Team Galati wins Inaugural IGFA Open with outstanding performance
by IGFA 18 Mar 15:24 GMT
Inaugural IGFA Open © IGFA
The inaugural IGFA Open, held at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, Costa Rica, delivered an unforgettable tournament with over 1,000 fish caught, including 988 billfish.
"Team Galati" dominated the tournament, securing victory with an astounding 8,100 points and a record-setting 48 sailfish releases on the second day alone.
Captained by Tony Carrizosa, "Team Galati's" anglers—Sean Dooley, Carmine Galati, Thomas Garmany, Justin Healey, and Pat Healey—released a total of 81 sailfish to claim the top spot.
Final standings:
- First Place - "Team Galati" (8,100 points) - 81 sailfish
- Second Place - "Tarheel" (7,000 points) - 66 sailfish, 1 blue marlin
- Third Place - "Sea Base" (6,900 points) - 69 sailfish
Individual anglers also showcased incredible talent, with Jill Yates of "Poco Ocho" earning Top Angler honors with 3,200 points, followed by JC Gonzalez of "Pura Vida" (2,400 points) and Maria Smith of "Uno Mas" (2,200 points). Young angler Chris "Marlin" David of "Catch 23" took home Top Junior Angler honors with 1,100 points.
Notable weigh-ins:
- Heaviest Dolphinfish - "Crush'Em" angler Carlos Perez (53.3 lbs)
- Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna - "Gladiator" angler Steve Kehoe (128.5 lbs)
"The IGFA Open was an incredible showcase of skill, sportsmanship, and the world-class billfishing that Costa Rica has to offer. Seeing more than 1,000 fish caught under IGFA rules in our inaugural event is a testament to the passion and dedication of the anglers and teams who participated," said Jason Schratwieser, IGFA President. "We are thrilled with the tournament's success and deeply grateful to our sponsors and Marina Pez Vela for their outstanding support. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to growing the IGFA Open into one of the premier billfish tournaments in the world."
Live scoring for the IGFA Open was provided by CatchStat, allowing teams and fans to follow the action in real time.
The IGFA Open, powered by the International Game Fish Association, debuted as a premier billfish tournament, following strict IGFA rules and supporting the organization's conservation efforts. With an impressive fleet of competitors and world-class fishing in Costa Rica, the IGFA Open has set the stage for years to come.
The IGFA extends its gratitude to Viking Yachts, the Title Sponsor of the 2025 IGFA Open, as well as supporting sponsors AFTCO, Bluefin USA, CatchStat, Connected by Water, Costa, Diamond Fishing Products, Flor de Caña, Garmin, Marina Pez Vela, Momoi, SpotZero, and YETI for their generous support in making this inaugural event a success.
For a complete list of tournament results, visit igfaopen.catchstat.com.
To learn more about IGFA Tournaments, visit igfa.org/tournaments. Details for the 2026 IGFA Open will be announced at a later date.