Page 64 - 52nd Annual White Marlin Open
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best. When it came to fruition by winning the WMO, on John-
ny’s first boat, it was an incredible sense of accomplishment.
And to do it in our adopted hometown, a place where we em- Perhaps that strength came from above, but in any case, after
ploy 75 people and a place where we know the history and landing the fish, the Backlash raced to the scales.
tradition of the WMO, made it that much sweeter.”
“As we pulled into the dock”, says McLeskey, “thousands of
Help from Above people there screaming and yelling as the fish was weighed. It
Cheryl McLeskey is a spiritual woman who feels like that may came in at 94 lbs., at the time the second largest white marlin
have helped her to win the 2015 White Marlin Open. in tournament history. I felt the power of the Lord, and said
‘Thank you Jesus’”.
“My husband Wayne was an outstanding angler who had won
several tournaments in North Carolina”, says McLeskey. “He There were some other out-of-this-world connections to this
introduced me to offshore fishing and it quickly became a pas- catch as well. The fish was 94 lbs. and McLeskey’s wedding
sion of mine. Wayne passed in 2012, but every time I go out anniversary was 9/4. McLeskey received the $1.17 million dol-
on the water, I feel that I have his spirit with me.” lar prize on 8/8, her birthday. The Backlash was boat number
87 and Capt. Richardsons birthday is 8/7. As McLeskey said
McLeskey’s dear father Alfredo Palacios passed away in May after, “it all added up!”.
of 2015, just a few months before the White Marlin Open. Her
long time friend, Rachel Davanzo, lost her husband in 2013. McLeskey has done nothing but good with her new found
Davanzo was the one who convinced McLeskey to join her and fame and fortune. “To honor my father who was of Spanish
Capt. Steve Richardson for the 2015 tournament. It was her descent, most of my winnings were donated to the McMahon
first WMO. Parater Scholarship Foundation”, explained McLeskey. “The
scholarships are spe cifically to provide tuition assistance for
So perhaps it was divine intervention that fateful day when a Hispanic families in the Richmond area who wanted their chil-
monster white marlin took the bait behind the Backlash.Mc- dren to have a Catholic education.”
Leskey recounts the catch. “When that marlin first jumped we
knew it was a big one. The adrenaline was flowing. I am not McLeskey also ran the Wine, Women and Fishing tournament
sure where the strength came from, but I was able to get that out of her Virginia Beach Fishing Center marina in Rudee Inlet.
fish to the boat in 10 minutes.” Over the years the tournament raised over $1 million for breast
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WMO 52 Magazine.indd 64 7/15/25 8:02AM