The Trinidad and Tobago team of 16-year-old Blue Marlin junior world record-holder Sean Mendonca, Derrick Tardieu, Mark Vilain and Clint Quong Sing-winners of the Ministry of Sport (MSYA), Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and Carib-sponsored 2008 T&T Game Fishing Association Marlin Madness-finished fourth at the tenth annual IGFA Offshore World Championship.

There were 43 teams participating in the event in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, representing 19 countries around the globe, including the USA, Australia, Tonga, Italy, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago to name a few.

And although Team T&T shared the lead going into the last day of the four-day tournament, their inability to tally enough catch and releases and a last day surge by other boats meant they were forced to settle for fourth.

In the end, the 2009 edition was won by the World Championship Billfish Release Tournament champions, who ended up with 4,200 points after catching several Marlins on the final day that took the title away from the Trinidad and Tobago quartet.

The Presidential Challenge-Guatemala Team came in second with 3,000 points, the XLVI Torneio Annual de Peixes de Bico ICRJ-Brazil Team placed third with 2,700 points, while and the Trinidad and Tobago Team (29th International Marlin Madness Tournament) placed fourth with 2,400 points.

And Team T&T’s Quong Sing finished third in the Best Angler category at the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA)-organised event.

With such a wide international field of competitors, the IGFA Offshore World Championship has earned the title of the ’Olympics’ of offshore fishing.