2000 Picasso Open a tremendous success!

The 1st "Picasso Open"Freedive Spearfishing Tournament was held in Narragansett, Rhode Island, on September 24, 2000. The day began with overcast skies and a forecast of growing seas later in the day. On that day, Freedivers from around the country entered Rhode Island waters in search of the most diverse catch and title of Picasso Open Tournament Champion. Contrary to forecasts, skies brightened as the 4pm deadline approached. The title of Tournament Champion went to David Hochman of Connecticut, who only dove for half of the day due to boating complications. Finishing a close 2nd was Rene Potvin of Quebec, Canada, showing that diving from a kayak can be just as lucrative as diving from a power boat. Anne Doherty of Massachusetts won the Womens Division and also finished in the top 10 overall. The 2000 Picasso Open attracted the most freedivers of all New England freediving events that year. The presentation of prizes and the raffle that followed was the most generous ever seen by the New England freediving community as over $7,000 in freediving gear was given away. The highlight of the raffle was when a 15-year-old freediver new to the sport won the grand prize, a $700 Picasso wetsuit.

It was a tremendous success; from the 52 freedivers who subscribed, 45 attended. They came from as far as California, Florida and Canada. Besides Rhode Island, many participants drove or flew from Delaware, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, New Jersey and New York.

Thanks to them, the "Picasso Open 2000" was, as it was confirmed to me by most of the knowledgeable attendants and spectators, the most impressive and generous event of its kind in the New England area this year.

Won't you join us for the 2nd Annual Picasso Open? The date: Saturday September 22nd, 2001, same place. Email us at RIOpen2001@picassoamerica.com or call Charles Walpole or Marisa Balasco @ tel: 401-783-2225

Some of the top prizes and raffle were:

• 2 X 7mm split cell inside with BioTermic/ camouflage series wetsuits
• 2 X 5mm split cell inside Camouflage series wetsuits
• 2 X 5mm Plush Titanium (limited edition) Camouflage series wetsuits
• 1 X Twin Spear Gun
• 5 X Century and Hunter Line spearguns
• 1 X Hunter Carbono speargun
• 1 X BT-III Carbon Fiber Long blade Fins
• 3 X BT and Start Long Blade Freediving fins

and numerous other prizes. (boat charter trip, scuba course, knives, reels, floats, winter caps, T-shirts, etc. )

As you all know, spearfishing tournaments are very touchy. We live in an era of conservation awareness. As responsible competitive spearfishermen, we should be seen and regarded as selective athletes. Outside competition, we hunt for food. Whether small or big fish, I see a great and valuable dish and family and friends reunions on meals, with fish stories all fun.

Even when it comes to trophies, I see edible fish that will be feeding people excellent quality meals.
.
In the public eyes, we should be seen as the "Release before you Catch" heroes. That's what we should be promoting. In order to avoid a fish carnage, the decision was made to make it a species tournament, so only one fish per specie was submitted.

In addition, in order to avoid unnecessary killing of numerous fish per specie in pursuit of the largest one to bring to the weigh-in, it was decided that 10 points will be given per fish and only 1 point per lb, up to 20 lb maximum. This way, for example, a 1 lb 11" scup , 13" black sea bass and trigger fish, would beat a 50 lb striped bass. (33 points for the 3
species against 30 points for the striped bass) .

There was on controversial point: the inedible sea robin was admitted as an eligible specie. The fish is not edible. Although legal to catch, I was asked before the competition rules were decided, that I should leave it out.

My reasons to keep it were many:

1. The fish can only be found in very specific spots and in deeper waters
   
   
2. The commercial fishermen and the sport fishermen catch them by the tons inadvertently. I was once on a fishing trip in Cape Cod and I remember that each time the boat would stop on a spot, 50 and more rods would cast their lines and the first 3 or 4 rounds of fish would be almost exclusively sea robins.
   
   
3. I knew that very few sea robins, if none at all, would be brought to the weigh-in anyways. And I was right: I believe we had 2 of them. Maybe 3 at the most.
   
   
4. In my thinking, as explained earlier, adding an extra specie would help reduce unnecessary killing of more fish of the same specie for that extra point or two on poundage. Instead, the diver would rather go out and get an "unusual fish" for 11 points. In fact, we even had a prize for the
   most unusual fish, which I thought would be given to the diver who would
   got
   a sea robin (In 4 years of diving in RI, I never saw one in the water!)

