Record-setting year honors 130 combat-wounded veterans and raises more than $2 million, the largest fundraising total in tournament history

Castigo captures the Josh Miles Award for Top Boat;
Marine Corps veteran Ian Borge earns the Ron Ashimine Award for Top Angler

Including this year’s event, WHOW has:

• Raised more than $10 million for 501(c)(3) partner Freedom Alliance
• Directly served more than 800 veterans on the water
• Supported thousands more veterans and military families through Freedom Alliance

While the ninth annual War Heroes on Water (WHOW) Presented by loanDepot has concluded, the bonds established during the event are just beginning to take root. The 2026 event marked the largest year in WHOW history and culminated with Monday evening’s Weigh-In celebration on Catalina Island’s iconic Green Pleasure Pier, followed by an emotional awards ceremony Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, where veterans reunited with their captains and crews to celebrate an unforgettable week on the water.

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Combat-wounded veterans fish off the coast of Southern California during the ninth annual War Heroes on Water (WHOW) Presented by loanDepot. The tournament brought 130 Veterans together with Southern California’s sportfishing community for an experience centered on fishing, healing, connection and camaraderie.

“This event is something special to my heart,” said returning WHOW participant and Army veteran John Moore. “It gets us out of the headspace we’re in, and we get to enjoy life for a bit and not worry about anything. It’s super special, and I really appreciate everybody who makes this possible.”

WHOW is the world’s largest nonprofit sportfishing tournament for veterans. This year’s event brought together 130 combat-wounded veterans and Southern California’s sportfishing community, including more than 60 yachts and the dedicated owners, captains and crews who made the experience possible. During the five-day event, veterans spent three days on the water focused on fishing, healing, connection and camaraderie.

The 2026 tournament delivered a record fundraising result, with 620 new and returning sponsors and supporters helping raise more than $2 million and bringing WHOW’s cumulative fundraising total to more than $10 million. Proceeds from WHOW benefit Freedom Alliance and help provide year-round healing experiences and vital assistance to combat-wounded veterans and military families, including therapeutic retreats, adaptive wheelchairs, reliable vehicles, homes and scholarships for the children of military heroes.

Monday’s Weigh-In celebration kicked off with the WHOW fleet assembling just outside Avalon Harbor for the tournament’s closing ceremonies, highlighted by a breathtaking flyover from Tiger Squadron’s vintage WWII aircraft. After nearly three days on the water, veterans and their crews gathered on Catalina Island’s iconic Green Pier, where supporters, locals and members of the WHOW family cheered them on as they weighed their catches, shared stories from their time at sea and celebrated an unforgettable tournament experience.

“Every year, seeing the fleet assembled off Avalon Harbor amazes me,” said WHOW Tournament Director Rod Halperin. “But one of my favorite traditions is watching our veterans, captains and crews gather at Catalina’s iconic Green Pier. It’s a special place in Southern California fishing history, and seeing the WHOW family come together there to celebrate the tournament is a reflection of how much this community loves and appreciates our veterans.”

At Tuesday night’s awards ceremony, stories and experiences were shared as veterans reflected on the tournament’s impact and the relationships formed through WHOW, which continue far beyond the final weigh-in. The evening served as a reminder that while fishing brings participants together, the lasting friendships, support system and sense of community created through WHOW are what truly change and save lives.

Reflecting on WHOW’s growth over the past nine years, WHOW Founder Anthony Hsieh said, “Nine years ago, we started with 12 boats and raised a little more than $300,000. And this year’s record fundraising is an extraordinary achievement. But the most important measure of WHOW is the lives we change and the lives we may help save. The relationships veterans build with our yacht owners, captains and crews continue long after the tournament ends. Every additional boat gives us the opportunity to bring more veterans into this experience, make a positive impact and remind them that, no matter how dark things get, they have someone they can call.”

The fundraising total stood at $1.75 million as the awards ceremony began, but the WHOW family was not finished. After Hsieh rallied the crowd, live donations poured in and pushed the final total past $2 million.

Also speaking at the event, Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon said, “Caring for those who go to war on our behalf is a service to our nation, and because of what happens at War Heroes on Water, veterans are becoming better and stronger. This year set records for the number of boats, the number of veterans and the extraordinary generosity shown in support of our heroes. That support extends far beyond the tournament, helping Freedom Alliance provide therapeutic retreats, adaptive wheelchairs, vehicles, homes and scholarships to veterans and military families across the country. This is an incredible movement that is changing lives, saving lives and making a meaningful difference.”

