Central America’s Largest and Richest Offshore Tournament Raises the Bar Again
Quepos, Costa Rica — The Pelagic Rockstar Offshore Tournament marked its 10th anniversary in unforgettable fashion, delivering the biggest and most competitive edition of the event to date.
The international sportfishing community showed up in force, with 117 boats and 659 anglers from 14 countriesconverging on Marina Pez Vela to compete for more than $2.9 million in cash and prizes. A decade after its launch, the Rockstar once again proved why it holds the title of Central America’s Largest and Richest Offshore Fishing Tournament.
A Tournament Defined by Scale and Performance
For the second consecutive year, entries exceeded 100 boats, further cementing Rockstar’s place as the world’s largest all-release billfish tournament. But it wasn’t just the size of the fleet that stood out — it was the fishing.
Over just 16 total hours of fishing, teams released an astonishing 2,340 billfish, averaging more than 146 releases per hour — or 2.4 billfish every minute. The numbers reflect not only exceptional fishing conditions, but also the skill and efficiency of some of the best captains, crews, and anglers in the sport.
Radio control stayed busy both days, with lead scorekeeper Alcides Alfaro and the CatchStat team once again proving why they’re regarded as the best in the business.
Team Pura Vida Claims Grand Champion Honors
When the final call of “lines out” came across the radio, Team Pura Vida stood atop the leaderboard as Grand Champion, earning $885,900 for their efforts.
Six years ago, this tight-knit group of friends from Tampa Bay, Florida, committed themselves to competing against the best in the world of billfishing. With this win, they officially arrived on the global stage.
Tournament by the Numbers
Tournament Stats
- 117 teams
- 659 anglers representing 14 countries
- $2,927,650 in total prize money
- 2,340 billfish released
- 2,324 sailfish, 16 blue marlin
- 23 dorado (largest: 46.6 pounds)
- 30 yellowfin tuna, including a new tournament record 184.7-pounder
- 20 billfish releases per team average
- 34 different teams earned checks, trophies, and prizes
Top Team Results
Sonar Billfish Division
- First Place / Grand Champion: Team Pura Vida — 62 sailfish, 6,200 points, $885,900, Champion’s Trophy
- Second Place: Team Fish Tank / Galati — 46 sailfish, 2 blue marlin, 5,400 points, $505,910
- Third Place: Team NsatiaBill — 53 sailfish, 5,300 points, $94,530
Non-Sonar Billfish Division
- First Place: Team Mainline — 3,200 points, $187,235
- Second Place: Team Carolina Gentlemen — 3,200 points, $18,617
- Third Place: Team Five More Minutes — 3,200 points, $49,672
Top Anglers
- Top Overall Champion Angler: John Cook, Team Vaquero — 2,800 points
- Top Female Angler: Ronette Carter, Team SeaDuction — 2,200 points
- Top Junior Angler: Elizabeth Arn, Team E&A — 2,000 points
Flor de Caña Happy Hour Winners
- Day 1: Team Good Times — 900 points
- Day 2: Team My Three Sons — 1,000 points
For full scores and the complete tournament photo gallery, click here.
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