This above regulation would also give more chances to win to the less experienced divers. I thought it would be the best way to achieve the ultimate goal of the "Picasso Open" : Promoting the sport of freedive spearfishing. That was the purpose of the pop-up ad that was placed on the www.picassoamerica.com site. Many freedivers / hunters who are relatively new to the sport, joined the tournament. Two of these people acknowledged later on, that they loved it so much, they are now addicted.

We were all in ecstasy when a 15 years old teenager won the Grand Prize of the raffle! He and his cousin diving buddy, saw the above ad on the Internet. His mother drove 3 hours each way so they could participate to their first tournament.

I received many calls and offers for help from Clubs and organizations from around the USA and also, outside North America. It has now been decided that "Picasso Open" will be held on a yearly basis, in different U.S. States as well as countries. The R.I Chapter will be held again next year. Details will be posted on a later date.

Two more Chapters are confirmed: Hawaii and the West Coast (I'm unable to verify the exact location at this point in time) will have their first "Picasso Open 2001" as of next spring.

First, I wish to thank FDL Members Mike Jette, Phil Stevens and Anne Doherty, the Massachusetts Club, Lou Castleberry and John and Gail Bettua, Sterling Kaya, Mark Barville, Ata Bilgili, Julie Riffe, Carol Rose, Rabih Dabboussi, Sophie Grenier (the Computer Graphic Designer and T-shirt printer who pulled a last moment stunt for me, by designing and printing in 2 colours, over 200 T-shirts for the event, in LESS THAN 72 HOURS!!!), David and Erica Biron, Pierre Turcotte and Serge Maille (logistics), Mark Frisbie from the Spearfishing Magazine and last, but not least, Marisa Balasco, Tylor, and Suzette and Charles Walpole from the Narragansett Pier Dive, along with everyone else who contributed to this successful meet.

Brothers and sisters, I really appreciated your assistance and efforts which were most valuable. Each of you has contributed in a way or another, to the success of the "Picasso Open 2000" in Narragansett. But most importantly:
each of you, as well as each subscriber and participant, have helped promote our sport. The more you do, the more newcomers to our family, the more chances we stand in forming a powerful lobby.

I also wish to thank Sterling Kaya from "Hana Pa'a Hawaii" as well as the administration of Hawaii Skin Diver magazine for the beautiful T-shirts and caps they contributed for the raffle.

I must tell you that the weather conditions were not favourable. That Sunday morning we had rain, a very thick fog and high waves which prevented even the largest boats from going to Block Island, for the best chance of winning a specie tournament. It had rained all night on Saturday, so the visibility was very bad. Finally, the tides were not favourable as both high tides of the day were outside the tournament hours. Viz was anywhere between 3 ft and 20 ft. Water temp was 66 F. Nevertheless, 27 divers brought fish to the scale.

Striped bass, Tautog, Trigger Fish, Scup, Blue Fish, Black Sea Bass, Flounder, Sea Robin and Bonito

1- David Hochman-CT 96.4 points
2- René Potvin-PQ 89.2 points
3- Mike Beck-RI 79.8 points
4- David Biron-RI 78.4 points
5- Pete Scanlon-DE 55.4 points
6- Fred Dorrance-RI 54.6 points
7- Mike Jette-CT 54.0 points
8- Olivier Lauzon-PQ 52.6 points
9- Joe Patzelt-CT 49.8 points
10- Anne Doherty-MA 47.8 points

1- Anne Doherty-MA 47.8 points

Pete Scanlon-DE 39.2 lb Striped Bass

I am now waiting for the pictures of the event, to upload them along with the story on the website. I will post you on the link as soon as the web page is published.

Congratulations to all of you guys and girls who attended and I do hope we meet again next year.

Right now, I am in LA, Playa del Rey, California and I should be flying back to Montreal, Canada, the day after tomorrow.

In less than 10 days from today, I should be hunting blue fin tunas in the beautiful Lebanese Mediterranean coastal waters. My contact there has called and told me that we may have to go as far as 40 miles off shore for the 300 lb + babies. The 50 to 150 lb are less than 2 miles off the marina. But there are rumours of blue fins over 1000 lb each between Cyprus, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon.

Let the Hunt Begin!

There will also be a Picasso Open 2001 West Coast and Hawaii Chapters next season.

Stay tuned for the details!

Story by Roger Yazbeck - April 2001