During the awards ceremony, two-time WHOW participant and Marine Corps veteran Ian Borge, fishing aboard Castigo, earned the coveted Ron Ashimine Top Angler Award. Ian Borge also captured species titles in the Calico Bass, Yellowtail and Dorado divisions, helping lead Castigo to the Josh Miles Top Boat Award and one of the tournament’s most impressive overall performances. Army veteran Travis Clennon, fishing aboard Chaser, also delivered a strong showing, winning the Striped Marlin division while placing third overall and second in Qualifier Points. Both the Ron Ashimine and Josh Miles awards honor beloved members of the WHOW family whose legacies continue to inspire participants year after year.

“This was my second trip to WHOW, and it beat all my expectations,” said returning WHOW participant Borge. “Sometimes we may think people have forgotten because it has been a while since we served. But someone here told me, ‘It doesn’t matter how long ago it was. We still love you for it.’ That was a reminder that we are still appreciated, and that’s what this experience means to us.”

This year’s Founding Fleet Award was presented to Fantail owner Joseph Fan, recognizing his years of dedicated service to the WHOW tournament and the veterans it supports.

A total of 25 trophies were handed out during the celebration.

Halperin, who received special recognition from the WHOW Founding Fleet captains, added: “We’ve grown in so many ways over the last nine years, but there's still more work to do. Every additional boat allows us to bring more veterans into this experience. The more veterans we can take on the water, the more lives we have the opportunity to impact.”

Before the veterans headed out on the water, the weekend’s festivities included a patriotic Newport Harbor send-off and the first-ever WHOW Cars & Coffee fundraiser in Irvine, which brought more than 1,500 supporters together and featured a coast-to-coast collection of hypercars and supercars valued at more than $200 million. Fundraising also included a silent auction featuring rare collectibles, premier sporting events, luxury getaways and one-of-a-kind experiences.

The WHOW tournament could not happen without the dedication and support of dozens of participants and volunteers, as well as the extreme generosity of the WHOW fleet owners, captains and crews, whose collective contributions represent a significant financial and time investment.

About War Heroes on Water

War Heroes on Water (WHOW) is the nation’s largest nonprofit sportfishing tournament for veterans, bringing together combat-wounded veterans and the Southern California sportfishing community to support healing, connection and year-round veterans’ programs. It was created in 2018 by loanDepot Founder and CEO Anthony Hsieh, who is also the owner and leader of Team Bad Company, a world-class, record-holding competitive sportfishing fleet. Through Hsieh's deep connections with the country’s sportfishing and business communities, WHOW has grown exponentially and is now the largest nonprofit sportfishing tournament for veterans in the world.

Additional information, including photos and videos from past tournaments, may be found at www.warheroesonwater.com | Instagram: @warheroesonwater | Facebook: www.facebook.com/WarHeroesonWater | YouTube: War Heroes on Water Fishing Tournament

About Freedom Alliance

Freedom Alliance is a charitable organization that provides help and support to wounded troops and military families. Freedom Alliance has awarded more than $33 million in college scholarships to the children of military heroes killed or disabled in military service and has spent millions more helping injured veterans and military families with outdoor recreational therapy trips, Heroes Vacations, care packages for deployed troops, mortgage-free homes, payment-free vehicles, all-terrain wheelchairs and much more. To learn more, visit www.FreedomAlliance.org or Facebook.com/FreedomAlliance.

About loanDepot

Since its launch in 2010, loanDepot (NYSE: LDI) has revolutionized the mortgage industry with digital innovations that make transacting easier, faster, and less stressful for customers and originators alike. The company, which is licensed in all 50 states, helps its customers achieve the American dream of homeownership through a broad suite of lending and real estate services that simplify one of life's most complex transactions. loanDepot is also committed to serving the communities in which its team lives and works through a variety of local and national philanthropic efforts.

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“This event is something special to my heart,” said returning WHOW participant and Army veteran John Moore. “It gets us out of the headspace we’re in, and we get to enjoy life for a bit and not worry about anything."