The Jamaica Surfing Association’s 2009 contest season will kick off on Saturday 24th 2009 at the Lighthouse Surfing Beach at Plumb Point along the Palisadoes peninsula beginning at 9:00 am.

All of Jamaica’s top surfers are expected to take part in this event as the results from it will set the tone for the annual point’s battle for the title of 2009 National Open Champion and selection for the 2010 National Open Team. ’08 Champ Icah Wilmot who finished strongly last year with 3 wins and 2 second place showings will now be pressed to defend his title by the top challengers. The other four events of the annual 5 event series are spread throughout the year climaxing in December.

Local surfing conditions are very good at this time of year. The regular winter cold fronts which swing off North America out over the Atlantic, send powerful “swells” down into the Caribbean creating high surf conditions along Jamaica’s northeast and southeast coasts the result of which can be observed near Kingston as one drives along the peninsula towards the Norman Manley Airport, or at world famous beaches like “Boston Bay” and “Long Bay” in Portland.

Jamaica’s surfing is now followed closely by the international surfing world and local surfers have now started to attract international sponsorship attention. Local surfers such as 2008 National Open Champ Icah Wilmot has wooed the hearts of sponsors such as INSIGHT Clothing, QUASHI Surfboards, NIXON Watches, REEF footwear and ON-A-MISSION surf accessories who all help to promote his career by using his images in advertising campaigns and facilitating his attendance at numerous international Pro/Am events throughout the region and around the world.

The public is invited to attend the event but please remember your beach towels, umbrellas, water and picnic basket as it will be an all day affair. Below are last year’s series results. Competitors best 4 results were tallied with the fifth event reserved for tie break situations.

08 Competitor Region NOS1 NOS2 NOS3 NOS 4 NOS 5 TOTAL

1 Icah Wilmot  South East 1000 1000 860 1000 860 3860
2 Ackeam Phillips South East 860 670 555 730 670 2990
3 Luke Williams Kingston 670 860 730 670 0 2930
4 Inilek Wilmot South East 730 583 500 860 730 2903
5 Michael Panton North East 0 610 555 528 1000 2693
6 E. Lightbourn South East 555 380 670 528 583 2336
7 Garren Pryce South East 488 450 450 555 413 1943
8 Ivah Wilmot South East 610 488 390 475 385 1860
9 Shane Simmonds North East 0 730 1000 0 488 2218
10 Omar Jacks North East 0 380 450 610 583 2023
11 Jason Pusey North East 0 450 488 400 583 1921
12 Ackeam Taylor North East 0 583 413 400 500 1896
13 Shama Beckford South East 555 488 0 438 385 1866
14 Drum Drummond Kingston 488 355 390 528 0 1761
15 Ronley Lewis South East 555 413 360 400 0 1728
16 Ishack Wilmot South East 610 450 583 0 0 1643
17 Anthony Taylor North East 0 413 360 380 390 1543
18 Ronald Hastings South East 0 380 390 380 390 1540
19 Joel Lawrence South East 0 0 360 610 390 1360
20 Eugene Miller Kingston 0 380 450 438 0 1268
21 Oshane Usher North East 0 0 360 380 528 1268
22 Gabre Beckford South East 488 380 0 0 360 1228
23 Armani Green South East 0 0 390 438 360 1188
24 Lennox Wright North East 0 0 360 400 390 1150
25 Dane Jefferys International 0 488 610 0 0 1098
25 Tristan English North East 0 0 488 0 610 1098
27 Scott Clelland International 0 555 390 0 0 945
28 G. Gallimore North East 0 0 488 0 450 938
29 Dwight Roberts North East 0 0 390 0 390 780
30 Gatey Dawkins International 0 555 0 0 0 555
31 Leopold Bignall North East 0   0 0 0 488 488
32 Tony Williams International 0 0 0 475 0 475
33 Julia Grieves International 0 0 0 438 0 438
34 Leon McKenzie South East 0 - - - 413 0 0 413
34 Dwayne Tracey North East 0 - - - 413 0 0 413
34 Junior Hibbert North East 0 413 0 0 0 413
34 Alton Smith North East 0 413 0 0 0 413
34 Sean Laidley North East 0 413 0 0 0 413
34 Warren Lewis North East 0 0 0 0 413 413
40 Sanjae Lewis North East 0 0 0 0 390 390
41 Odale Layne North East 0 0 0 380 0 380
42 R. Crossman South East 0 0 360 0 0 360
42 Raine Jackson International 0 0 0 360  0 360
42 Keron Williams North East 0 0 0 0 360 360
42 Jamoy Hall North East 0 0 0 0 360 360
42 Calvin Robinson North East 0 0 0 0 360 360
42 Conrad Smith North East 0 0 0 0 360 360
48 Richard Curtis North East 0 0 330 0 0 330

SOURCE: Jamaican Surfing Association