Billabong Grom Series
in Association with Oceanbridge, Event One

Surfing New Zealand
Tay Street, Mount Maunganui.
21 - 22 January 2006

Buck Woods wins his first title

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 22 January, 2006 : - - Buck Woods (Gis) today (Sunday) notched up his first ever win in the Under 16 Boys Division of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge.  The ever confident Woods was on fire all weekend and this showed through in the final as he opened up with a 7.0 point ride.  From there Woods never looked back as he strengthened his lead to post a total heat score of 11.0. 

The surf remained 0.5m – 1.0m all day with light morning winds.  By finals time the sea breeze kicked in making it difficult to surf but that was no deterrent for the frothing groms.  Wood’s described the conditions as ‘custard’ but commented that he was confident of his performances all day and surfing in those conditions “I am pretty stoked right now.  I made sure I was getting the bigger, better waves all day because I knew that was what was required to win and the tactic paid off”. 

In second place in the Under 16 Boys was Keone Campbell (Tara).  Campbell posted huge scores all weekend but the waves eluded him in the 25 minute final.  Campbell will however be stoked to make another final after also placing in the top four at the National Champs held last week.  Local surfer Matt Hewitt placed third unable to find the longer waves where he could link up more than a couple of turns.  Hewitt has stormed onto the scene with this event being only his second at a national level and he is now catching the eye of every other competitor.  Taranaki’s Mathis Smith rounded out the four finalists and will be stoked to get a podium finish early on in the three event series.  The finish more than keeps him in the running for one of five air tickets to Australia and entry into Billabongs Occy Grom Comp.    

Number one seed Paige Hareb (Tara) dominated the Under 16 Girls final to rack up yet another win.  All four finalists found the going tough in the deteriorating conditions but it was Hareb’s combined heat total of 9.50 that saw her home.  Grace Spiers (WGM) placed second unable to complete the double after earlier winning the Under 14s.  India Wray Murane (Mur) placed third and Anna Hadfield (Mnt) placed fourth. 

The Under 14 Boys battled out the closest final of the day with all four surfers in with a chance to win up until the last minute.  Blake Myers (WGM) led for much of the heat before Landem Collier (Gis) came back with three minutes to go and took the lead and eventual win.  Myers caught the last wave of the final but fell on his last manoeuvre unable to score the 3.8 required for the win.  Collier finished with a total of 9.5 to Myers 9.3.  Tane Wallis could not repeat the dose in the Under 14s and had to settle for third ahead of Ben Poulter (Piha) who also struggled to find the better waves.  

Grace Spiers was too good for her opponents as she went on a rampage in the Under 14 Girls posting 13.75 to win the final.  Her best wave of 8.0 included several smooth top turns.  As a double finalist Spiers had to surf a total of four heats throughout the day but was surely powered up by the unlimited supply of e2 at the beach.  Alexis Poulter (Piha) opened strongly in her final but could not back up her first wave of 5.0 and had to settle for second ahead of Renee Pearson (Gis) in third and Georgia Cooper (Piha) in fourth. 

Contesting all three boys divisions this weekend, Tane Wallis (Piha) came up trumps in the Under 12 Boys and got himself off to the best possible start for the year.  Wallis scored 14.50 to easily win the final over double finalist Ben Poulter (Piha), Brad Pitcher (WGM) and local surfer Peri Matenga. 

The Under 12 Girls unearthed a whole new crop of talent at this event but it was Ella Williams (WGM) who has contested this age group for several years that came out the victor.  Ella Williams opened up with a score of 7.0 on her first wave and then went one better with a 7.25 for a total of 14.25.  First timer Rosie Majurey (Tara) surfed impressively to place second with some long rides while Gisborne’s Gabe Marriot finished in fourth and Crystal Hale (Kait) in fourth. 

Below are final results for the Billabong Grom Series Event One presented by Oceanbridge. 

U16 BOYS QUARTER FINALS 
Heat one; Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 3, Tim Thompson (Auck), 4
Heat two: Johnny Hicks (Gis), 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 2, Oliver Mason (Auck), 3, Adam Cranston (Gis), 4, 
Heat three; Karne Pitcher (WGM), 1, Mathis Smith (Tara), 2, Jay Paddock (Gis), 3, Braedon Williams (WGM), 4
Heat four; Buck Woods (Gis), 1, Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay), 2, Tyler Anderson (Tara), 3, Ryan Heath (WGM), 4

U16 BOYS SEMI FINALS
Heat one; Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 2, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 3, Tane Wallis (Piha), 4
Heat two; Mathis Smith (Tara), 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 2, Karne Pitcher (WGM), 3, Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay), 4 

U16 BOYS FINALS
Buck Woods (Gis), 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 2, Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 3, Mathis Smith (Tara), 4,

