 |
 jamaica |
 |
Jamaica announces team for Billabong ISA World Surfing Games 2009 Open Men Open Women Jamaica will be short by two Open Longboarders, severely limiting Jamaica’s potential point haul but the men are surfing well as are the ladies and will be trying to improve Jamaica’s 27th place in the World Rank. The team was selected based on their ranking from the National Open Series as well as on performances in the recently concluded 2009 Suzuki Makka Pro, and will be under the management of JSA President Billy Wilmot. “This year the World Games will be extremely competitive with each country now being able to select professional athletes for their teams whereas originally the World Games was an amateur event.” Said Mr. Wilmot “This fact has elevated the standard of surfing at the event and has increased tremendously the amount of media attention the Games now attract. Jamaica is always a “media darling” at the games and with our surfers performing really well we are going there to make a statement… Jamaica is here!” The trip to the event has been made possible through the collaborated sponsorship effort of Insight, Ipath, the Sports Development Foundation, COPA Airlines, Magma, Xtrak, Mailpak and Quashi. Thousands turn out for ‘09 Suzuki Makka Pro Barbadians Lewis St. John and Chelsea Tuach along with local boy Shane Simmonds shared the championship honors at the 2009 SUZUKI MAKKA PRO surf contest which went off without hitch at the “Makka” surfing beach in Southaven, Yallahs St. Thomas on the 4th and 5th of July in 4’-5’ waves. The event which featured top Caribbean pro surfers attracted 16 pro men, 5 pro women and 12 junior pro surfers along with thousands of patrons to the south coast’s premiere surf contest venue. The event, now in its third year, has taken on the title of “Biggest surfing contest in the English speaking Caribbean” and attracted a diverse demographic of spectators from babes in arms to great grandmothers from all sectors of the society. There was much excitement as Jamaica’s top surfers matched up against the best from Barbados and showed that the Jamaicans are a force to be reckoned with. JSA President Billy Wilmot provided lively commentary throughout the day with help from CSN Director Nic Donawah. There were loud cheers and whistles from the crowd on the beach each time a surfer executed an impressive maneuver and by the end of the day the patrons had become expert surf judges themselves. Jamaica’s top performers this year were Shane Simmonds who successfully defended his junior title while nabbing a second place in the Open Men division. Other top finishers in the Open Men included last years runner up in the men’s open Inilek Wilmot, Luke Williams, Ackeam Phillips, Icah Wilmot and Michael Panton who all finished in the money. In the women’s division Imani Wilmot and Jessica Williams made it to the money round while Eneson Lightbourn earned prizes in the pro juniors. “This event is another step towards the JSA realizing the Association’s mandate of making surfing a sport of choice for all Jamaicans” said Mr. Wilmot. “The fact that our event has by far the most spectator support of any surf event in the region is proof of the interest this spectator friendly sport generates here in Jamaica. Combined with the possibilities in alternate tourism we see surfing doing for Saint Thomas what Reggae and Tourism have done for Jamaica.” The event was made possible through the kind sponsorship of Suzuki, Ipath, Xtrak, The SDF, MENS DIVISION (US$) JUNIOR DIVISION 1st Shane Simmonds JAM Trip to Trinidad The JSA would like to thank our partners who made this event possible. Suzuki, Caribbean Surf Network, The Sports Development Foundation, Insight, Xtrak, Magma, Ipath, Mailpac, The JSA and the citizens of Southaven. JSA has a new website About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
|
|
.jpg)
 |
 |