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| Source: Surf Girls Jamaica,2012 |
Jamaica is not only know for it’s track and field stars but for it’s surfers. The Caribbean island has a strong history of surfing dating back to the 1960’s. Imani Wilmot, 21, also referred to as Jamaica’s “Daughter of Surfing” is the country’s top female surfer. This past summer,Imani was the first Jamaican female to win the Makka Pro International Surfing Championships. At the age of 9, Imani began surfing, she learned from her father, President of the Jamaican Surfers Association, and brothers who are also professional surfers.
In the July 2011 issue of Teen Spirit E-zine , Imani said, “ to me, being a surfer is a privilege. It really doesn’t matter if you are male or female ‘cause everyone has their own unique experiences with the sport. The only thing I wish, is that there were more girls participating in the sport.” Imani also noted that a lot of girls in Jamaica don’t have the opportunity to surf. To increase their involvement Imani created Surf Like a Girl, a summer camp in which she teachers girls how to surf.
Imani was fortunate to be awarded the International Surfing Association Individual Scholarship, this award has allowed her to gain more participation in competitions and develop her skill. Imani is sponsored by INSIGHT clothing and Quashi surfboards.
Jamaica’s “Daughter of Surfing” is making her ranks in the surfing world and planting seeds of social good for unprivileged girls in Jamaica. Major props to Imani!
Learn more about Imani!
Check out Imani’s Ripping Skills!
I was so excited when I first read about Imani and I love seeing a fellow Caribbean sister defying the odds in a male-dominated sport. She is inspiring both Caribbean girls and girls of color all over the world to become more involved in surfing. As we say in the Caribbean “it’s only forward we going from here” and female athletes like Imani are helping to pave that path.