Epic weekend honored 125 combat-wounded military veterans, with largest fleet to date
Mi Bella clinches the Josh Miles Award for Top Boat for the second year running; Army Vet Travis Clennon earns the Ron Ashimine Award for Top Angler and leads in qualifying points
Including this year’s event, WHOW has now:
Raised more than $8 million for 501c3 partner Freedom Alliance
Directly served 675 veterans on the water
Supported thousands more veterans and their families through Freedom Alliance
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., September 25, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–While the eighth annual War Heroes on Water (WHOW) sportfishing tournament has concluded, the bonds established during the event are just beginning to take root. The event wrapped on Monday evening with the weigh-in celebration on Catalina’s iconic Green Pier, followed by an emotional private awards ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Irvine Tuesday night.
This year, WHOW drew its largest fleet to date comprised of more than 60 yachts generously donated by the Southern California community – including more than 50 competing sportfishing vessels, captains, and crews. The transformative event, which is the world’s largest nonprofit sportfishing tournament dedicated to veterans, welcomed 125 combat-wounded veterans, many of whom have been honored with the nation’s highest military decorations including 54 Purple Hearts. United by the healing power of the ocean and the thrill of team-based competition, WHOW helps these heroes recover from both physical and emotional wounds.
Monday’s weigh-in kicked off with the WHOW fleet assembling just outside Avalon Harbor for the closing ceremonies, highlighted by a breathtaking flyover from Tiger Squadron’s vintage WWII aircraft. After spending nearly three days on the water fishing, veterans and their crews then gathered on Catalina’s iconic Green Pier, joined by WHOW supporters and locals, to cheer each other on and celebrate as they tipped the scales with their catches.
Speaking about the weekend from the Green Pier, Army Veteran Joseph Price shared, “This weekend was unbelievable. It’s overwhelming, the generosity, the camaraderie, the support, the scenery, the fishing, the boats, all of it – it’s created a memory for life.”
Tournament Director Rod Halperin said, “For the veterans to feel the love and to know that there are people out there that really care about them, really want to support them and that they are not alone, that’s super important. For us, for the yacht owners, and crew, and the staff at WHOW – just being able to repay the debt. Being in the service means to serve – these men and women went out and volunteered everything for our country, the least we can do is to serve them, show them a great time, and build a community.”