Surfers from around the region have been checking in for a chance to nab a share of the US$6,000 up for grabs at this year's Caribbean Surf Network (CSN) Suzuki Caribbean Challenge Cup series scheduled for the Makka Pro Surfing beach, South Haven, St Thomas today and tomorrow.

Open and Junior defending series champion Lewis St John from Barbados, and other top regional pro surfers, including Trinidad's Jason Appericio and Alan Davis, Barbadian Steffan Corbin, Simon Coles, 2008 defending women's series champ Ametza Nicholls, 2008 defending women's event champ Chelsea Tuach, and 2008 event second-place junior finisher Jordan Heaslegrave have all been confirmed.

Seeking the top spot

Top local competitors Inileck and Icah Wilmot, Luke Williams and defending 2008 junior event champion Shane Simmonds as well as top local female surfers Imani Wilmot, Elim Beckford and Danielle Ohayon are all expected to compete.

The Jamaicans will again be seeking the top spot in the open men and women's division which has constantly eluded them. Last year's second-place finish at the Makka event by Inilek and a second-place showing at the Soup Bowl event in Barbados by brother Icah have been the best performances by Jamaicans in the open men's division in the two-year history of the series.

In the women's division a second-place finish by Danielle Ohayon at the 2007 Makka Pro has been the best showing by the local girls.

The junior men's division was dominated last year by Shane Simmonds who walked away with the US$600 for the win. However, due to the lack of junior entrants this year, that division will not be contested.

Promotional tool

President of the Jamaica Surfing Association (JSA), Billy Wilmot, said the competition is just not a sporting activity but a promotional tool for alternative tourism in the eastern end of the island.

"It's going to be big. Last year and the year before that was really big," Wilmot said.

"We had thousands of people in terms of spectator turnout. We expect it to be more organised this year," he said.

The two-day event will surf off at 8:30 a.m. each morning and goes through until the evening.

This year, the event is being made possible through the sponsorship of Suzuki, Sports Development Foundation, Insight, Xtrak, Magma, Ipath, Mailpac, JSA and the citizens of Southaven.

2008 MAKKA PRO RESULTS

OPEN MEN

1st Jonathan Reece BAR

2nd Inilek Wilmot JAM

3rd Barry Banfield BAR

OPEN WOMEN

1st Chelsea Tuach BAR

2nd Chelsea Roett BAR

3rd Alexis Jordan BAR