Welcome back to The Teaser, our blog series dedicated to sharing the stories and highlights from the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series.
Participants, host marinas, staff, and sponsors are eager to get this season started. Three tournaments will occur throughout the summer: the 53rd Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, the Carolina Billfish Classic, and the Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament.
Competitors accumulate points at each event, eventually leading to an overall Series winner. Over 30 years of sport-fishing teams have been honored with such a title, and we can’t wait to see who takes the win later this year!
The Gov Cup Team
You can expect to see many familiar and new faces along the docks this summer, even among Gov Cup staff. Wally Jenkins, Program Coordinator, and Amy Dukes, Tournament Coordinator, will be back for another busy year of data collection and tournament support. Elizabeth Gooding, the newest member of the Gov Cup team, has signed on to help with these efforts, as well as countless other duties as staff with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Elizabeth will be taking on responsibilities previously handled by Kayla Rudnay, who recently took on a new role as a full-time mom. Please be sure to give Elizabeth a warm welcome when you get the chance to meet her! The last member of the team, Cameron Rhodes, will again be back to handle social media and photography with the help of chase boat owner and operator Jim Reed.
The Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, the first leg of the Series, will be held over Memorial Day Weekend. In order to get ready for the tournament, please be sure to see the Gov Cup’s latest Tag & Release Newsletter for Series rules and guidelines.
See You Soon
We’re looking forward to seeing you for another year of fishing along the coast of the Palmetto State. Here’s to a good bite and great company!
The Teaser is a series dedicated to showcasing the stories of the Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series and its lively community. The Gov Cup was created several decades ago to encourage the conservation of ocean resources through the tagging and release of billfish. Learn more here.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on South Carolina Wild are solely those of the authors, and do not reflect official policies, positions, or endorsements of activity or products by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
