The World Sailfish Championship sponsors set up a series of connected tents that almost totally cover Mallory Square. Only members can get in, but others are welcome to come to the live band event on Friday night, which is usually a very good show. Inside the tent, there is gourmet food, including shrimp raw bars, wine events, and one gala dinner event after the last race of the week, Saturday night. Prize ceremonies take place in the big tent, with bikini babes, big name sponsors, and everything else you’d expect from a grand event involving lots and lots of money, like this one.
The rules of the tournament are serious, and there are many ways to get your sailfish catch disqualified. These days you have to get your catch on video, or mini DVD. If it’s not recorded, it doesn’t count! Boats leave the docks at 7am and have to turn in their DVDs each day by 5pm. Winner of this year’s World Sailfish Championship released 22 sailfish and won over $340,000. See what we mean by big? This is for serious fishing teams with serious piles of cash, since just to enter you pay $7,500. No wonder they treat the entrants so well, with shrimp dinners, bikini babes, and live music!
