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The organizers of the annual Casa de Campo International Blue Marlin Classic, along with executives of the event’s Title Sponsors Casa de Campo Resort & Villas and Associate Sponsors Marina Casa de Campo officially announced the 5th Anniversary 2018 edition of this prestigious tournament from April 18th to the 21st in the heart of the incredible blue marlin season that takes place offshore of Marina Casa de Campo from February to May.  The marina’s meticulously kept records reveal that in 2017 a whopping total of 1,044 billfish were released (1,003 were blue marlin) in 109 boat days fished.

Given the caliber and popularity of the location many of the high profile boats that fish the Caribbean Circuit are expected this year with slip reservations at the marina at full capacity.  For those who want to participate but cannot bring your boat, there are several top-notch boats available for charter with highly experienced crews (contact us for details).

The event is not only known for its fabulous blue marlin action (63 blue marlin released in 3 days at the 2017 event), but also for the fun filled activities that are scheduled on shore such as Happy Hours at the docks after fishing, the Fiesta on the night after the second day of fishing, pre-tournament activities such as the now infamous and grueling Donkey Polo match, finally culminating with the elegant Awards Banquet on the night of the third and final day of fishing. 

Tournament Director Rick Alvarez, of International Billfish Tournaments, Inc., emphasized that, “Our events are particularly characterized in the Dominican Republic thus far because we actually donate part of the proceeds to reputable Dominican underprivileged children’s charity foundations. In the case of the Blue Marlin Classic, the Patronato Oriental – Hogar del Niño has received generous donations each year from our event.  Other distinctive features are that we bring a group of international Certified Observers so each competing boat has an observer aboard during each day of competition to prevent rule infractions and identify species before fish are carefully released to swim away and reproduce, as well as the fact that we give a cash award to the crew that applies the most tags to fish for conservation and scientific studies”.    

The Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic continues to grow in notoriety each year uniquely generating a substantial amount of press in both print and electronic, local and international publications adding to the image of the sport, to the popularity of the fabulous marina and to the growth of an important segment of this highly specialized type of sport tourism.  “Add social media to the equation and it is no wonder that since we started these international style events several other new tournaments have been added in the Dominican Republic” Alvarez concluded. 

More and more visiting boats are staying in the Dominican Republic for longer periods of time with Marina Casa de Campo experiencing a record number of visiting boats during the 2017 Fishing Season.  Jose Gonzalvo, Marina Casa de Campo General Manager and experienced angler in his own right pointed out that “since 2013 when the Dominican Republic was first ranked the Number One billfishery in the world by the Billfish Report, Casa de Campo in particular has been ranked in the Top Ten destinations thereafter”.  In closing he added, “The presence of an estimated seventy high end sportfishing boats for an average stay of 3.5 months of the year consuming local goods and services yields very considerable sums of revenue and adds jobs to the local economy”.

For additional information about the event and sponsorship opportunities – outside the Dominican Republic contact International Billfish Tournaments at (305) 213-5521 info@intlbillfishtourns.com – In the Dominican Republic contact Alicia Campillo at (809) 869-8483 aliciacampilloh@gmail.com – For  dockage contact Harbor Master Oscar Paredes at (809) 523-2111/2112 o.paredes@marinacasadecampo.com.do.