Two former world champions are among six Bermudians heading to the Rolex/International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) Offshore Championship Tournament (OCT), beginning tomorrow.

Leslie Spanswick, Roy Boys and Richard King of Sandys along with David Ross DeSilva of Flatts, are taking part in the world championship of blue water fishing as winning team members of the Bermuda Anglers Club ILTT held in Hamilton last year.

And making a repeat appearance will be Bobby Rego of Smith?s and Danny Fox of Pembroke ? winners in 2003.

The Bermudians are among the 64 teams from 33 countries set to compete in the seventh annual event in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The event is a four-day catch-and-release tournament, fishing the waters around the tip of Mexico?s Baja Peninsula for marlin and other big game fish.

According to Lynda Wilson, the Rolex/IGFA offshore tournament co-ordinator, the abundance of billfish each year caught and released is an important factor in the large number of teams competing annually.

?Last year a record total of 517 billfish were caught and released among 70 teams. The year before 299 billfish were released among 66 teams,? she said.

?In 2003, 250 billfish were released among 42 teams. Those are some excellent release figures and the anglers remember and get excited and the word spreads about the great fishing there in Cabo.?

The teams will draw for different boats each day from the local guided Cabo fleet. They will be fishing for three species of marlin (blue, black and striped) and swordfish for 300 points each along with sailfish and spearfish for 100 point values each.

The teams will also receive points (per lb) for tuna, wahoo and dorado up to two fish of each species per day above the minimum size limit of 25 lbs.

Local charities receive the donations of all fish weighed at the Cabo docks. All anglers will use 30-lb test Momoi fishing line.

The team with the most points at the end of the four days of competition will receive Rolex timepieces and trophies. Eighteen other prizes will be presented including those to the three top male and female anglers and top three captains.