Victory in Key West

We want to thank all our Valhalla Boatworks owners–along with their families and friends–for being part of the 11th annual Viking Key West Challenge (click here for our press release). Eight Valhallas, from 37 to 55 feet, showed up strong and made their presence known on the leaderboard.

The 55 Wingman (above) finished in 2nd Place in the sailfish category with 10 releases over the event’s two days of fishing. The V-41 Papa’s Pilar, a proven performer from previous years, took 1st Place in the kingfish category, while the V-46 Rough Rider claimed top honors for dolphin. And let’s not forget the V-41 Bethie Ree with its 3rd Place finish in the Cobia category.

Turning to angler awards, Brad Vanden Berg earned 2nd Place for sailfish with six releases, while Christina Henry on the V-33 Rehab secured 3rd Place with five sails. Stephen Groth on Papa’s Pilar weighed the second-heaviest kingfish, and Emily Petterson (above) on the Bethie Ree (below) captured 2nd Place for Cobia.

Congratulations to everyone! While several veteran Valhalla participants, such as Papa’s Pilar and second-timer Wingman, returned to compete, the field also welcomed newcomers. “This is our first time. We’ve known about this event for many years and always heard about the great camaraderie and fantastic fishing in Key West, so we’re really looking forward to these next few days,” said Buddy Henley (above, right) of the V-37 Rehab (below), along side his cousin Bill Henley (above, left). After the event, Buddy added, “We can’t say enough about the Viking Key West Challenge. We enjoyed every minute."

Viking heaven was found in Key West for these warriors of fishing.

The 12th annual Viking Key West Challenge takes place Wednesday, April 8, through Sunday, April 12, 2026. Book your slip at your favorite Key West marina today. Questions? Send an email to marketing@vikingyachts.com.

Know someone who'd love a V-Series? Forward this email to a friend.

Want to learn more about Valhalla Boatworks? Click here to join our email list.

VALHALLA BOATWORKS | VALHALLABOATWORKS.COM