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HomeCaptain of the Year Cup Rules

Captain of the Year Cup Rules

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Overview   Standings   Sanctioned Tournaments 2016 Final Standings Past Winners

Captain of the Year Cup Rules

Duration

The Captain of the Year season begins each year on January 1 and runs through December 31.
The Florida Division operates on a modified seasonal calendar, running from November 1 through October 31.

Eligibility

The InTheBite Captain of the Year (COTY) Cup program is open to both private and charter vessels.
To receive points, the listed Captain must be the registered tournament Captain at the time the fish are caught.

Divisions

Five Captain of the Year Cups are awarded each season:

  • Florida Division
  • Hawaii Division
  • East Coast Division
  • Gulf Coast Division
  • International Division

Scoring

Points are accrued through ITB COTY Cup Sanctioned Events listed on the official Tournament Calendar.

  • First Place / Top Team: 500 points
  • Second Place: 300 points
  • Third Place: 100 points

Division Eligibility for Scoring

In tournaments offering multiple competitive divisions, Captain of the Year points will be awarded only from the highest competitive division, as defined below:

Sonar vs. Non-Sonar Divisions

If a tournament offers both sonar and non-sonar divisions, only the sonar division results are eligible for COTY points.

Professional vs. Non-Professional Divisions

If a tournament offers both professional (Pro) and non-professional divisions, only the professional division results are eligible for COTY points.

No points will be awarded from non-sonar or non-professional divisions for Captain of the Year scoring purposes.

Billfish Harvest & Release Scoring

If a tournament includes a billfish harvest division, points may be awarded for Overall Largest Billfish categories in addition to release-division placements.

  • Each Overall Largest Billfish category shall be worth 500 points.
  • If a tournament recognizes multiple Overall Largest Billfish categories (for example, Largest White Marlin and Largest Blue Marlin), each qualifying category shall be awarded 500 points independently.

Points awarded for Overall Largest Billfish categories are in addition to points awarded for First, Second, and Third Place in the release division, where applicable.

Example

In the White Marlin Open, the Heaviest White Marlin and Heaviest Blue Marlin are each awarded 500 points, and First, Second, and Third Place release teams are also awarded points—resulting in multiple distinct point categorieswithin a single event.

In tournaments where final standings are determined by a combination of harvest and release points, only three captains shall be awarded Captain of the Year points (First, Second, and Third Place overall).

For all-release events, only the top three teams receive points (First, Second, and Third Place).

Division Scoring

Each COTY Division is scored independently.
If a Captain earns points in multiple divisions, those points are tracked and applied separately within each division.

Championships

An additional 250 points will be awarded for each eligible Championship win.

Eligible Championships include:

  • Gulf Coast Triple Crown
  • Texas Triple Crown Billfishing Series
  • Bermuda Triple Crown
  • South Carolina Governor’s Cup
  • Los Sueños Signature Series
  • Quest for the Crest
  • Scrub Island Series

Tracking

Scores are published online at InTheBite.com and updated as quickly as possible following each sanctioned tournament.

  • All results are taken from official tournament standings.
  • InTheBite does not arbitrate disputes regarding tournament results and will follow the official standings as determined by each event.

Species

Eligible species are billfish only.
Gamefish of any species or size are not eligible for Captain of the Year points, unless overall points are used in combination for the top 3 places.

Eligible species include:

  • Marlin (all species)
  • Sailfish
  • Spearfish
  • Swordfish

Eligible Events

InTheBite maintains an official Captain of the Year Cup Sanctioned Tournament Calendar, consisting of premier and well-established billfish tournaments worldwide.

  • Events are organized by division: Florida, East Coast, Gulf Coast, Hawaii, and International
  • Sanctioned events are approved at the discretion of InTheBite management based on:
    • Tournament prestige
    • Competitive field
    • Adherence to recognized billfish tournament standards
    • Relevance to each division

Additional requirements:

  • A minimum of 12 registered teams is required for eligibility
  • First-year tournaments are not eligible for COTY scoring
  • InTheBite reserves the right to add or remove sanctioned events at any time during the season

Ties

In the event of a tie at the conclusion of the season:

  1. The Captain who reached the tied point total first shall be declared the winner.
  2. If tied in the final event, the Captain who competed in the greater number of sanctioned tournaments shall be declared the winner.
  3. If both Captains have competed in the same number of sanctioned tournaments, they shall be declared Co-Winners.

Disputes

InTheBite management shall have the final and binding authority on any questions, interpretations, or disputes arising under these rules.