NOTE: There will be no tournament held in March 2010
$50,000 Snapper sets record
in 2009 Ninety Mile Beach contest
Rama Waipouri of Hikurangi with his winning fish and the cheque for $50,000.
Rama Waipouri was a man of little words about hooking New Zealand's most lucrative surfcasting prize.
Waipouri won $50,000 for the largest fish in the 28th annual Lion Red Ninety Mile Beach $250,000 Snapper Classic.
He also won another $3,000 for catching Thursday's heaviest fish of the day, and a heap of sponsored products and prizes. Waipouri's 9.57kg snapper was the largest fish ever caught in the history of the competition. Waipouri admitted he did not catch another fish during the duration of the event, only his second time fishing in the Snapper Classic.
He said he felt the pressure to stay on top of the leaderboard.
Waipouri blotted out the thought he had possibly won the winning fish in the event, although he said he had a few beers to help him get to sleep on Friday night.
He woke up on Saturday and just went fishing until the final prizegiving. “I would like to thank my children. They bought the ticket for me for Christmas,'' Waipouri said.
The Hikurangi forklift driver said his plans were to first sort out a few bills.
Saturday 7th March – Final Day of Competition
Heaviest Snapper Section Day 5
Heaviest Snapper Day 5
Craig Burns from Houhora caught the heaviest Snapper for the Day weighing in a beautiful 6.01kg Snapper.
Craig not only picked up:
• $3,000
• Bottle of Coruba Original Rum
• Eversharp Electric Knife Sharpener
• Lion Red 1907 Est T-Shirt
• Lion Red Beach Towel
2nd Heaviest Snapper Day 5
Bruce Mathews from Beachhaven in Auckland weighed in a 2.976kg Snapper and also pick up:
• $1,000
• Bottle of Coruba Original Rum
• Lion Red Cooler Bag
• Lion Red T-Shirt
3rd Heaviest Snapper for Day 5
Craig Newman from Glenfield in Auckland weigh in a 2.554kg Snapper and picked up 3 rd prize
• $500
• Bottle of Coruba Original Rum
• Lion Red Cooler Bag
• Coruba Cap
• Lion Red T-Shirt
4th Heaviest Snapper for Day 5
Vaughan Craven from Tauranga who is no stranger to catching big fish weighed in a 2.455kg snapper and pick up 4 th prize of:
• 3 Piece Daiwa Sweepfire Rod
• Daiwa Sweepfire 550 Reel
• Lion Red Sports Bag
5th Heaviest Snapper for Day 5
Peter Froggatt from Dargaville weighed in a 2.17kg snapper and picked up 5th prize of:
• 2 Piece Daiwa Sweepfire Rod
• Daiwa Sweepfire 550 Reel
• Lion Red Cooler Bag
NZ Fishing News Subscription Presented by Bruce Basher went to Andrew Veale from Auckland
Teams Event Winner for Day 6
Team 23
• Vaughan Craven – Tauranga
• Mark French - Tauranga
• Brandon Stone - Tauranga
• Alan Davis - Tauranga
$300 cash ($75 each) plus each contestant received
• Bottle of Coruba Original Rum
• 2iC Solar Caps
• Lion Red Bar Mat
• Lion Red Cooler Bag
From Left: Vaughan Craven, Mark French, Anne Master (Liquior King), Brandon Stone, Alan Davis
OVERALL Teams Winners for the Week:
Winning Team Overall
Team 36 – Total Weight 20.315kg
• Graeme Newlands – Whakatane
• Darin Maxwell – Te Puke
• Mike Dowden – Whakatane
• Milton Arnold - Awanui
$4,500 plus each contestant received
• Sony Handycam Camera each
• The Snapper Book, autographed by Sam Mossman
From left: Mik Dowden, Darin Maxwell, Anne Master (Liquior King), Graeme Newlands, Milton Arnold
2nd Winning Team Overall
Team 35 – Total Weight 18.988kg
• Norm Byrne – Kaitaia
• Dave Moses – Kaitaia
• Mike Scott – Kaitaia
• Joe Herbert - Kaitaia
$2,250 plus each contestant received
• Sony Cyber Shot Camera each
From Left: Norm Byrne, Mike Scott, Joe Herbert, Dave Moses
3rd Winning Team Overall
Team 21 – Total Weight 10.802kg
• Les Martin – Waitara
• Theo Huijs – Katikati
• Brandan Gibbs – Katikati
• Sandra Hodge – New Plymouth
$4,500 plus each contestant received
• Sony MP3 Player each
From Left: Theo Huijs, Brandan Gibbs, Les Martin, Sandra Hodge and Anne Masters (Liquior King)
Heaviest Snapper Each Day
Saturday Winner
Craig Burns, Houhora, 6.01kg
Friday Winner
Theo Huijs, Katikati, 4.972kg
Thursday Winner
Rama Waipouri, Hikurangi, 9.57kg
Wednesday Winner
Milton Arnold, Paparore, 8.545kg
Tuesday Winner
Garry Duke, Auckland, 2.81kg
From Left: Rama Waipouri, Milton Arnold, Craig Burns, Theo Huijs and Garry Duke
Garry Duke with his 2.81kg winning snapper and trophie for Tuesday Day 1 of the competition
Milton Arnold with his 8.545kg winning snapper and trophie for Wednesday Day 2 of the competition
Rama Waipouri with his record breaking 9.57kg winning snapper and trophie for Thursday Day 3 of the competition and overall winner of the tournament
Theo Huijs with his 4.972kg winning snapper and trophie for Thursday Day 4 of the competition
Craig Burns with his 6.01kg winning snapper and trophie for Saturday Day 5 of the competition
Heaviest Snapper Overall and Tournament Record of 9.57kg!
$50,000 Winner
Rama Waipouri – Hikurangi – 9.57kg – Tournament Record
X All Black Bruce Robertson presented Rama Waipouri with the Winning cheque of $50,000 for the heaviest Snapper caught during the competition
Major Spot Prize – Reverse Draw
The Major Spot Prize Draw
Each afternoon 2 numbers are drawn and providing the competitor is present at the weigh-in they are entered into the major draw. During the final weigh-in on Saturday 7 th March the drawn entrance will be entered into a further draw to decide the prize winners. The selected numbers are redrawn with the first number drawn winning 12 th prize and each contestant receive a prize pack until there are 2 entrance remaining. The runner up received a trip for two to the world class Radisson Resort in Fiji and the winner receiving the Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 double cab.
12 Contestants elegible for the Ford Ranger Vehicle
Left: Warren Scott from Whatawhiwhi presented with the keys of the Ford Ranger 4x4
Reginald Stewart is off to the world class Radisson Resort in Fiji
Warren Scott with his new Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 double cab
