Quepos to Host 2014 Offshore World Championship

Mark your calendars anglers! The sport fishing Mecca of Costa Rica is ramping up for the 2014 Offshore World Championship, slated to run from April 6-11. Just like last year’s tournament, the world-class Marina Pez Vela in Quepos is the site of all the action, where participants represent the “best of the best” in the sport fishing industry. The Offshore World Championship features the ultimate in catch-and-release big game fishing following more than 120 qualifying tournaments worldwide, and this year’s competition should hail record crowds!

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The Olympics of sportfishing

Quepos is proud to host this prestigious and much anticipated event for the second year in a row. Last year, the Offshore World Championship lured more than 65 teams who each worked hard to enter the event by winning one of the 120+ qualifying tournaments held throughout the globe. Widely regarded as the Olympics of sport fishing, the tournament draws international coverage as one of the most challenging and thrilling offshore events.  In 2013, die hard anglers set all kinds of fishing records, with more than 300 men and women in participation. Within five short days, anglers released 821 billfish, including 811 sailfish and ten marlin.

Marina Pez Vela internationally recognized

Dedicated anglers have been fishing the warm Pacific waters around Quepos for decades, but thanks to sophisticated facilities at the expanded Marina Pez Vela, visitors can enjoy state-of-the-art docking capabilities built to international standards.  Just 20 miles offshore, the ocean is rife with Pacific sailfish, blue and striped marlin, tuna, mahi mahi, roosterfish, cubera, wahoo and other exciting catches. Organizers of the Offshore Championship chose Quepos among other top international venues because it offered all the essential elements of incredible deep sea fishing: calm waters, charter operators, quality accommodations and a new first-rate marina. During the past ten years, the competition has been hosted in Hawaii and Los Cabos, Mexico.

Eco-adventures in nearby Manuel Antonio

Though it’s only October, hotels, resorts and vacation rentals in Quepos and neighboring Manuel Antonio are already getting snapped up, with fishing aficionados eager to enjoy some R&R while taking in the popular tournament. For some, the competition will be the focal point of their Costa Rica beach vacation, with free time spent lazing on Manuel Antonio’s white-sand shores, taking in adventure tours, or a little fishing of their own.  Last year, guests who wanted entry to all social functions associated with the championship could purchase ‘non-angler’ participation tickets for $300 per person.

Sport fishing in Costa Rica phenomenal all year

The Costa Rican Tourism Board, or ICT, has reported that sport fishing is a growing part of the tourism industry, with more than 75,000 anglers visiting in 2011. Straddled by the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, with ample hotspots to cast a line, it’s not hard to see why. No matter what time of year you come, there’s always something biting – whether it’s tarpon on the Caribbean side or giant red snapper down by the Osa Peninsula. December through April is generally considered the prime window for landing monster sailfish along the Central Pacific, with some anglers boasting more than 15 a day!