Inilek Wilmot

After a nail-biting finish, Inilek Wilmot captured the first event of the Jamaica Surfing Association (JSA) 2009 National Open Series at the Lighthouse Surfing Beach, Port Royal, on Saturday. Wilmot walked away with the 1,000 points on offer for the win and now leads the race in the five-event series.

Twenty-one surfers registered for the event which saw four first-round heats that narrowed the field to the top 12 for the semi-final round.

In the semis, there were two heats of six which determined who would go on to the six-man final.

Best waves

The first semi-final saw Luke Williams, Icah and Inilek Wilmot, Jason Pusey, Michael Panton and Ronley Lewis paddle out to try and get the two best waves in the 15-minute heat.

They managed to ride 32 waves between them, with the highest-scoring wave being 8.1 out of 10. At the end of semi-final one, defending champion Icah Williams and Inilek advanced to the final.

The second semi-final saw an equally impressive line-up. Ackeam Phillips, Shane Simmonds, Eneson Lightbourn, Garren Pryce, Conrad Smith and Dwayne Tracey all paddled out into the 5ft. waves.

Highest-scoring wave

The surfers caught and rode 38 waves in the 15-minute heat, with the highest-scoring wave being 8.5 out of 10. At the end of the second semi-final, Phillips, Simmonds and Lightbourn advanced to the final.

Forty-one waves were ridden in heat one of the finals, with a 9.0 being awarded for one. The lead changed hands a number of times but Inilek came out on top, with Simmonds second, Icah third and Williams fourth.

"The waves were excellent," said Billy Wilmot, president of the JSA. "The standard of surfing displayed by the competitors was truly impressive."

The next event in the series will be held on Saturday, February 28, at the Makka Surfing Beach, Southaven, Yallahs, St Thomas, beginning at 9 a.m.