Blue Marlin ever caught in local waters.

And Don Hunt, the man who caught the 1,195-pound monster, was waiting anxiously to see if he had also caught a major international sporting prize.

Hunt's 14-foot, two-inch fish was leading the annual July 4 Blue Marlin World Cup.

The cup covers waters around the world and with only about four hours to go the Bermuda fish was definitely in first place. It's nearest competitor was an 882-lb fish caught off Madeira.

Hunt was aboard Challenger when he landed the fish and the boat's skipper Alan Card said: "They are still fishing off Hawaii and Costa Rica so we do not know if he has won.

"Someone could easily catch a bigger one, that's fishing. But it would be great if he won. He entered last year for the first time and we did not see a fish.'' Hunt said: "It would be nice if we won particularly for the crew and for Bermuda.'' The fish took two-and-a-half hours to reel in according to Hunt. It beat the biggest Blue Marlin ever caught in Bermuda waters by five pounds but was some way short of the world record fish caught recently weighing in excess of 1,400 pounds.

Canadian-born Hunt has been fishing since his arrival in the country 37 years ago. Managing director of Universal Electric he is now semi-retired.

He said he was persuaded to enter the contest by his long-time angling friend Gary Hines, who was on the boat with his son Brian, when the fish was landed.

A crowd of around 100 people gathered at the Lantana Dock in Somerset.

RECORD MARLIN -- Don Hunt sits on the monster Blue Marlin with long-time angling friend Gary Hines at rear.