For Immediate Release
August 23, 2008

Instant Replay!

The 2008 Mid-Atlantic $500,000 draws to a
close with a record tying white marlin!

As Yogi Berra would say "It's deja vu all over again!" In typical Mid-Atlantic $500,000 fashion, Day Five once again lived up to its "Moving Day" reputation as the leaderboard changed faster than a politician's opinion! With 129 boats heading out on the final day of sportfishing's "Main Event," the billfish bite continued to be red hot and once again crews were able to rack up lots of release points and several big fish came to the scales which kept the intensity level high until the final hour of the tournament.

While the majority of the winners sailed from Cape May, for the second consecutive year the heaviest white marlin of the tournament would come from a boat sailing from Ocean City, Maryland. The fishing was also pretty darn good as well as a combined 468 white marlin and blue marlin were caught during the week by the 141 participating boats with well over 90% released for an average of one-billfish-per-boat-per-day!

The highlight of the final day's weigh-in session came from Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland where Susan McCart's Reel Joy with Captain Dale Gurgo at the wheel weighed a tournament record tying white marlin of 92 pounds to take the heaviest white marlin prize of $699,307. Captain Bob Watson piloted Frank Bongiorno's Dealer's Choice to a second place finish and $124,955 for the 88-pound white marlin caught on Day Four. Barry Weshnak's Miss Annie with Captain Matt Rabenstine on the bridge held on to finish in third place and won $68,747 for the 79-pound white marlin, also caught on Day Four.

Adam Demeusy's Impulse V had to sweat out the week with the 719-pound blue marlin he caught on Day One but in the end it was good enough to finish first in the category and was worth $193,622. Second place went to Joseph Bernert's Kwik Raze with the 625-pound blue marlin caught on Day Four and won $124,955. Joe Giafaglione's Atomic got on the leaderboard on the final day of the tournament after weighing a 501-pound blue marlin yesterday which would hold on to take third place in the category and win $62,477.

Mike Tyson's Runaway took first and third place in the tuna category with yellowfins of 80 and 77 pounds and won a combined payout of $250,277 for both fish which were caught on Day One. Rich Fanucci's Exile finished in second place and received $47,540 for his 78-pound yellowfin which was caught on Day Four.

Rich Ryon's Anthracite won the dolphin category with a 43-pound mahi-mahi caught on Day One and received $10,000 while Ron McQuaid's Sea Cure captured the wahoo category with a 74-pound ‘hoo caught on Day Four and also won $10,000.

Boats with significant billfish catches on the final day of the tournament include Michael Mitrow's Bac in Five with nine white marlin released while Barry Weshnak's Miss Annie and Peter Cherasia's Shark Byte each released seven white marlin. Eric Blanks' Intrinsic released six white marlin and Charlie Horning's Fish Whistle released five white marlin. Mark and Amy Granville-Smith's Phat Man, Brandon Famous' Pipe Dream, Joseph Erikson's Endeavor and George Barnard's Olivia Grace each released four white marlin. Boats with three white marlin releases include Pat Healy's Viking 60; John Raimondo's Sea Mistress and Greg Nucci's Finatic. Edward Burr's Spencer 66 released four white marlin and a blue marlin while Gina Addeo's Gina Lisa released two white marlin and a blue marlin. Ron Levy's Sea Splendor released a blue marlin and a white marlin. In addition, 13 separate boats released two white marlin each on Day Five.

At the awards ceremony held last night at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, Tournament Director Bob Glover, assisted by tournament officials Mark Allen and Scott Knopf, distributed the total cash payout of over $1.8 million to the winners while Tournament President Dick Weber graciously thanked all the participants as they enjoyed cocktails and a lobster buffet dinner. Later, Glover reflected on the week's events and was very pleased with the overall results. "It's been a terrific tournament and we're very happy with the level of participation both here in Cape May and at our satellite port, Sunset Marina, in Ocean City, Maryland. The weather has been excellent and the fishing has been equally good as well," he noted.

