The action aboard Kona's finest fishing boats made for a fun-filled day for all 288 anglers who participated. The day began at 8:00 at the starting line where thousands of flowers were dropped from a helicopter around the fishing boats which were lined up for the shot gun start. The morning excitement began when on board the 36' Harris Ho`okele with Janet Martic boated the first Pacific Blue Marlin of the day, a 250 pound blue caught on 50 pound test line.

Two hours later at 10:35 in the morning, Laura Boots on the boat Camelot hooked a 521 pound blue marlin which she landed after a 40 minute fight, as team members Kelli Myers, Cheryl Dillsworth and Gail Rantranz cheered her on. 10 minutes later, the Legend Team, with Capt. Momi Bean hooked up and Gwen Vidal angled a 203 pound blue marlin. Cindy Vidal, Shelley Squires, Cassie Carpenter were amongst the Legend's wahine team.

With three marlin in contention for the $12,600.00 jackpot, to be paid out to the top five largest fish, the tension on board the other 72 boats was palpable.

Tracey Leverone fishing on Sea Strike with Captain Dale Leverone successfully boated her 115 pound marlin after a 30 min fight as high tide peaked during mid-day, with team members C.B. Peterson, Joy Rosenbaum and Leilani Pacheko watching on. The fourth marlin of the day was now on the books.

As the afternoon progressed there was a lot of fishing action, but nothing that was brought in to the scales until the Jacque Apito with Captain Bryan Toney found a nice fish for his ladies. Lilibeth Toney was the angler of a 675 pound blue marlin with a fighting time of only 37 minutes. Katerina Roberts, Heather Ratliff and Lisa Cerone rounded out the team.

As the close of fishing approached two teams hooked up in the last half hour. Angler Bonnie Bangert fishing with team members Carey Gomes and Levetra Yee on the Hawaiian, boated their 159 pound blue marlin, as Derinda Cantrell fought and landed her 126 pound blue marlin on board the Alibi as stop fishing was called.

The Awards Banquet held at Huggo's drew over 500 participants who enjoyed Huggo's famous food and a beautiful sunset from the lawn adjacent to the popular oceanfront restaurant in Kona.

The winning fish on board the Jacque Apito won $5,040.00, second place team on the Camelot was awarded $3,150.00, third place team on the Ho'okele made away with $2,520.00, fourth place on the Legend was awarded $1,260.00, and the ladies on the Hawaiian came away with $630.00.

The event's proceeds, including a Silent Auction, beverage sales and T-shirt sales, will be donated to the Family Support Services of West Hawaii, a non-profit organization which supports families and communities in providing love and care for our children.