General leads spearfishing winners

Guam’s Mike General became the 2nd Annual Spearfishing Tournament big winner while Scott Moen of Rota won the biggest fish category during Saturday’s competition in the waters around Saipan.

Forty divers joined the one-day tournament where they caught a variety of fish including the parrot, trivally, rudder, black snapper, sweetlips, unicorn or tataga, grouper, emperor, and goat in different sizes.

General topped the individual total weight category in a close contest with runner-up Jess Hapdai of Saipan. General’s total weight of all the fish he caught tipped the scales at 47.40 lbs against the 47 of Hapdei. Scott Russell came in third with 45.22 lbs.

In the team competition, Russel teamed up with Peter Houk to claim the title with a total catch of 72.92lbs.

General earned second place honors together with teammate Miles Driscol after they collected 62.70 lbs. Guam’s James Borja and Ken Borja placed third with 61.78 lbs.

Moen, meanwhile, earned the biggest fish category after catching a 24.10-lb blackjack. Moen shot the fish while teammate Scott McClarin helped him bring it on the boat.

Brian Fitzgerald led the other individual winners after catching a 4.24-lb parrotfish while Tinian’s Mike Lizama caught a trivally that weighed in at 4.66lbs.

Cliff Sabo brought in a 3.14 rudderfish, while 2006 Micronesian Games gold medalist Felix Sasamoto caught a 1.5-lb black snapper. Ton Roberts had the heaviest sweetlips caught at 4.44 lbs while also collecting a 1.08-lb goatfish.

Nick Gross, who is a bemedalled track athlete, caught a 5.14-lb goatfish while Dan Repeki brought in a 2.64-lb grouper. Frank Pangelinan won the emperor fish category with a 3.26-lb catch.

All four major islands of the Marianas chain were well represented with divers from Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam joining the tournament organized by the Marianas Apnea Spearfishing Club and set in the waters around Saipan.

Winners won cash and in-kind prizes such as spearguns, T-shirts, wet suits, gift certificates, and other giveaways.

The 2nd Annual Spearfishing Tournament’s sponsors included MARPAC, Palms Resort & Spa, Sen. Luis Crisostomo, Rep. Ralph Torres, Saipan Fishing Tackle, The Torres Brothers, Saipan Fishermen Association, Marianas Visitors Authority, O.M.E.R., Cressi-sub, Pacifica Insurance, and Sen. Maria T. Pangelinan.