Marlin hunters were out in force at the weekend as the Blue Marlin World Cup came down to its closest-ever victory — with a Bermudian team narrowly losing to contenders Bad Company as both landed 653lb fish.

The result was uncertain as, in Bermuda, Swish brought in a blue marlin for weighing on Saturday at Barr’s Bay Park. At the same weight and same 119in dimensions, the tiebreaker came down to timing.

The Bad Company team hooked its prize fish at 10.47am in Cape Verde, while Swish came through at 12.51pm.

Marlin Magazine reported that the tightest win in the history of the tournament came down to “rule No. 9 of the BMWC, which states that in the event of a tie, the winner is determined by the fish that was boated first in its respective time zone”.

The win was decided by the closest margin in the history of the cup, which pitted 148 teams against one another worldwide.

The win means the top fish has come in from the eastern Atlantic 15 times since the tournament began in 1985.