forest Team.
Heaviest Wahoo went to Lyn Salvidge on Opulence for a 32.1 kg capture on 24kg line, and the heaviest Walu and a new Tournament Record went to Rob Stephenson on Wai Tadra for a 12.5kg fish on 8kg line.
Rebecca Dickinson, Event Manager for IGFT 09 commented, "It's an exciting time for the International Game Fishing Club with a brand new venue (Club Oceanus) new boats and the first ever all-female angling team in the tournaments history.
We are hoping for a record number of vessels this year with entries already exceeding fourteen and there's definitely an old school feel to the event with more smaller boats making for a greater competition.
Nightly weigh-ins and commentaries by official IGFA representatives will provide the general public with a great overview of the myriad of fish species that frequent our beautiful waters. With catches ranging from marlin, sailfish, wahoo, mahi mahi and tuna together world and national records up for grabs we are just days away from a world-class fishing event.
Despite the economical down turn our sponsors, big and small have really made the tournament possible. A huge thank you goes out to all of them on behalf of the entire club (Vodafone Fiji Ltd, Fosters Group, Shimano, Sustainable Forest Industries, Club Oceanus, Fiji Gas Fiji Water, Pacific Sun, Hot Springs, Lagoon Resort, Fiji Palms, Rivers Fiji, Stayin' Alive Corporate Promotions, Oasis Restaurant, Perkins Pizza)"
Here's to good weather and tight lines!
For more information please contact Rebecca on +679 9422 380
About Vodafone Fiji:
Vodafone Fiji Limited is part of Vodafone Group Plc, a leading mobile communications company with over 270 million proportionate customers worldwide. Vodafone Fiji which is a partnership with ATH Group and provides mobile telecommunications services to 650,000 Fiji customers. Vodafone is the number one mobile network in Fiji .The global company has equity interests in 26 countries and partner networks in a further 33 countries, the largest global footprint.