Semifinal survival

Day-two leaders pro Art Berry (left) and co-angler Gary Collins (right) prepare for takeoff. Photo by Gary Mortenson. Angler: Art Berry.

January 31, 2003 • Gary Mortenson • Archives

EverStart anglers battle it out for spot in finals, lions share of $200,000 total purse

PEORIA, Ariz. – The plot continues to thicken. As the top 20 semifinalists made their way past Pleasant Harbor Marina shortly after 7 a.m., anglers could be excused for only having one slogan on their minds during today’s heated competition: Finals or bust!

With a top prize of $60,000 at stake for the eventual winner of the Pro Division and more than $35,000 on the line for the winner of the Co-angler Division, the difference between going home after today’s competition and qualifying for the top-10 finals will be measured in hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

In addition to the lucrative purse, valuable year-end standings points will be up for grabs as well. Anglers will receive 200 points for a first-place finish, 199 points for a second-place finish, 198 for third, and so on. And while maximizing point totals might not seem like that important during the first tournament of the year, anglers must finish the season among the top 50 in the year-end standings in order to receive an automatic berth in the 2003 EverStart Championship – slated to take place Oct. 29-Nov. 1 on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, Tenn. To put things into perspective, with the no-entry-fee championship boasting a total purse of $336,000, it’s never too early to start hoarding points.

If that isn’t incentive enough, the top 10 anglers in the year-end standings race will also receive an highly sought after invitation to fish in the 2004 Wal-Mart FLW Tour – one of the premier bass-fishing circuits in the world.

EverStart action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Pleasant Harbor Marina, located at 8708 West Harbor Boulevard in Peoria, Ariz.

Vital statistics

Sunrise: 7:27 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 53 degrees
Expected high temperature: 86 degrees
Water temperature: 55 degrees
Wind: From the northeast at 6 mph
Relative humidity: 36 percent
Day’s outlook: Sunny

Related links:
Photos
Day-three pairings
Day-two results