Jamaicans look to bounce back on Day Four of WSG

Day three action at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games (WSG) saw mixed performances from Jamaica’s two male surfers with Elishama Beckford failing to make it to round three while rookie Javaun Brown advanced out of heat 17 of the first repechage round at El Sunzal in El Salvador.

Beckford, who advanced to round two from yesterday’s first-round second-place finish, had to settle for fourth place in heat 16 after racking up a score of 6.13.

The challenging conditions did not provide the best opportunity for the Jamaican who received his two best scores of 2.93 and 3.20 on his second and third waves.

Spain’s Gonzalo Gutierrez booked his third-round spot after winning the heat with a score of 9.83 with Chile’s Noel De La Torre claiming the other automatic qualifying spot after racking up a score of 8.63.

Beckford will now have to surf in today’s repechage round to see if he can get back into the main draw.

“It was super challenging on this podium as the guy who won this event last year lost in the same round I was in, so that is just to give you a perspective of how much of a challenge it is. Luck comes into play over here at EL Sunzal and the luck wasn’t with me this time around,” Beckford said.

In the meantime, compatriot Javuan Brown who was eliminated from the main round in yesterday’s second round, found his way back into the contest after claiming one of the two spots from heat 17 opening round repechage.

Brown finished second after scoring 7.76 from five waves surfed. The heat went to Elder Vega of Guatemala who scored 8.23.

For Brown, getting a second chance from the repechage means he will continue to give it his all to see if he can ride his good fortune all the way back into main contention.

“I feel proud of myself having made a mistake yesterday, but I came back stronger today and went out and did my best and just to know that I can still make it to the final is a big plus,” he said.

Jamaica’s two other competitors, Icah and Imani Wilmot, will also be in action today with Icah surfing in heat nine in round two of the repechage alongside South Africa’s Joshe Faulkner and Finland’s Eeli Tempiri.

Imani Wilmot is set to go in heat 11 of the opening women’s repechage round alongside Enilda Alonso of Panama, Danielle Powis of South Africa and Brianna Rodriquez of the Dominican Republic.