Wilmot, Phillips emerge overall champions

Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Following the third and final event of the Jamaica Surfing Associations (JSA) 2008 National Junior Surfing Championship Series, Ivah Wilmot, on 2,670 points and Ackeam Phillips (2,860), were crowned national under-16 and Under-18 champions.

Amani Green (2,200) and Garren Pyrce (2,200) were second and third, respectively, in the overall Under-16 tally, while Ronley Lewis (1,950) and Shane Simmonds (1,860) shared similar titles in the Under-18 champion-ship division.

The competition, held at Long Bay Beach in Portland on the weekend, saw 21 junior, 14 Under-16 and seven Under-18 surfers registering for the events.

Top four

In the Under-16 division, four rounds were completed that narrowed the field to the top four performers for the final, which saw Ivah Wilmot, Ackeam Taylor, Oshane Usher and Shama Beckford qualifying to compete for the top spot. At the final count, Wilmot took the top spot with full points (1,000), followed by Taylor (860), Usher (760) and Beckford on 670 points.

Their points haul from the final was added to their total from the two previous events and Wilmot was declared the overall 2008 junior champion.

In the boys' Under-18 event, two semi-final heats were completed and reduced the seven-man field to the top four performers. Ackeam Phillips, Shane Simmonds, Michael Panton and Gawayne Gallimore surfed off riding 28 waves between them in the final.

When the scores were tallied Phillips earned 1,000 points to secure the title, while Simmonds (860) nabbed the second spot, Panton (730) third and Gallimore on 670 points for fourth place.

After the overall points were added, Phillips was declared the under-18 championship.