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Top Surfers Are Heading To Jamaica
By BASN Wire Services
May 30, 2009

JAMAICA -- The “2009 Suzuki Makka Pro” surfing contest, Jamaica’s premiere annual pro surfing event, is set to run on July 4-5 at the Makka surfing beach in Southaven St. Thomas.

This marks the third time Jamaica will play host to the region’s best pro surfers who will be trying their luck at the over J$500,000.00 in prize money up for the taking. 

The event will be the first of four events making up the Caribbean Surfing Network’s “Caribbean Challenge Cup” series. There will be two events in Barbados and one in Trinidad. “This event will provide the opportunity for local surfers to get a good start in the ‘09 series” said JSA President Billy Wilmot.

“In any series if you start with a win in the first event you are number one in the series and can use that to create momentum and our surfers will have home turf advantage. Also, when you are ranked at the top you get better heats going into the next event and everyone else has to play catch up”. 

Last year, Jamaicans did well and finished in the money with second and fifth place in the open division and first and third in the junior’s. The local ladies did not do as well and finished at the bottom of the tables in their division. 

Open division defending champ, Barbados’ Jonathan Reece, will be looking to defend his title against the formidable Jamaican charge being led by Wilmot brothers Inilek and Icah.

Junior defending champion Jamaica’s Shane Simmonds will have tremendous local support after his crowd pleasing victory performance last year.