By Billy Wilmot – Jamaican Surfing Association - www.geocities.com/jasurfas

INILEK WILMOT TAKES THE LEAD AFTER FIRST EVENT OF 2009 OPEN SURF SERIES
Press release sent on January 31st, 2009

The first event of the Jamaica Surfing Association’s 2009 National Open Series kicked off at the Lighthouse surfing beach along the Port Royal Main Road on Saturday 31st of January. Top Jamaican surfer Inilek Wilmot, brother of 2008 National Open Champ Icah Wilmot, walked away with the 1000 points on offer for the win and now leads the points race in the five event series which climaxes in December.

Twenty one surfers registered for the event which saw four first-round heats that narrowed the field to the top twelve for the semi final round where two heats of six determined who would go on to the six man final.

The first semi-final was stacked with hot surfers. Luke Williams, Icah and Inilek Wilmot, Jason Pusey, Michael Panton and Ronley Lewis paddled out to try and get the two best waves in the fifteen minute heat. They managed to ride 32 waves between them with the highest scoring wave given by the judges being 8.1 out of 10. When the time expired Luke, Icah, and Inilek advanced to the final

The second semi-final saw an equally impressive line up paddle out to do battle. Ackeam Phillips, Shane Simmonds, Eneson Lightbourn, Garren Pryce, Conrad Smith and Dwayne Tracey all paddled out into the 5 foot waves. The Judges had their work cut out for them as the surfers caught and rode 38 waves in the 15 minute heat, with the highest scoring wave being 8.5 out of 10. The spray settled and Ackeam. Shane and Eneson advanced to the final.

The final was a nail biting affair with all the surfers doing very well. Forty one waves were ridden in the heat with a 9.0 being awarded for one of the ridden waves. The lead changed hands a number of times with the crowd on the beach voicing their obvious approval for every well ridden wave. The Judges were under pressure as Jamaica’s best surfers went at it for twenty minutes. The final horn sounded and it was left up to the judges score cards. Inilek first, Shane second, Icah third, Luke fourth, Ackeam fifth and Eneson sixth.

“The waves were excellent….” said JSA President Billy Wilmot, “… and the standard of surfing displayed by the competitors was truly impressive.”

The next event in the 2009 series will be held on Saturday, 28 February 2009 at the MAKKA surfing Beach, Southaven Yallahs Saint Thomas beginning at 9:00am. The public is invited.

Below are the final results of the first event of the National Open Series

JSA SECURES TWO YEAR IPATH SHOE SPONSORSHIP

The Jamaica Surfing Association has attracted a sponsorship deal from top footwear company IPATH. The contract which will run for two years in the first instance with a value in excess of a million Jamaican dollars per year includes cash, travel and product support, photo incentives as well as a percentage on sales of a specially designed “JSA Shoe” to be released in 2010.

“This is wonderful news for the JSA” said JSA President Billy Wilmot. “This shows that our work of legitimizing Jamaica as a surfing nation through competing at major regional and international events as a way in which to attract international sponsors is paying off”.
Mr. Wilmot went on to say “After taking part in the World and Pan Am surfing Games, the industry’s top surf magazines sent crews to Jamaica and did articles on the Jamaican surf scene. Potential sponsors started to notice us and the next thing we knew we were getting calls from well respected surf industry brands”.

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karin Sierralta (Peru).

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