Rip Curl GromSearch presented by NINTENDO

STOP 7:
Maroubra, NSW
27 - 30 January 2005

Heats & Results

Youngsters Battle Treacherous Seas on final day!

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 30 January 2005: - - The final day of the Rip Curl GromSearch Sydney division saw many of Australia's best young surfers forced to call on all their ocean skills with a very solid and wild 2.5m swell hitting the northern end of Maroubra beach today.

Newcastle surfers scooped two victories across the divisions today, with wins in both boys 16 and under and 12 and under divisions - Talented Swansea surfer Duncan McNicol won a tight boys final. He set the win up early in the final by posting a strong 7.83 opening ride. McNicol then lost the lead to South Coast surfer Brett Burcher who found two reasonable 5 point point rides while McNicol was battling a lot of close out sets and dumping waves that offered no more than 1 point rides - Finally , with four minutes remaining McNicol found a strong second scoring ride and took the win!

Clearly tired from a challenging final McNicol said - "Tough conditions out there, we hardly ever get to surf waves that big and wild. I couldn't hear a thing out there and only knew I'd won when mum came running down the beach at the end! -- It's been an incredible event with big waves throughout and to win is a dream - I'll be off to Bells shortly for the national final and maybe get the chance to surf during the Rip Curl Pro World Championship Tour event at Easter in an international final - I'm looking forward to surfing against all the best under 16's from Australia and the world!"

Second placed Brett Burcher (Mollymook) had been one of the event standouts all week posting two outstanding nine point rides during the early rounds and fellow South Coast NSW surfer Owen Wright (Culburra), despite finishing fourth in todays final, again showed amazing flashes of brilliance throughout this event. -

Wright surfed a very tricky final, waiting patiently for the very biggest waves, taking some massive drops and appearing to set himself up for some excellent scores but just coming unstuck twice when performing critical first moves. Earlier in the day during his semi final Wright posted a number of excellent 8 point plus rides and always looked the surfer most likely, but in todays final, Wright stuck solid to his all out powered and critical approach, but it just didn't quite happen for him and he was clearly disappointed with his fourth place.

However, success for the Wright family came through young Tyler Wright winning the 12 and under girls while older sister Kirby Wright finished a solid 3rd position in the 14 and under girls!

Newcastles other winner today was young 11 year old Jake Sylvester from Barr Beach -- Sylvester was a reserve entrant for this super popular event and only got a start when one competitor failed to turn up -- Obviously happy to win he said - I love big waves, really challenging but great when you get them - I was nervous before the final but I feel great now!"

Other winners today included Pottsville Northern NSW surfer Brittany Nichol in the 16 and under Girls, Northern Beaches (Collaroy) surfer Hiedi Hamester in the 14 and under Girls, and New Zealand sensation Ryan Hawker who posted a huge win in the 14 and under Boys .

Hawker hails from Piha Beach near Aukland, not only won the 14 and under division, he also took the Nintendo Game Cube award for highest scoring ride of the event so far, a 9.33, which he posted on the first day!

Hawker was clearly stoked with his win and said - " I've never made a final here in Australia so the pressure was sort of off me knowing I wasn't expected to win - The first wave set up the win for me - just 5 seconds into the final,, I was paddling for it, hoping to hear the start siren and when I did I jumped up and it was a great wave - that was a bit of luck my way for sure! - (Hawker scored an excellent 8.33 on that ride to set up the victory!)

The beach was officially closed for swimming early in the day, organizers juggled the semi finals to allow the young 12 and under and Girls divisions to utilize the higher tide and slightly less hazardous conditions.

Ranwick City Lifeguards and Surfing NSW personal monitored the surf all day to ensure a safe event with a jet ski patrolling the zone all day!

The the Nintendo Game Cube for highest scoring wave of the event presently sits with New Zealand's Ryan Hawker 's 9.33 and the Telstra Power Surfer award ($100 Pre Paid Mobile Card), for the most outstanding move of the event now has moved to Justin Cummings for his vertical lip snap today .

Rip Curl GromSearch is proudly presented by Nintendo, with associate partners Telstra and Waves magazine.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Capacity numbers for final Rip Curl Gromsearch in Sydney
# 2 : Sydney's young surfers take on solid waves at Maroubra
# 3 : Young Girls charge the set waves at Maroubra Gromsearch
# 4 : Fantastic surf as Australia's best groms post big scores

www.ripcurl.com

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Dane Sharp
Rip Curl
dsharp@ripcurl.com.au
www.ripcurl.com

Groms :: Surfersvillage

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