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South Australia holds off Japan

The Game Fishing Club of South Australia held on to its lead yesterday to capture its third Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament off Kailua-Kona.

The Aussies used the tournament's biggest marlin on Wednesday and a Thursday tag-and-release catch to claim the 45th event. GFCSA held off a late surge by True Blue Fishing Club of Japan that boated two tag-and-release blue marlin to pull within 57 points before fishing was closed.

South Australia finished at 1,407 points, helped by the 605 1/2 pound catch by Brad Bobbermien.

The championship was the third for captain John Johnston who also took titles in 1990 and 1996. That matched Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club of California, which became the first three-time winner in 2003.

True Blue's Kichiro Nagashiki reeled in two catches, one on 50-pound test and the second on 80-pound, to score 600 points and propel the Japan team to 1,250 points.

Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club of Queensland, Australia, finished third with 1,200 points.

The top skipper was rookie Boyd DeCoito with 1,857 points on the Foxy Lady.

The ahi division was claimed by Dr. Charles Campbell of the Malibu Marlin Club with a 151 1/2-pound catch.

For the week, 49 fish were caught and all but Bobbermien's were tagged and released.

Lajola, Hunt advance to USTA doubles final

Aiea's Dennis Lajola, seeded second with teammate Jamie Hunt of Texas, advanced to today's doubles final of the USTA Boys 16s National Tennis Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Yesterday, Lajola and Hunt defeated 14th-seeded Justin Fox and Justin Kronauge, 6-2, 7-5, in the semifinals. The winning pair will meet third-seeded Sam Querrey and Spencer Vegosen.

In singles play earlier this week, Lajola was eliminated in the fifth round by top seed Vegosen of Chicago, 6-2, 6-4.

Lifeguards 6th at national meet

A team of six City and County of Honolulu lifeguards finished sixth overall at the U.S. Lifesaving Association's National Lifeguard Championships in Dayton Beach, Fla., Aug. 6-7.

Team Hawaii placed in the finals in 10 events. Hawaii's top lifeguard was Brian Rocheleau, who was second in the open surfski, fourth in the open paddleboard and 10th in the open ironman races.

In the 30-34 age group, Hawaii team captain Matthew Dubrule won the ironman and was second in the surfski while Ian Forester was third in the surfski.

Glen Wachtel was second in the 35-39 paddleboard and seven in the open 1,000-meter swim. Matt Sack played second in the 30-34 ironman and eighth in the open 2-kilometer beach run.

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