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Rip Curl Gromsearch - Tasmania -
Interstate Surfers Invade Tasmania
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 22 January, 2006 : - - Such is the prestige and enthusiasm of many young Australian surfers, they'll follow the Rip Curl GromSearch throughout Australia aiming to win one of the 7 event series and thereby qualify for the National final at Bells Beach during April. For Central Coast NSW surfer Sam Patterson, his decision to head to Tasmania and compete paid dividends as he went on to win the 16 and under boys division.
Patterson has been a regular on the GromSearch series for a few years, consistently making finals and semi finals but today was his biggest win and puts him into an elite group of Australian's who will surf off in the national final at Bells Beach on April 9 - First and second from that national final then go on to represent Australia at the International final which runs as a specialty event during the annual Rip Curl Pro World Championship Tour event at Bells Beach during Easter this year!
While Patterson took the boys division, better news for Tasmanian's in the girls with Sophie Bourke taking a well deserved win - Sophie will head to Victoria for the national final for the girls division!
The event ran at the beach known as RSL's at South Arm in reasonable 1m surf. Queensland surfer Mitch Duggan took out the 14 and under boys, while Tasmanian's Grace Hortle (Girls 14 and under) ,Hamish Renwick (12 and under boys and Iona Renwick (12 and under Girls) ALL POSTED GREAT WINS IN THEIR DIVISIONS!
Tasmania's Best Young Surfers Heading To Clifton Beach
Friday, 20 January 2006 Tasmania's Clifton Beach will play host to the final event of this season’s seven-event Australian Rip Curl GromSearch Series on Saturday January 21st . GromSearch has been a growing phenomenon in Australia and around the world for the past five years, and Tasmania's best young male and female junior surfers will compete for the 2005/06 Australian Series on the weekend.
All Rip Curl GromSearch events are open to male and female surfers under the age of 17 [termed by surfers as the “grommet” age group]
“Rip Curl is stoked to present a series that allows young surfers around the country to get to the beach on their holidays, with their friends, and have fun whilst competing,” says Rip Curl Event Manager Mark Flanagan. “GromSearch keeps getting bigger and better, and with former national champs like Steph Gilmore and Matty Wilkinson, it’s clear that we’re giving the best juniors in the country the ideal stepping stones for a pro career.”
GromSearch events crown male and female champions across multiple age divisions, but for the surfers competing in the 16 & Under Division, the rewards are even more prestigious. The 16 & Under champions from each of the seven events earn an invitation to the Australian Rip Curl GromSearch National Final, being held on the eve of next year’s Rip Curl Pro World Championship Tournament at Bells Beach in Victoria.
The male and female surfers that win the Australian GromSearch Final will then have the opportunity to represent their country at the International GromSearch Final a few days later.
“It’s an awesome opportunity to surf Bells when all of the pro’s are there and represent Australia against other surfers your age from around the world,” said 2003/4 Australian GromSearch Champion Matt Wilkinson. “Bells is awesome and there are a lot of people watching because the WCT is on.”
"The Australian Final and International Final has helped grow GromSearch in a great way during the past few years," agreed former GromSearch winner and world junior champion Steph Gilmore. "It's really important for junior surfing in Australia, for both girls and guys, to have good events like this."
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