Richardson takes lead with 80-pounder

White Marlin Open

Virginia Beach's Steve Richardson took over the lead in the top competition in the White Marlin Open yesterday, a day in which 356 boats left shore.

On the Canyon Express, Richardson's crew pulled in an 80-pound white marlin in the Norfolk Canyon, pushing Edgewater's Chris Rosenthal to a second-place tie and into position for a $1.5-million prize with two days left.

Aboard the I-Car-Ter, Glen Wood of Nanticoke equaled Rosenthal's 71.5-pound marlin, good for a prize topping $100,000.

Jim Lummis' 737-pound catch still leads the blue marlin category.