Catch Report

White Marlin Released - 423

White Marlin Boated - 31

Blue Marlin Released - 11

Blue Marlin Boated - 3

Tuna Weighed - 13

Wahoo Weighed - 4

Dolphin Weighed - 11

2008 Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Final Standings

Weight Standings

Heaviest White Marlin - 92 lbs. - Reel Joy - Susan McCart - $ $699,307
2nd Heaviest White Marlin - 88 lbs. - Dealer's Choice - Frank Bongiorno - $124,955
3rd Heaviest White Marlin - 79 lbs. - Miss Annie - Barry Weshnak - $68,747

Heaviest Blue Marlin - 719 lbs. - Impulse V - Adam Demeusy - $193,622
2nd Heaviest Blue Marlin - 625 lbs. - Kwik Raze - Joseph Bernet - $124,955
3rd Heaviest Blue Marlin - 501 lbs. - Atomic - Joe Giafaglione - $ 62,477

Heaviest Tuna - 80 lbs. - Runaway - Mike Tyson - * See note below
2nd Heaviest Tuna - 78 lbs. - Exile - Rich Fannuci - $47,540
3rd Heaviest Tuna - 77 lbs. - Runaway - Mike Tyson - * See note below
*Runaway received a combined cash prize of $250,277 for their first and third place finish.

Heaviest Dolphin - 43 lbs. - Anthracite - Rich Ryon - $10,000
Heaviest Wahoo - 74 lbs. - Sea Cure - Ron McQuaid - $10,000

Other boats receiving cash payouts for various levels of calcutta participation include the following listed below.

Got Walls - Sean O'Donnell - 75 lb. tuna - $86,687
Anthracite - Rich Ryon 75 lb. white marlin - $31,350
Viking 68 - Pat Healy - 74 lb. tuna - $30,400
Hullabaloo - Dan Paulus - 73 lb. white marlin - $25,080
Covert Mission - Jim McCarthy - 72 lb. white marlin - $25,080
Canyon Runner - Adam LaRosa - 69 lb. tuna - $15,200
Gina Lea - Adam Buchman - 75 lb. tuna - $6,270

Point Standings

Most Points White Marlin - 1125 pts. - Shark Byte - Peter Cherasia
2nd Most Points White Marlin - 979 pts. - Miss Annie - Barry Weshnak
3rd Most Points White Marlin - 900 pts. - Pipe Dream - Brandon Famous

Most Points Blue Marlin - 359.5 pts. - Impulse V - Adam Demeusy
2nd Most Points Blue Marlin - 312.5 pts. - Kwik Raze - Joseph Bernet
3rd Most Points Blue Marlin - 250.5 pts. - Atomic - Joe Giafaglione

Most Points Tuna - 113.5 pts. - Runaway - Mike Tyson
2nd Most Points Tuna - 69.5 pts. - Viking 68 - Pat Healy
3rd Most Points Tuna - 69 pts. - Got Walls - Sean O'Donnell

Most Points Overall - 1125 - Shark Byte - Peter Cherasia

The Mid-Atlantic $500,000 is proudly sponsored by Baitmasters of South Florida; Bernie Robbins Jewelers; Big Game Fishing Journal; Canyon Club Resort Marina; Canyon Runner; Christi Marine Insurance; Costa Marine; CWR Electronics; Engines Incorporated; Enterprise Rental Car; EZ2CY; FLIR Systems, Inc.; Fraser-Volpe; Garmin; Grace Energy; Guy Harvey; Homestead Realty; Johnson and Towers; Lucky Bones Backwater Grille; Mack Boring and Parts; MAN Engines and Components; Midlantic Gold Rush; OceanLED; Ocean Yachts; Offshore Financial; Pacific Fins Resort and Pelagic Offshore Gear. Additional sponsors include Penn Reels; Pettit Paint; PipeTowers; Pompanette; Premier Detailing and Boat Cleaning; PropSpeed; Ransome Engines; Raymarine; Saltwater Sportsman; South Jersey Marina; South Jersey Yacht Sales; Sperry Top Sider; Sturdy Bank; Sunset Marina; The Fisherman; Twin Disc; Underwater Lights USA; Washington Inn; Win-Tron Electronics; WKR Construction; World Billfish Series; WXWORX XM Satellite Weather and ZF Marine.

For more information visit the tournament web site at www.ma500.com where a photo gallery of the tournament can also be viewed.