Surfers seeking help to attend masters meet

Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

The Jamaica Surfing Association is seeking sponsorship to field a national team to the second International Surf Association (ISA) World Masters Surfing Championships to be held in Punta de Rocas, Peru on March 29. The team will be looking to improve on their ninth place finish at the event held in Rincon, Puerto Rico in February, 2007.

National surf teams from around the globe usually attend the event and they receive immense live international television, cable and Internet coverage. Jamaica's participation at the championships is always one of the media highlights.

The proposed team list consists of members of the Jamaica Surfing Association (JSA) including Jacquiann Lawson in the ladies division and Eugene Miller, Drum Drummond, Michael Mair, Neil Andrade, Billy Wilmot, Pierre Diaz, Terrence Muschett in the men's division.

Regional carrier COPA Airlines has already contributed three tickets to Peru and Red Bull, a perennial supporter of Jamaica's surfing culture, has also confirmed support for the event.

"The Sports Development Foundation (SDF) gives us a small annual grant which helps as well as sponsorship we receive from Mail Pac," said JSA President Billy Wilmot.

"But championships such as these far exceed our current available financing and thus the need to push for sponsorship support. Surfing in Jamaica has skyrocketed hence our appeal to potential sponsors. Also every-where we go we attract high profile attention from global media leaders in a new and vibrant market," he said.