FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2025
Blue Marlin World Cup
Tahiti Fish Wins the 2025 Blue Marlin World Cup
For the first time in tournament history, the winning marlin was caught and landed in Tahiti, French Polynesia, in the 2025 Blue Marlin World Cup. The New Zealand team fishing aboard Ultimate Lady, a 90-foot Wavepiercer, whipped the 689-pound blue after about 45 minutes. Capt. Tom Francis was at the helm for the catch. Fred Lewis was on the rod and the fish struck a pearl head Joe Yee Super Plunger lure. Ultimate Lady won both the World Cup and the Big Blue Challenge divisions, pocketing $1.3 million in winnings. That combined payout represents a new record for the tournament, celebrating its 41st anniversary this season.
A total of 167 teams competed on July 4th, which is one boat shy of tying the all-time record. Of the 167 teams, 99 were entered in the optional Big Blue Challenge. Nine different countries were represented among the overall field, including Australia, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cape Verde, French Polynesia, Panama, Portugal, Senegal and the United States. State teams included Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas.
During the Tournament, the morning was relatively quiet with nothing coming in from Cape Verde or Madeira, two historic hot spots. Legacy, a 43 Torres run by Capt. Adam Hines, reported a catch in the afternoon in Bermuda. Legacy’s fish weighed in at 556-pounds and was only in first place for a short time. As a small piece of World Cup history, note that Capt. Adam Hines (at age 7), his brother (at age 9) and Adam’s Dad were all three on the boat of Bermuda legend Alan Card in 1992 when Alan caught a 1,195 blue marlin. This fish still stands as the Blue Marlin World Cup record 33 years later.
In the Gulf of America, Rising Sons had reported a hook-up on a live bait 45 minutes after lines in. Jaselyn Berthelot, a 23-year-old recent graduate of Louisiana State University, was in the chair with Capt. Jimmy “Cricket” Crochet on the flying bridge. The 58-foot Viking, based in Louisiana, was fishing in the central Gulf.
Six minutes shy of eight hours on the rod, Rising Sons’ fish was boated, about 5:09 local time. ESPN Sports did a live report on the action. Rising Sons made a lengthy run to Grand Isle, Louisiana where their fish weighed in at 609 pounds at 10:45 pm local time. The Ultimate Lady’s fish, which weighed in earlier at 689 pounds, was then declared the 2025 World Cup winner.
The Blue Marlin World Cup is a one-day fishing tournament conducted globally. Only blue marlin weighing more than 500 pounds are eligible. Competing teams fish in their respective time zones from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Entries are weighed on certified government scales and verified in their respective locales.
The 2026 Blue Marlin World Cup will be held July 4, 2026. For more information please visit: www.bluemarlinworldcup.com.
Contact:
Tournament Director – Robert “Fly” Navarro at 561-310-9214 or at fly@bluemarlinworldcup.com