Cross Chartering Sponsored Bisbee’s Inaugural Costa Rica Offshore Tournament 2026
| Cross Chartering’s sponsorship of Bisbee’s Inaugural Costa Rica Offshore Tournament marked our support for a major new offshore event in Quepos, Costa Rica. The April 14 to 18, 2026, tournament drew 79 teams, featured a historic all-release billfish format, and highlighted our role as a leading yacht transport company serving top fishing destinations. |
From April 14 to 18, 2026, the Pacific off Quepos turned into the center of the sportfishing world as Bisbee’s Inaugural Costa Rica Offshore Tournament made its first run. The action was sharp, the fleet was strong, and we were proud to sponsor a tournament that brought serious teams and serious offshore talent to Costa Rica.
This first-year event arrived with real weight behind it. Bisbee’s reported 79 boats in the field and $2,145,700 in total prize money. It also marked a historic first for the series with an all-release billfish format, a big step that gave this Costa Rica event its own identity right away.
At Cross Chartering Yacht Transport, we were proud to back that debut. We are a yacht transport company focused exclusively on the transportation of yachts, and we are the largest yacht carrier in North America. Through our highly skilled and experienced management and operations team, we provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective yacht transport solutions worldwide.
Quepos Delivered a Strong First Chapter for Bisbee’s
The fleet reflected what top offshore competition looks like today. You saw the mix that defines this side of the sport, from center consoles built for quick movement and clean fishability to larger sportfishing yachts set up for longer runs, comfort, and tournament-grade cockpit space. That made this event feel established from day one.
A Historic First Set the Tone
The all-release billfish format gave the event a clear identity. That mattered. Bisbee’s called it a historic first for the tournament series, and it fit Costa Rica well.
That format also kept the focus on release points, team execution, and clean offshore strategy. In a field this competitive, every call, every hookup, and every release mattered. It gave the week a fast pace and a strong rhythm from the first day to the final leaderboard.
Winner Highlights From the Week
Pura Vida set the pace and never gave it back. Bisbee’s reported that the team released 59 sailfish and three blue marlin, won the top overall release team and top captain and crew categories, and took home $929,850 from the overall purse.
Some of the standout results included:
- Top Billfish Release Team: Pura Vida, 6,800.00 pts
- Top Captain & Crew: Pura Vida, 6,800.00 pts
- Top Lady Angler: Salochankita, Nikita Timmermans, 2,340.00 pts
- Top Junior Angler: E&A, Abbigail Arn, 2,340.00 pts
- Top Tournament Tuna: North Star Costa Rica, 187.00 pts
- Top Tournament Dorado: Howler, 60.31 pts
Fish Tank/Galati and Deal Sled / Junk Male also turned in major performances in the release standings. North Star Costa Rica made a big mark in the game fish side with the top tuna, and Howler landed the top dorado. The names at the top of this board earned their place.
Why a Yacht Transport Company Belonged at This Event
This sponsorship made sense for us. Offshore tournaments bring together owners, captains, crews, and vessels that live in the same world we work in every day.
We move yachts to destinations that people want to cruise, fish, compete, and spend time on the water. That makes an event like this a natural fit. Supporting the first Costa Rica edition of Bisbee’s lets us stand behind the same offshore community we serve year-round.
For us, supporting Bisbee’s Inaugural Costa Rica Offshore Tournament was about more than logo placement. It was a chance to back a major event in a serious fishing destination and show up for the owners and crews who make this part of the marine world so strong.
From the Baja Peninsula to the Caribbean
We provide yacht transport services to many of the best offshore fishing destinations in the Atlantic and Pacific. That reach matters to owners and captains who plan around seasons, tournaments, and long-range cruising schedules.
Our destination network includes ports such as Ensenada and La Paz in Mexico, both tied closely to the Baja Peninsula, along with Costa Rica and Panama in our North America service map. We also provide Caribbean service, which keeps key sportfishing and cruising grounds within reach for clients moving between regions.
That reach is backed by real volume. Cross Chartering has stated that in 2023 alone, we completed more than 24 North American sailings, far ahead of the next largest carrier, while continuing regular service across major yachting routes.
What Large-Scale Yacht Loading Really Takes
A tournament week can look glamorous on the surface. The logistics world behind yacht movement is different. It runs on planning, sequencing, timing, rigging, documentation, and port coordination.
That is why the words from our leadership team matter. Paul Haber, President, put it plainly: “It takes an extraordinary group of professionals to manage this many large yachts with precision, especially across multiple port calls.”
Christophe Thienpont, Chief Executive Officer, added: “Global yacht movement requires coordination across ports, carriers, and crews. Timing, documentation, and communication must align perfectly.” Operations Manager Jiles Dheere said: “Every lift and every voyage is planned down to the smallest detail. Our operations team manages sequencing, rigging, and port coordination to deliver consistency at scale.”
Those are not generic talking points. They reflect the kind of work our team has already handled at a very high level. In late 2025, Cross Chartering completed what it described as the largest lift-on lift-off yacht loading operation ever completed in the Mediterranean by any yacht carrier. That move involved 23 yachts with a combined value above $150 million, including 12 superyachts over 100 feet long.
That kind of operational discipline is exactly why we felt at home supporting this event in Quepos. Offshore fishing at this level demands preparation, teamwork, and trust. So does yacht transport.
Looking Ahead After a Strong First Year
The first Costa Rica Offshore tournament gave Bisbee’s a strong start in a destination that already means a lot to offshore anglers. The turnout was real. The purse was real. The competition was real.
We were proud to sponsor that opening chapter. As the largest yacht carrier in North America and a yacht transport company built around experienced logistics and reliable worldwide service, we value events that bring the marine community together at a high level. Quepos delivered that this year, and this tournament gave everyone a reason to watch what comes next.
To book your next sport fishing yacht transport, click here. To reach our team directly in the US, call us at +1 (954) 686-6902.