(Virginia Beach, VA); Without question, the 22nd Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament was a resounding success. Despite a near-miss from a major hurricane and a delayed start, the 39 teams competing put on an absolute angling showcase. In two days of fishing the smaller fleet released 420 billfish, including 409 white marlin, eight blue marlin, two sailfish and a spearfish. In the end, Waterman, a local 70 Ricky Scarborough owned by VBBT Board Member Mike Standing, triumphed with 33 whites on its ledger, worth 2,310 points. The team, guided by Capt. Ben Horning, was the top boat both days.
With the win, Waterman earned $298,500. The winning categories included Top VBBT Boat and multiple first-place daily/tournament jackpots and trophies. In addition to Standing and Horning, the team consisted of Tom Baer, Garrett Holden, Antonio (Tony) Huerta, Jason Votzi, Jack Bobbitt and Aaron Horning. Watermanalso took home the top tuna prize of $9,750 (74.1 pounds/Tony Huerta).
Don’t Panic, a 64 Viking run by Capt. Bryan Peele, made a hard charge up the leaderboard, including 19 whites on Sunday, to finish with 26 releases overall (1,820 points). Don’t Panic is pocketing $55,575 for its efforts, including second place boat overall and jackpots. Andrew Norris is the boat’s owner.
Capt. Colin Oxnard and his team on Fender Bender, a 62 Spencer Yacht based in Manteo, was the third-place finisher with 22 fish and 1,540 points. Fender Bender won $66,525 as the third-place boat, plus jackpots. The team also won second-place in the Legacy Jackpot and first-place in the Day 2 Charity Mystery Fish drawing.
Outnumbered (65 Viking/Capt. James Breen) earned 1,540 points for 22 releases based on time for fourth place overall, while Griffin (65 Rybovich/Capt. John Adams) earned fifth-place recognition by releasing 19 fish for 1,330 points. Griffin scored a $8,775 payout based on a second-place daily jackpot. Outnumbered also won $5,000 for the Wayne Sawyer Victory Lap Hard Charger Award.
In the individual awards categories, William (Wayne) Enroughty Jr. boated the top dolphin at 25.6 pounds, good for a $9,750 purse. He was fishing aboard Sniper (58 Paul Mann/Capt. Chris Raiford). Whitney Simmons, competing on Sea Toy (59 Spencer/Capt. Bull Tolson) was named the Top Lady Angler with 10 marlin releases to her credit. Fifteen-year-old Sutton Paul (The Kid) is taking home the Bryan “Pick” Dalheim Memorial Trophy as the top junior angler after scoring a white marlin release. Paul was competing on Sea Escape (53 RG Boatworks/Capt. Kevin Paul).
“It’s been a wild, crazy week but we finished with a flurry,” Tournament Director Paula Davis said after Sunday’s awards presentations. “I’d like to thank the 39 teams for sticking with us and putting on a show, our wonderful and generous sponsors, and all our hard-working staff and volunteers for going above and beyond. We couldn’t have pulled this off without all of you. But let me go on record right now. For next year, I’m pre-ordering bluebird skies, fair winds and following seas.”
The 23rd Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament is set for August 19-22, 2026.
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