Montgomery, Ala. – Today BASS announced several refinements to its 2006 tournament season, including a new points system for the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Tour and an additional route to qualify for the “majors,” BASS’ new no-entry-fee tournaments which will replace the Elite 50 Series in 2006.
“It’s all part of our continuous effort to deliver the very best tournament trail possible,” said BASS General Manager Don Rucks. “We saw an opportunity to make our system and our fields even stronger, so we’re making some refinements.”
New Tour Points System
The first of these refinements involves the CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year points system used to rank pros for the Angler of the Year, Toyota Rookie of the Year and Toyota Horizon awards. In addition, the points system will determine many of the qualifiers for the CITGO Bassmaster Classic and the new majors.
The former points system awarded 300 points to an event winner and gradually reduced points to other competitors until the final finisher in a 156-boat tournament, for example, received 26 points for the effort.
The new system puts a higher premium on performance, awarding the event winner with 400 points. After the first place finisher, points will be gradually reduced for competitors with the last-place finisher in a 200-boat event awarded a single point. Points per position appear below.
Qualifying for the 2006 Majors
The field for the three majors in 2006 will now be comprised of 55 anglers, rather than 51 anglers as follows:
- Top 10 anglers on the all-time BASS money list as of December 31, 2005.
- Top 37 anglers from the CITGO Bassmaster Tour based on a three-year average in Angler of the Year standings for 2003, 2004, and 2005 as of April 4, 2005. (In the event of double-qualifying, BASS will work down the three year AOY list ending in 2005).>br>
- 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion
- 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion
- 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year
- 2005 Toyota Rookie of the Year
- Top four ranking anglers prior to each major in the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year points competition who are not otherwise qualified.
The final category (top four ranking anglers in the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings not otherwise qualified prior to each major) represents the only addition to the criteria previously announced.
“It is in the best interest of the sport to have those anglers who demonstrate long-term consistency or those who are performing at the highest level fish our major tournaments,” said Rucks. “The additional anglers will make our tournament fields for the 2006 majors even stronger and more exciting.”
CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year Points System
1. 400
2. 390
3. 380
4. 375
5. 370
6. 365
7. 360
8. 355
9. 350
10. 345
11. 342
12. 339
13. 336
14. 333
15. 330
16. 327
17. 324
18. 321
19. 318
20. 315
21. 312
22. 309
23. 306
24. 303
25. 300
26. 297
27. 294
28. 291
29. 288
30. 285
31. 282
32. 279
33. 276
34. 273
35. 270
36. 267
37. 264
38. 261
39. 258
40. 255
41. 252
42. 249
43. 246
44. 243
45. 240
46. 237
47. 234
48. 231
49. 228
50. 225
51. 222
52. 219
53. 216
54. 213
55. 210
56. 207
57. 204
58. 201
59. 198
60. 195
61. 192
62. 189
63. 186
64. 183
65. 180
66. 178
67. 176
68. 174
69. 172
70. 170
71. 168
72. 166
73. 164
74. 162
75. 160
76. 150
77. 148
78. 146
79. 144
80. 142
81. 140
82. 138
83. 136
84. 134
85. 132
86. 130
87. 128
88. 126
89. 124
90. 122
91. 120
92. 118
93. 116
94. 114
95. 112
96. 110
97. 108
98. 106
99. 104
100. 102
101. 100
102. 99
103. 98
104. 97
105. 96
106. 95
107. 94
108. 93
109. 92
110. 91
111. 90
112. 89
113. 88
114. 87
115. 86
116. 85
117. 84
118. 83
119. 82
120. 81
121. 80
122. 79
123. 78
124. 77
125. 76
126. 75
127. 74
128. 73
129. 72
130. 71
131. 70
132. 69
133. 68
134. 67
135. 66
136. 65
137. 64
138. 63
139. 62
140. 61
141. 60
142. 59
143. 58
144. 57
145. 56
146. 55
147. 54
148. 53
149. 52
150. 51
151. 50
152. 49
153. 48
154. 47
155. 46
156. 45
157. 44
158. 43
159. 42
160. 41
161. 40
162. 39
163. 38
164. 37
165. 36
166. 35
167. 34
168. 33
169. 32
170. 31
171. 30
172. 29
173. 28
174. 27
175. 26
176. 25
177. 24
178. 23
179. 22
180. 21
181. 20
182. 19
183. 18
184. 17
185. 16
186. 15
187. 14
188. 13
189. 12
190. 11
191. 10
192. 9
193. 8
194. 7
195. 6
196. 5
197. 4
198. 3
199. 2
200. 1
BASS is the world's largest fishing organization, sanctioning more than 20,000 tournaments worldwide through its Federation. The CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite 50 series, is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing tournament circuit and continues to set the standard for credibility, professionalism and sportsmanship as it has since 1968.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (334) 551-2375 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
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