Madeira Blue Marlin – 2nd Trophy Dr. António Ribeiro
Marina da Calheta – Madeira – 12th to 14th June 2009

Foreword: The second Madeira Blue Marlin tournament is organised by the Big Game Clube de Portugal and Marina da Calheta in order to honour and perpetuate the name of the physician and surgeon Dr. António Ribeiro that is actually 95 years old, probably the oldest living legend of all blue marlin fishermen.
Due to the great success of the first tournament, this year about 20 boats are expected to enter the competition with teams from Madeira, Azores, Portugal Continental, England, Germany, Luxemburg, Spain and Canary Islands, South Africa and USA.

General information: This trophy is exclusively a Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) “ALL RELEASE” tournament. It is qualifying for IGFA – Offshore World Championship and is also integrated in the BGCP – Big Game Fishing Circuit whose winner will represent the BGCP in the HIBT – Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament in Hawaii.

The logistic base and departure of the tournament is Marina da Calheta – Madeira Island.
Teams can be minimum 3 to maximum 6 members per boat, including the reporter that is responsible for filming the different parts of the fishing action for validation.

The entry fee includes all tournament action and social activities, 12th June Welcome Cocktail, 13th June Team Dinner and 14th June Award Ceremony with Gala Dinner, tournament official polo, trophies for the 3 first places, participation trophy for everyone, and Release Trophy.

All boats should do the check in until 05.00pm on the 12th June in Marina da Calheta. At 06.00pm Captains Meeting takes place in order to clarify all details.
Every team must have one video camera to prove the jury all phases of the catch and release action, the fishermen and the equipment. For the film to be validated it must begin and end with the secret code given daily, the way out and in of the marina and the boat of the jury.

The catch is validated when the leaderman touches the leader, when the leader passes the last rod roller/guide, when the swivel touches the last rod roller/guide. Revival is mandatory. All procedures have to be registered in video.

Each day departure occurs at 09.00am after the flag rising and sonorous signal.
IGFA International Angling Rules are applied. Only trolling is accepted. There is no limit for the number of rods per boat. Maximum line class accepted is 130lb. Electric reels are not allowed. Bait, live or dead is accepted but only with circle hooks. Any released fish gets 1600 points.

The entry fee for both days of the tournament is €600,00 (six hundred Euros) per boat, including all social activities referred above.
All needed documentation can be found on:
http://www.biggameclube-portugal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=871&Itemid=233

Madeira Island is considered one of the best spots in the world for blue marlin fishing.
Be welcome in this beautiful Marlin Paradise. Do not miss our tournament.
In case of difficulty or any further explanation needed do not hesitate to contact:

Big Game Clube de Portugal
Tel: +351 282 405 090 / 8 - Fax: +351 282 405 099
E-mail:  geral@biggameclube-portugal.com
Eduardo Teixeira (BGCP Madeira Representative)
Tel: +351 965 010 220.
Email: eduardo.teixeira@biggameclube-portugal.com
eduardoacteixeira@mail.telepac.pt