Fish Wins Long Bout, Aussies Win Title

The Gamefishing Club of South Australia won the Hawaiian International Billfish tournament here Saturday, but only after a broken line ended a marathon battle that could have given the title to a California club.

Ron Smothers of the Marina del Rey Fishing Club hooked into a huge marlin Friday morning and fought the fish for 23 hours before the line broke.

Until that fight ended, the outcome of the 32nd annual, five-day tournament remained in doubt.

If Smothers had landed his fish and it weighed 610 pounds or more, tournament officials said Marina del Rey would have taken the tournament title.

The Gamefishing Club of South Australia, led by 81-year-old Bill Coombs, won the title with 1,328 points after Coombs caught a 254-pound marlin Friday.

Coombs, who was the only active team member after the other two members suffered injuries, opened the five-day tournament Monday with a 529-pound marlin to give the Australians the lead from the first day.

French Polynesia’s Bora Bora Club took second place with 1,166 points, followed by defending champion American Samoa with 1,111 points after a 608-pound marlin caught by Bill Maxe on Friday was the day’s biggest.

Taking fourth place was New Britain Game Fishing Club of Papua New Guinea with 877 points, followed by Hawaii Kai Aloha Tournament Team with 875, Great Northern Angling Club of Canada with 867 points and Hawaii Billfish Club No. 4 with 722 points.

Eighty-five teams from around the world participated in the tournament.