Leigh-Smith Yachts has announced its major sponsorship of the 60th Anniversary Cairns Black Marlin Tournament 2026, marking another chapter in the company’s long association with Australian game fishing.
Managing Director Ryan Leigh-Smith will return to the Great Barrier Reef with a crew of longtime friends and marine industry peers aboard the 49ft custom gamefisher Tradition, captained by Tim Richardson.
The event will be Leigh-Smith’s third major anniversary tournament in Cairns, having also competed in the 40th and 50th editions. His game fishing experience includes the Lexus and Lizard Island heavy-tackle tournaments, as well as crewing aboard a vessel involved in a world-record lure catch.
Joining him aboard Tradition are Peter Lovett, Richard Munro and Trenton Gay, each bringing decades of game fishing and marine industry experience.
Lovett has a long history in heavy-tackle fishing, professional yachting, yacht management and brokerage. Munro’s involvement in game fishing began in childhood, while Gay continues a strong family legacy in the sport and has also been heavily involved in marina and waterfront development. Together, the crew combines experience across game fishing, professional yachting, yacht brokerage, marina development and shipyard operations.
“This tournament represents the pinnacle of Australian game fishing,” said Leigh-Smith. “Having competed in the 40th and 50th anniversary tournaments, coming back for the 60th is particularly special.”
Founded in 1964, Leigh-Smith Yachts has been part of Australia’s marine industry for more than six decades. Its sponsorship of the 2026 tournament reflects the company’s longstanding commitment to supporting the boating and game fishing communities.
The 60th Anniversary Cairns Black Marlin Tournament will bring together leading crews, vessels and anglers from Australia and overseas on the Great Barrier Reef, coinciding with the annual aggregation of giant black marlin that has made Far North Queensland one of the world’s best-known game fishing destinations.
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