Yamaha Marine and Skeeter Boats Co-Sponsor Charity Bass Tournament for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Yamaha Marine and Skeeter Boats became the first ever presenting sponsors of the annual Dick Hiley St. Jude^® Bass Classic on May 2-4. The tournament, which took place in Wabasha, Minnesota, celebrates a community of bass anglers from across the Upper Midwest who come together once a year in support of the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^®. The 27th annual event brought together 96 competing boats and raised more than $1.1 million for the kids of St. Jude.

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Ben Kennedy (center), Senior Pro Staff and Sponsorship Specialist, Yamaha Marine U.S. Business Unit, stands with St. Jude Bass Classic raffle winners Shawn Bergsrud (left) and Wyatt Stout (right) in front of their new ZX200 Skeeter® boat powered by a Yamaha 200-horsepower V MAX SHO® outboard. The charity tournament raised more than $1.1 million for the kids of St. Jude.

“Competitive fishing is more than just a sport, it’s a family,” said Scott Higgins, Division Manager, Outboard Marketing. “That sense of community is what drives us to step up when there’s a need - there’s no greater need than supporting the future of our children, especially those facing illness. Through this special tournament, we hope to share the joy of fishing and make a meaningful difference in their lives.”

The two-day tournament featured a weekend full of activities, including live weigh-ins on both Saturday and Sunday, a celebratory dinner banquet on Saturday evening and fundraising awards. The tournament concluded Sunday afternoon with an awards ceremony. Tournament champions J.J. Schultz and Josh Sie of Mondovi, Wisconsin, walked away with $25,000 after securing the top spot with a total weight of 45 pounds, 14 ounces. Sixty-three teams each raised more than $5,000 to qualify for a chance to win a ZX200 Skeeter^® boat powered by a Yamaha 200-horsepower V MAX SHO^® outboard. Wyatt Stout and Shawn Bergsrud were the raffle winners of the new boat and outboard package.

In 1999, a group of anglers from Minnesota and Wisconsin, who shared a common love for both fishing and the kids of St. Jude, hosted the first Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic. The tournament has raised more than $8.7 million to date.

"We’re incredibly grateful to Yamaha and Skeeter for their partnership and support of the Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic,” said Gretchen Simon, St. Jude. “Their contributions have been instrumental in making this event a success and raising over $1.1 million for the kids of St. Jude. Together, we are making a significant impact in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We look forward to many more years of partnership and all the ways we will continue to impact the kids of St. Jude, together!”

Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Engine Systems, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA^®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.

This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only and are not intended to be an endorsement. St. Jude and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are registered trademarks of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, Inc.

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.

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