Experienced surf team sets sights on world stage in El Salvador

A seasoned three-man team is ready to carry the Jamaican flag at the upcoming International Surfing Association World Surfing Games in El Salvador, as they aim to boost the nation’s international standing on the road to future Olympic qualification.

The championship, set for September 5-14, will see 55 national teams compete at the famed breaks of La Bocana and El Sunzal in La Libertad. For Jamaica, this event represents a critical step in a long-term strategy, blending veteran experience with a new-found competitive mindset.

Leading the charge is the nation’s top-ranked surfer, Elishama Beckford of Bull Bay. He is joined by Portland’s Javaun Brown, with both athletes bringing valuable experience from having competed at the same Salvadoran venues in the 2023 Games.

Rounding out the team is Akeam Phillips, another Bull Bay native, who will test his skills in the open men’s division.

For Phillips, missing out on previous World Games has given him the motivation to go out and show he can be among the best in the World.

“I have been putting in the work and I told myself that I can do it. For the past two years, I’ve been falling short, and this time I have sat back and told myself that I have got this.”

Mental fortitude

Guiding the team is veteran surfer now coach Icah Wilmot, who reports that the squad’s preparations have been exceptionally positive, focusing as much on mental fortitude as on wave-riding technique.

“It’s been pretty solid so far. Everybody has been surfing a lot. The last couple months we’ve been seeing a lot of the guys really pushing the envelope and starting to really take well to the mindset of competing and the whole psychology side of it, which has been a downfall for the team a lot of the times.”

Wilmot confirmed that the raw surfing talent has “always been solid”, but it is the improved mental preparation that has the team optimistic heading into the Games.

The coach outlined a clear objective for the championship that looks beyond immediate podium finishes. The primary mission is to accumulate points and improve Jamaica’s global ranking.

“The aim this year is to try and step up our international ranking so that in the coming years, we can actually qualify for the Olympics. We’ll have a better starting ground to go for the championships or the Olympics.”

This strategic approach is bolstered by the team’s familiarity with the Salvadorian coast. Having surfed and competed there before, the Jamaican contingent plans to leverage their intimate knowledge of the wave breaks to their advantage.

This year, the team has got tremendous support with the Jamaica Olympic Association and the Sports Development Foundation coming on board along with the likes of corporate sponsors Stewarts Automotive through their brand GWM, Jamaica Inn Foundation, Island Dairies and Sunbum.