Event two of the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps series wrapped up at Curl Curl last Sunday, September 8th - in conditions that were the polar opposite to the Saturday waves - with seven new champions being crowned in tricky four-foot conditions.
Dane Dujic (Avalon) bagged a title for the locals taking out the Under-14 Boys division. Dujic overcame an all-star cast of northern beaches rippers in the final, posting a respectable 10.40 two-wave heat total to claim the win. As a result, Dujic has won an all-expenses-paid, three-day Woolworths Surf Camp at the Surfing Australia High-Performance Centre (HPC).
One Dane wave - photo by Max Zagorski / Surfing NSW
Current Under-14 Girls NSW Champion Amelie Lowrie (Shelly Beach) showed the same skills that allowed her to take out the NSW Title this year taking out the Under-14 Girls division. Lowrie fought a tight battle with Illawarra ripper Tyla Hurst (Port Kembla) but was able to get the edge in the final by a tiny 0.04 margin.
Kash Brown (Cronulla) continued to build on the momentum that made him one of the biggest standouts on day one, taking out the Under-12 Boys division. Brown managed to get the upperhand against perennial grom comp finalist Ocean Lancaster by less that half-a-point margin.
At only 11-years-old Ruby Trew (Seaforth) continued to show she was a star-on-the-rise taking out the Under-12 Girls divisionTrew dominated the final, posting a giant 14.83 two-wave heat total to take a convincing win against her fellow finalists.
Ruby in action - photo by Max Zagorski / Surfing NSW
All other results can be seen below.
The main base for event two of the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps Series was Dee Why with backup locations of Long Reef, Collaroy and Curl Curl.
Event one was held at North Cronulla Beach the previous weekend with some of the nation’s best young up-and-coming surfers going hell-for-leather.
Hughie Vaughan (Bateau Bay) added another Woolworths Surfer Groms Comp title to his already overflowing mantelpiece, taking out the Under-14 Boys final for the Cronulla hosted event one. The Central Coast natural-footer shone in the final, posting a decent 13.06 two-wave heat total to get the win ahead of perennial event standout Mateus Bersot (Maroubra) who finished in the runner-up position.
Sisters Zahlia Short (Austinmer) and Shyla Short made their presence felt in the Under-14 Girls division with both sisters taking the top two spots in the division. Zahlia put on an impeccable display of surfing over the course of the semis and finals, posting massive heat totals in excess of 17-points to get the edge over her younger sibling and get the victory.
Merewether duo Felix Byrnes and Ocean Lancaster ensured they did Novocastrian’s proud, taking the top two spots in the Under-12 Boys. Both surfers put on commanding performers to post respectable heat scores in the 11 and ten-point range to take first and second respectively.
As we go to press event three is taking place at Jones Beach, Kiama.
Regarded as one of the major stepping stones in the development of young Australian surfers, the 10-event Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps series caters for surfers from Under 8 to Under 14 and will be held in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia over summer.
As an added bonus, the respective winners of the Under 14 boys’ and girls’ divisions from each event will receive an invite to attend an all-expenses-paid, three-day Woolworths Surf Camp at the Surfing Australia High-Performance Centre (HPC). For the South Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian events, the Woolworths Surf Camp prize will be awarded to the highest place Under-14 Boy and Girl who reside in that respective State.
Adding to the high stakes at the Woolworths Surf Camps will be the Pic’s Peanut Butter Pathway Performers, which will be awarded to a surfer at each respective camp including a $1,000 prize.
Each entrant will also receive a Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps participant pack of an Oakley hat and a pair of socks.
The Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps Series has helped to launch the careers of many of Australia's most promising junior surfers with almost 800 children set to take part in the 2019/20 event series.
Speciality awards to be provided at each event include the Woolworths Fresh Wave (boy and girl) and the Pic’s Peanut Butter Star Performers (boy and girl).
For more information visit www.surfingaustralia.com
The Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps are proudly supported by Pic’s Peanut Butter, 2XP, Surfing Australia and the State Surfing Branches.
Northern Beaches - Event Two Results:
Under-14 Boys
1 – Dane Dujic (Avalon)
2 – Fletcher Kelleher (Manly)
3 – Baxter Hurt (Collaroy)
4 – Sol Gruendling (Queenscliff)
Under-14 Girls
1 – Amelie Lowrie (Shelly Beach)
2 – Tyla Hurst (Port Kembla)
3 – Ruby Trew (Seaforth)
4 – Jada Thomas (Barrack Point)
Under-12 Boys
1 – Kash Brown (Cronulla)
2 – Ocean Lancaster (Newcastle)
3 – Felix Byrnes (Newcastle)
4 – Sullivan Tucker (Freshwater)
Under-12 Girls
1 – Ruby Trew (Seaforth)
2 – Mia MacMahon (Norah Head)
3 – Isabel Higgs (Dee Why)
4 – Annalise Wong (Cromer)
Under-10 Boys
1 – Jax Goode (Engadine)
2 – Jett Blue (Thirroul)
3 – Mateus Leal (Dee Why)
4 – Finn Sternbeck (Noraville)
Under-10 Girls
1 – Olivia Shannon (Umina)
Under-8 Mixed
1 – Jay Whitfield (Maroubra)
2 – Henry Smith (Mona Vale)
3 – Tully Adams (Buderim, Qld)
4 – Grace Akers (Roseville)
2019/20 Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps:
EVENT 1 - Cronulla, NSW - Aug 31 - Sept 1, 2019
EVENT 2 - Northern Beaches, NSW - Sept 7-8, 2019
EVENT 3 - Kiama, NSW - Sept 14-15, 2019
EVENT 4 - Coffs Harbour, NSW - Oct 11-12, 2019
EVENT 5 - Fleurieu Peninsula, SA - Oct 26, 2019
EVENT 6 - Ocean Grove, VIC - Nov 16 - 17, 2019
EVENT 7 - Sunshine Coast, QLD - Dec 14 -15, 2019
EVENT 8 - Gold Coast, QLD - Jan 8 - 9, 2020
EVENT 9 -Trigg, WA - Jan 25 - 26, 2020
EVENT 10 - Clifton Beach, TAS - Feb 22, 2020
Report by Surfing NSW, Northern Beaches Event Two photos by Max Zagorski / Surfing NSW