Pam Martin-Wells 1st Women to Qualify for the Last Day of Competition at the Bassmaster Classic 2-24-2010
gengberg February 24th, 2010
Pam Martin-Wells first woman to qualify for final day of competition at the Bassmaster Classic
Pam Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., the 2009 Toyota Tundra Women’s Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year, made history Saturday, Feb. 20 as the first woman to make the cut into the Bassmaster Classic’s top 25. Martin-Wells weighed in a third five-fish limit Sunday for 25-0 overall and a 22nd-place finish.
On stage, Martin-Wells told the crowd of 58,478 fans at Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex that her Classic experience has been indescribable.
“I tried to prepare myself coming into this so that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed, so I could come and fish,” Martin-Wells said. “Now probably tonight, tomorrow or the next day, I might fall to pieces - or tonight, when I watch it on TV, because every time I see it I get goose bumps. It has been incredible, the guys have been wonderful. There are really no words to describe this whole feeling.”
Martin-Wells will continue to compete with the guys as she participates in the 2010 Bassmaster Southern Open and Central Open circuits. Up next is the April 8-10 Central Open on Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas.
The 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., added another accolade to his career Sunday, winning the 40th Bassmaster Classic on Alabama’s Lay Lake. VanDam has five Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles and with the most recent win, three Bassmaster Classic titles.
Sponsors of the 2010 Bassmaster Classic: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, Humminbird, Minn Kota, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Marine.
About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com,ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
Contact:
Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216 or doug.grassian@espn.com