U14 BOYS QUARTER FINALS
Heat one; Blake Myers (WGM), 1, Mark Pathemore (Tara), 2, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 3, Cody Hale (Kait), 4 
Heat two; Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Land'em Collier (Gis), 2, Alex Dive (TGA), 3, Fraser Chatham (WGM), 4 
Heat three; Ben Poulter (Piha), 1, Karne Pitcher (WGM), 2, Brad Pitcher (WGM), 3, Kahu Craig Te Ranga (Waihi Bch), 4

U14 BOYS SEMI FINALS
Heat one; Blake Myers (WGM), 1, Land'em Collier (Gis), 2, Mark Pathemore (Tara), 3
Heat two; Ben Poulter (Piha), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Karne Pitcher (WGM), 3 

U14 BOYS FINALS
Land'em Collier (Gis), 1, Blake Myers (WGM), 2, Tane Wallis (Piha), 3, Ben Poulter (Piha), 4 

U12 BOYS SEMI FINALS
Heat one; Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Brad Pitcher (WGM), 2, Kahu Craig Te Ranga (Waihi Bch), 3, Damien Tafu (Piha), 4
Heat two; Ben Poulter (Piha), 1, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 2, Cory Asplin (Rag), 3, Samuel Poulter (Piha), 4

U12 BOYS FINALS
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Ben Poulter (Piha), 2, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 3, Brad Pitcher (WGM), 4

U16 GIRLS SEMI FINALS
Heat one; Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Grace Spiers (WGM), 2, Alexis Poulter (Piha), 3
Heat two; India Wray-Murane (Mur), 1, Anna Hadfield (Mnt), 2, Annie Stuart (Auck), 3 

U16 GIRLS FINALS
Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Grace Spiers (WGM), 2, India Wray-Murane (Mur), 3, Anna Hadfield (Mnt), 4 

U14 GIRLS SEMI FINALS
Heat one; Grace Spiers (WGM), 1, Georgia Cooper (Auck), 2, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 3 Ngarongo Phillips (ChCh), n/s
Heat two; Alexis Poulter (Piha), 1, Renee Pearson (Gis), 2, Ella Williams (WGM), 3, Casey Stevens (Oakura), 4 

U14 GIRLS FINALS
Grace Spiers (WGM), 1, Alexis Poulter (Piha), 2, Renee Pearson (Gis), 3, Georgia Cooper (Auck), 4 

U12 GIRLS SEMI FINALS
Heat one; Ella Williams (WGM), 1, Gabe Marriott (Gis), 2, Ella Spiers (WGM), 3
Heat two; Crystal Hale (Kait), 1, Rosie Majurey, 2, Abby Jordan (Mnt), 3 

U12 GIRLS FINALS
Ella Williams (WGM), 1, Rosie Majurey(Tara), 2, Gabe Marriott (Gis), 3, Crystal Hale (Kait), 4 

For further information on the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge, please contact Ben Kennings at Surfing New Zealand 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.  High resolution images of the action from the event are available from Surfing New Zealand free of charge.


Background Event Information
The Grom Series visits three of New Zealand’s most noted surf beaches being Mount Maunganui, Whangamata (4th – 5th Feb) and Piha on Auckland’s West Coast  (11th – 12th March).  Over the past several years, similar events have spawned what are now household surfing names in the form of 2005 Open and Junior Men’s National Champion Richard Christie (Mah), 2004 National Women’s Champion Airini Mason (Gis), and current Junior Men’s Champion Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag).  The Billabong Grom Series will again unearth New Zealand’s future stars in 2006 as the cream of the crop rise to the challenge.

The events also provide the first time opportunity for many youngsters to surf competitively.  Along with this experience, each competitor gets to meet other surfers from around New Zealand making friendships and becoming familiar with what it takes to make it to the top of their sport.  In 2006 Oceanbridge are the presenting sponsors and the event is held in association with e2, Clearasil and UV Triple Guard.  Each event will feature a stack of giveaways from these sponsors as well as games for the competitors and spectators.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Billabong Grom Series Event near you:

Billabong Grom Series Event One – January 21st/22nd Mount Maunganui
Billabong Grom Series Event Two – February 4th/5th Whangamata
Billabong Grom Series Event Three – March 11th/12th Piha Beach Auckland

*The Billabong Occy Grom Comp does not have an Under 12 Girls Division and therefore no air ticket or entry will be awarded for that division. The Billabong Grom Series is brought to you by Billabong, Oceanbridge, e2, Clearasil, UV Triple Guard, The Edge, Von Vipper and Kustom. The event would not be possible without the assistance of Bay Boardriders and Surfing New Zealand.

www.billabong.com

Related:
Hot sunshine for first day of Billabong NZ Grom Series 

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Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

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