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.
An incredible fleet of 52 boats competed with a total of $4,127,250 in prize money awarded, a new record for the tournament. 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 tournament, the largest being a massive 1,268-pound blue landed by UnWined during the Bermuda Big Game Classic that took the big-game fishing world by storm.
The stunning Royal Bermuda Yacht Club provided the perfect backdrop to crown the champions of the remarkable 2024 Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship series, after first recognizing the winners of the 51st Sea Horse Anglers Club Bermuda Billfish Tournament, the final leg of the series, held from July 19-23.
This year, the Sea Horse hosted a fleet of 41 boats, the largest in its storied 51-year history. Builder’s Choice, a 64-foot Jarrett Bay led by Capt. Brent Gaskill, took first place with nine blue marlin releases over three days, earning a total of 4,500 points and $233,716. Second place on time was secured by team Viking 82, which released six blue marlin, winning $175,430. Wolverine earned third place and a check for $131,913 for its six blue marlin releases. There were 96 billfish caught during the three days of fishing, including 93 blue marlin and three white marlin. All billfish aside from one blue marlin were released.
Following the Sea Horse awards, the energy in the room peaked as Viking 82 was crowned champion of the 2024 Bermuda Triple Crown Tournament Series. Led by Capt. Sean Dooley, the Viking 82 team released 15 blue marlin and one white marlin and weighed a 622-pound blue marlin to accumulate 8,222 total points over all three legs of the series. With their bragging rights, trophies and championship rings secured, the Viking 82 team heads home with combined winnings of $616,129 from their success throughout the series.
Fender Bender, led by Capt. Colin Oxnard, finished in second place for the 2024 Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship. 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, 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, 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 Jen 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. I couldn’t be happier for the winners. Thank you to our incredible team and sponsors, and I can’t wait to see this event continue to grow in 2025!”
For decades, some of the finest sport-fishing teams in the world have traveled to Bermuda in pursuit of world-class game fish 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.
The Bermuda Triple Crown is operated by The Marlin Group, the world’s largest big-game fishing network, reaching more than a million boat owners, anglers, captains and mates 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; the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; the Scrub Island Billfish Series in the British Virgin Islands; and the Bermuda Triple Crown, making it a 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.
