After eight years of trying and coming close several times and almost tasting victory one time just to fall short 1.4 points from first. Team RED TIDE has conquered The State Freediving Tournament and royally kicked some ass with 379.80 points in the process. We walked away with top team, top diver, 3rd place diver and biggest fish for the day. We were also told that the score might just be a new state record for most points scored in the tournament.:smthumbup:

We also had one hell of a boat captain today in John Hermes on the Relentless. This boat has some damn good fish karma during tournament time.:bringiton: Thanks John.:thumbup:

Finally.....The Champs Are Here!!!!

thats a hell of a score for todays conditions. congrats guys.

Strong work guys!

Nice job, guys!

Sweet! Congratulations guys! Way to represent!:toast:

Congrats, boys.

I take it the "Relentless" is the Intrepid?

good job guys!

grouper?
aj?

more details

I have a new respect for freedivers. The number of nice big fish was amazing. And the conditions were rough. Congrats everyone.
C-

Impressive day! Congrats! Red Tide closed the deal. Thanks guys for all you do to put on the tournament as well. Great times!:smnotworthy:

Congrats guys..............thats a tough tournament to win.

Yes, those were mighty impressive stingers. Sashas was just about as perfect a combination of 20 fish as could possibly be put together. 19.5 pound gag (one of 5 nice ones), huge mangoes, AJ, big sheepshead, ect. I think we all knew who the winner was when that one came out of the cooler. Ritchies sheepshead were all toads too. Congrats to the whole Red tide team for winning the tourney with the highest level of competition that I have ever been in. We had one of our best totals to date but still only managed a 4th place. We'll be back.
Big thanks to Riffe for donating some great prizes, T-Shirts, and a sweet new gun for the raffle to benefit the FRA and all of our rights to to take a reasonable amount of fish. Cam says Riffe has a whole lotta cool new stuff in the works.

congrats and awsome job

Congratulations Team Red Tide! :toast:

Congrats, guys, and great job running the tournament! :toast:

That's hard to do, run it well, and win it, all in the same day! :smnotworthy:

Congrats guys!

It is a well deserved win, you guys are some of the best in the country and not too mention the easiest going group of hardcore guys I know.

(I'll jump at any opportunity to dive with you guys again so let me know next time you need a anchor / lead sled puller :whistle:)

Once again Congrats!

That's awesome! Congrats guys...and thanks GR for sharing the spoils..it was tasty.

I was impressed with the stringers with those conditions!! Man I have never seen so many big sheepshead,...good to see the Macs are starting to show up. GR nice to meet you in person and congrats to team Red tide.

After eight years of trying and coming close several times and almost tasting victory one time just to fall short 1.4 points from first. Team RED TIDE has conquered The State Freediving Tournament and royally kicked some ass with 379.80 points in the process. We walked away with top team, top diver, 3rd place diver and biggest fish for the day. We were also told that the score might just be a new state record for most points scored in the tournament.:smthumbup:

We also had one hell of a boat captain today in John Hermes on the Relentless. This boat has some damn good fish karma during tournament time.:bringiton: Thanks John.:thumbup:

Finally.....The Champs Are Here!!!!


I will be the first to admit I was very skeptical about the weather on Friday morning. As it turns out, it was a little bumpy going out, but with a following sea, we averaged at least 35mph the entire way out. Those guys really got it done, as we hit around 23 different spots all day. At 2:30, the wind had kicked up big time, probably 20 knots with bigger gusts, straight out of the south. Since my watch was also the official tournament watch, I told those guys it was time to go. I knew those guys had good stringers, and wanted to make sure they got weighed. We were 31 miles from the headpin at the Anclote channel, facing a stiff 3-4' sea, head on, and into a 20 knot wind. The first 15 miles, we averaged about 26-28 mph, but had to be very careful, as we were going airborne and ventilating the props a few times. Nothing will end the day faster than a spun hub. As the water got shallower, the seas were still 3', but tightly spaced, which allowed the boat to span them. At that point, we were able to go 32mph and higher. Behind the island, we were up to 40mph, and cruising down the channel at 48mph. Made it with ten minutes to spare.

I must say, I have had my Intrepid for about 2 1/2 years, and it is one hell of a boat. I think I could roll that boat off a cliff, and it would still be whole at the bottom. We sure as hell beat the shit out of it yesterday, and the only damage was one stereo speaker came loose. After two years of tournament fishing, the Relentless has not failed to place at least one diver in the top three of every single tournament entered. That includes a near sweep of the inaugeral TBSFC winter tournament last year, a near sweep of the '06 Southern Open, 2 first places, 2 second places, and 2 third places in the St Pete Open. More to Come....

Big Ups to the Red Tide Crew. Real mean stringers you guys turned in. It was a blast and you guys ran a smooth and fun tournament. Congratulations!

nice work boys, were sure gonna miss you this KWO!! hey how about some pics!

You guys were over due. Congrats on a well deserved victory.

G

:smthumbup:

WOW!!!!
Very nice all.!
Congrats.!


Dago.