Top grom gets high-performance treatment

Max Mcguigan © Surfing Australia

Grom Updates

WAHU winner Max McGuigan prepares to hit Hurley Surfing Australia HPC

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 November, 2012 : - - The finals of the Wahu Surfer Groms Comp on Sydney’s Northern Beaches wrapped up in fun little rip-bowls at Dee Why yesterday. In the under-13 boys, Chifley surfer Max Mcguigan surfed well beyond his years throwing down an array of powerful rail turns.

For his efforts Max received an invite to attend an all-expenses paid, three-day Wahu Surf Camp at the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre on March 8-10, 2013. Max will also join all the under-13 winners from the various Wahu Surfer Groms Comps that are held around the country, including Northern Beaches under-13 girls winner Kiara Meredith. Surfing NSW caught up with Max straight after winning yesterday for a quick word.

You’re pretty happy right now I imagine…
Yeah, pretty stoked. It was a good event.

When you entered the comp, did you ever imagine you’d end up here?
I was hoping to end up here, so I’m happy I did it.

What was the toughest heat you had?
Probably the semi-final. I had a bunch of really good surfers in it, so I was happy to make it through that one.

One backhand turn you did on the Saturday of the event got the whole crowd roaring. How does it feel to pull that sort of turn and get the crowd behind you?
I just tried what I could. I threw everything at it and hoped I would nail it. It felt unreal to pull it off.

What do you like most about Wahu events?
Probably the games they have on the beach. The way the whole event is run is unreal too.

Are you going in any more?
Yeah, I’ll go in the one at Cronulla. I’m not sure about any others.

You just won a trip to The Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC) at Casurina. How happy are you about that?
I’m stoked to be going up there again. It’s awesome up there. The food is good and you get a lot of good surf.

Have you been there before?
Yeah, once. It’s massive. It’s pretty cool to see.

Who would you like thank for your win?
My sponsors O’Neill, FU wax, Rex Marechal shapes and my coach Paul Moffatt… oh and my Dad for bringing me up to Dee Why to surf in the event.

Wahu Surfer Groms Comps is the only national competition series to fully cater for the ‘micro groms' in under-7 through to under-15. The series has been confirmed for eight events across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Each entrant received a Wahu Surfer Groms Comps t-shirt for entering, plus a Wahu beach product.

Divisions for Wahu Surfer Groms Comps include: U/15 Boys and U/15 Girls, U/13 Boys and U/13 Girls, U/11 Boys and U/11 Girls, U/9 Boys and U/9 Girls (Parent assist) and U/7 Boys and Girls mixed division (Parent assist).

Wahu Surfer Groms Comps National Event Dates & Locations:
Event 1 - October 20-21, 2012 - Coffs Harbour, NSW
Event 2 - November 3-4, 2012 - Northern Beaches, NSW
Event 3 - November 10-11, 2012 - Ocean Grove, VIC
Event 4 - November 24-25, 2012 - Trigg Point, WA
Event 5 - December 8-9, 2012 - Gold Coast, QLD
Event 6 - December 15-16, 2012 - Cronulla, NSW
Event 7 - January 8-9, 2012 - Sunshine Coast, QLD
Event 8 - February 2-3, 2011 - Wollongong, NSW