Fresh off the epic success of its 2021 tournament, which hosted nearly 100 veterans and featured 38 of Southern California’s finest sportfishing yachts, the War Heroes on Water tournament team today announced its 2022 dates—with the landmark tournament to be held September 23 – 27 off the waters of Santa Catalina Island.
“I’m profoundly grateful to be announcing our fifth annual tournament dates,” said WHOW Founder and loanDepot Founder and CEO Anthony Hsieh. “What started as an idea to take a group of veterans fishing has grown into an event of great significance for our combat-veteran community. And, better still, it’s more than a tournament, WHOW has become a large, loving family.”
The fifth annual event will be its biggest yet, with an estimated 125 combat-wounded veterans hosted across a fleet of 50 local sportfishing yachts. To achieve this growth, the tournament plans to raise $1.7M, which will support the event as well as year-round services provided by its philanthropic partner, Freedom Alliance.
“The challenges faced by many of our nation’s heroes as they transition back to civilian life are real, and suicide rates are unacceptably high,” Hsieh added. “The WHOW tournament is making a difference by forging meaningful human connections—between the veterans themselves, with our fleet captains and crews, and the entire WHOW family—that replicate the brotherhood and sisterhood of the battlefield and serve as an enduring safety net of love and support. Our corporate sponsors and private donors recognize that need, which gives me great confidence that this tournament—and the much-needed support and services it delivers—will continue to gain momentum well into the future.”
“Our partnership with WHOW continues to deepen with each passing year,” said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon. “We are honored to support WHOW’s goals and humbled by the work they have achieved in such a short amount of time. WHOW’s heart for our combat-wounded veteran community can be seen and felt throughout the year—but especially during this tournament.”
The tournament, created in 2018 by Hsieh, has enjoyed significant growth in its short history—expanding from initially hosting 27 veterans and raising over $300,000 in 2018 to hosting nearly 100 veterans and raising over $1M in 2021. Additionally, the tournament has added marquee events, such as July 2021’s WHOW Night at loanDepot park, which enabled players and fans to join in honoring the combat-wounded veteran community. Similar hallmark events are in early planning ahead of the 2022 tournament.
“WHOW is all about supporting our military veterans who bravely volunteered and sacrificed so much to protect our great nation,” added WHOW Tournament Director Rod Halperin. “This is a very unique sportfishing tournament in that it’s not just about the number of great catches or the number of boats participating. It’s about all of the meaningful connections made between our veterans and fleet crews and captains. That’s what makes this tournament unlike any other in the world.”
The WHOW family enthusiastically agrees, with the tournament receiving year-over-year support and participation from many of the West Coast’s elite sportfishing teams and yacht owners, making the assembly of tournament talent unparalleled. Additionally, an array of corporate and individual sponsors have joined the family, pledging funds, services and supplies toward the upcoming event.