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Saturday, July 1, 2000

International
billfish tourney
and its founder
back to Kona

By Ray Pendleton
Special to the Star-Bulletin

The news from the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament's news conference yesterday gave the competitive anglers of the world a good deal to celebrate.

Not only is the 42-year-old tournament coming back to the Kona Coast of Hawaii this year after a one year hiatus, but its founder, Peter Fithian, is once again, actively involved.

It was Fithian, who as the manager of the Kona Inn in the late1950s, developed the idea of holding a world-class fishing tournament off the Big Island to demonstrate that Kona had the "best fishing hole in the world." And, with the help of such notables as actor Richard Boone and Pan American Airlines executive Paul Kendall, he perhaps succeeded beyond his dreams.

But after celebrating the HIBT's 40th anniversary in 1998, Fithian stepped down to a less active role in the tournament's operation, and not long after that, the 1999 HIBT organizers were announcing its postponement.

If there was a connection between the two events, it is uncertain, but it's clear that Fithian was not ready to abandon his tournament.

He and the tournament are back this year -- scheduled for July 29 through August 5 --"with a new leaner approach," Fithian said. The days of the 80-team tournaments may be gone, but the Corinthian-style competition for trophies, not cash jackpots, will still be an important part of the HIBT.

The tournament's strong connection with the local residents and businesses will be reestablished with the HIBT conducting its famous parade of teams through the streets of Kailua-Kona and by locating the official fish weigh-in scale downtown at the state pier. Such pageantry has always made the HIBT a special event for its participants, spectators and numerous volunteers.

After taking a year off, the HIBT's list of entries is understandably shorter than in past years -- presently 22 teams, compared to 61 in 1998. Nevertheless the entries are, as usual, international in their makeup, from both the mainland U.S., the Far East and even Kenya.

"If a team is new to this tournament, we want to make their experience as convenient, comfortable and as exciting as possible," tournament director Sue Vermillion said. "We have a staff in place to roll out the red carpet."

Information for the 2000 HIBT is available by calling 1-808-329-6155 or by visiting the www.konabillfish.com website.