CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT THE RIP CURL GROMSEARCH AT MEREWETHER
MEREWETHER BEACH, NEWCASTLE
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
The Rip Curl GromSearch National Series presented by Flight Centre saw six new champions crowned today following a thrilling day of finals action in picture-perfect four-foot Merewether.
Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW) continued to capitalise on the momentum he showed earlier in the event, taking out the 16-and-Under Boys division. Thomson synced his innovative forehand repertoire with the long right-handers on offer at Merewether, nailing a respectable 12.57 two-wave heat total to claim the title.
Perennial junior event standout, Carly Shanahan (Wooli, NSW) added another accomplishment to her portfolio of stellar results, taking out the 16 Girls division. Shanahan executed a handful of powerful and flowing manoeuvres to gain the edge in the heat with a decent 13.67 two-wave heat total.
Carly Shanahan - photo by Throwing Buckets / Surfing NSW.
Hailing from only an hour-and-a-half north of Newcastle, Oscar Salt (Boomerang Beach, NSW) showed his nous of mid north coast beach breaks, taking out the 14 Boys division. Salt put on a commanding performance in the final to post a 16.00 for a variety of impressive turns and snaps and gain the title.
Ellie Harrison (Barwon Heads, Vic) ensured a title would return to Victoria, taking top honours in the 14-and-Under Girls. Harrison put on a commanding display of surfing in the final, smashing a mammoth 16.83 two-wave heat total to take the title.
Tweed Heads duo Riley Munro and Quincy Symonds claimed wins in their respective Boys and Girls 12-and-Under finals. Both surfers posted heat totals in the 13-point range to get the edge in their finals and claim trophies for the far-north coast.
The Rip Curl GromSearch National Series presented by Flight Centre is a prestigious event series giving 16-and-under surfers a chance to compete against their nations’ best, and 2018 marks its 20th year running. One of the longest Junior Surfing Series in the world, it has become a crucial stepping-stone in the development of junior surfers.
The list of previous GromSearch winners illustrates the significant history of the series, with World Surf League (WSL) competitors Gabriel Medina (Brazil), Tyler Wright (Australia), Owen Wright (Australia), Matt Wilkinson (Australia), Jordy Smith (South Africa), Kolohe Andino (USA) and Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia) among the list of former competitors and GromSearch International Final Champions.
Working in conjunction with Surfing Australia, the Rip Curl GromSearch includes divisions in 16-and-under, 14-and-under and 12-and-under, for both boys and girls.
The Australian National series will feature five stops in the key surfing regions of Jan Juc (VIC), Newcastle (NSW), Trigg Beach (WA), Yorke Peninsula (SA) and the Sunshine Coast (QLD). Participants can look forward to activities, giveaways and the chance to meet surfers from all over the country at each event, as well as hone their skills in the water. Athletes will gain valuable experience with the same system of priority and judging used across all elite surfing events.
Two-time WSL Women’s World Champion Tyler Wright recalls her time competing as a junior surfer in the GromSearch series. “It was such a cool opportunity to get to compete in different areas around Australia at such a young age. It was definitely the best way to prepare for competition on the QS and the CT, and it was a really fun environment too.”
The Australian series allows surfers from around the country to compete against their contemporaries in a fun and engaging environment. Each result in the five-event series is awarded points that count towards a surfer’s GromSearch National rating, giving participants across the country the opportunity to compare their performances against their peers.
After the last event in Queensland, the top-ranked surfers qualify for the Rip Curl GromSearch National Final (in their respective divisions), where they then compete for the chance to become the Australian GromSearch Champion. The National Champion then represents Australia at the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final, held at a new location around the globe each year, against the best junior surfers in each participating country.
Dates and locations for the 2018/19 GromSearch Series are:
EVENT 1 – Jan Juc, VIC - Sept 22 – 24, 2018
EVENT 2 – Newcastle, NSW - Sept 29 – Oct 2, 2018
EVENT 3 – Trigg Beach, WA - Oct 5 – 7, 2018
EVENT 4 – Yorke Peninsula, SA - Oct 27 – 28, 2018
EVENT 5 – Sunshine Coast, QLD - Dec 14 – 18, 2018
National Final – Dates and location TBC
The 2018 Rip Curl GromSearch series is presented by FLIGHT CENTRE, with managing partner Surfing Australia.
RESULTS:
16-and-Under Boys
1 – Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW)
2 - Olly Bolton (Copacabana, NSW)
3 – Van Whiteman (Avalon, NSW)
4 – Joel Vaughan (Bateau Bay, NSW)
16-and-Under Girls
1 – Carly Shanahan (Wooli, NSW)
2 – Arabella Wilson (Jan Juc, Vic)
3 – Jasmine Sampson (Anna Bay, NSW)
4 – Lily MacDonald (Freshwater, NSW)
14-and-Under Boys
1 – Oscar Salt (Boomerang Beach, NSW)
2 – Kobi Clements (Long Reef, NSW)
3 – Hughie Vaughan (Bateau Bay, NSW)
4 – Byron Stapleton (Avoca, NSW)
14-and-Under Girls
1 – Ellie Harrison (Barwon Heads, Vic)
2 – Milli Allport (Long Jetty, NSW)
3 – Phoebe Kane (Palm Beach, Qld)
4 – Charlotte Mulley (Miami, Qld)
12-and-Under Boys
1 – Riley Munro (Tweed Heads, NSW)
2 – Mateus Bersot (Maroubra, NSW)
3 – Dane Henry (Fingal Head, NSW)
4 – Lucas Hickson (Rye, Vic)
12-and-Under Girls
1 – Quincy Symonds (Tweed Heads, NSW)
2 – Tyla Hurst (Port Kembla, NSW)
3 – Sarsha Pancic (Blairgowrie, Vic)
4 – Ruby Rockstar Trew (Seaforth, NSW)
