Fabian Gordon (left) of Rivoli United and Troy Smith of Village United in a keen tussle in their Digicel Premier League game at the Elliston-Wakeland Centre in Falmouth on Wednesday. Rivoli won 3-1. - Photo by Richard Morais

Jamaica's best Under-18 surfers are gearing up for their biggest challenge of the year, the 2009 Quiksilver International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship.

Heading the Under-18 team will be current number one, national junior champion Shane Simmonds, who recently won the National Open Series Championship in February.

Lloyd Jacks will support Simmonds in the Under-18 age group category.

"Simmonds is very talented and we expect a lot from him," said president of the Jamaica Surfing Association, Billy Wilmot." He will be competing at the top of his game."

In the Under-16 category, Akeem Taylor, Garren Pyrce, Oshane Usher and Armani Green will complete the team, along with Icah Wilmot (coach) and Luke Williams (manager).

Green, who has been surfing for three years, tied for second place in the 2008 national Under-16 series.

"They are very talented youngsters," Wilmot said. "We are sending these youngsters for the purpose of experience. In the past, our young juniors didn't have a lot of contest experience but they have made the team and have been going out to represent at the highest level."

Wilmot said it is important that surfing in Jamaica be seen as a real industry, and the more people get involved in it the more young people will become involved in the sport.

"Five years ago how many children would you have asked what they wanted to be and they would tell you a professional surfer? Now they are seeing that there is such a thing and there are people surfing and making six figures," Wilmot said.

The Olympic-type event, now in its seventh year, will be held from March 28 through April 5 at La FAE beach in Salinas, Ecuador.

Participants from nearly 30 nations, including defending champions Australia and past champions Brazil and Hawaii, will compete for medals in the Under-18 boys, Under-18 girls and Under-16 boys divisions.

team ranking

In addition to individual medals, points earned by each competitor will count towards the overall team ranking, which determines team medals and the world champion team.

Teams from the United States, South Africa, France and New Zealand are also looking exceptionally strong this year and will be as hungry as ever for their first team gold.

Top surfers confirmed to compete this year include last year's individual gold and silver medallists, Australian teammates Laura Enever and Tyler Wright, respectively, 2007 boys' Under-16 gold medallist Garrett Parkes of Australia and 2008 bronze medallists, Courtney Conlogue of the United States and Ian Fontaine of France.