Journal Pioneer

Tuna Wranglers retain trophy

Tie-breaker decides tuna cup

- JOURNAL PIONEER STAFF

Consistenc­y proved to be the difference in the fourth annual Tignish Credit Union MacLeod’s Ledge Bluefin Tuna Cup held recently off of North Cape.

Three teams tied for first place for biggest fish caught, all registerin­g measuremen­ts of 108 inches, but the Tuna Wranglers broke the tie and defended their 2015 title by actually hooking a second tuna at that same length. There had been fewer than normal sightings of tuna leading up to the tournament and organizer Anne Arsenault said that caused some anxiety. The tuna, however, swam in just in time and 11 of the big fish were successful­ly hooked. Six teams participat­ed and every team registered at least one catch. The Tuna Wranglers team of Dawn Runighan, Colin Runighan, Liam Runighan, Bobby Jenkins and Marcel Richard, all from Eastern P.E.I. were onboard with Captain Blair Matthews and first mate Earl DesRoches. Teams sharing the three-way tie were the Herring Chokers with captain Jamie Gauthier, first mate John Paul Doucette and team members Russell Gallant and Sheldon Gallant from Tignish, Jonathan Gallant from Kelowna, B.C. and Less Lyman from Acton, Ontario, and Tight Lines with Captain Kenny McRae, first mate Blair Gaudet and team members Steve Palillon, Rae Nellis, Steve Brunelle, Keith Andrews, George McPhail and Bill Moore from Acton, Ontario. The championsh­ip team also hooked two other prizes. Having hooked four fish over the twoday tournament, thus taking the prize for longest accumulate­d length and they won the $350 Calcutta prize for entering the guess closest to the accumulate­d length of all tuna hooked over the two-day tournament.

They guessed the total length at 85 feet and it worked out to be 91 feet, two inches for the 11 fish measured. The Tuna Wranglers ended up splitting their $2,000 championsh­ip prize and their Calcutta earnings between two charities – with the Children’s Wish Foundation and the IWK Children’s Hospital each receiving $1,175.

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