Rip Curl GromSearch presented by SNICKERS®

Maroubra Beach Sydney Australia
13 - 16 January 2007

Young Auzzie girls show the future of female surfing is in safe hands at the Rip Curl GromSearch on Sydney’s Maroubra Beach.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 January, 2007 : - -  Everyone knows there’s no shortage of young surfers on Australian beaches and today the younger brigade of female surfers showed the future of female surfing is in safe hands. Sydney sider and 5th placed surfer on the Women’s World Championship Tour Jessi Miley-Dyer was on hand to commentate the action and give some tips to the youngest divisions of the event. 

The girls took centre stage and put on a great display in the small, clean conditions. In particular it was the efforts of 11 year old Ellie-Jean Coffey (Curl Curl) winning both her under 12 and under 16 division round one heats. Not only did she win both heats but claimed the best individual wave score of the day with an 8.33 out of a possible ten.  

“I am so stoked with my results so far and I hope I can surf my way into the final of both divisions! I am going to have to surf really well in my next under 16 girls heat but I am confident of doing well in the under 12 division. I still have to be wary of Sydney siders Lauren McAleer (Curl Curl), Remy Randall (Warriewood) and Tayla Ayshford (Matraville) as they are great surfers and I have to surf against them in the final. I can’t wait to get back in the water and have a surf in front of Jessi, she signed my arm and everything!”   

Coffey’s main rivals in the 16 and under girls is likely to be Northern Beaches surfer and number one seed of the event Laura Enever (Narrabeen, NSW) who had a convincing win in her first heat and is looking in great form to win through to a semi final tomorrow. Paige Haggerston (Coal Point), Raine Jackson (Palm Beach) and Phillipa Anderson (Merewether) also posted very convincing round one heat wins.

Queensland sisters from the talent rich Gold Coast region Brodie and Amiya Doyle (Coolangatta) both stood out in their 14 and under Girls and will meet again in the semi final. Other standout surfering came from Chloe Ashton (Crescent Heads), Georgette Nolan (Avalon Beach), Phoebe Miley-Dyer (Clovelly) and Hayley Murray (Culburra Beach) who all scored well and progress to the Semi Final.

The much anticipated Snickers Expression Session saw 28 entries battle it out for the prizes and a possible trip for two to the Rip Curl Pro professional WCT surfing festival in Easter. Taking the limelight in the middle of the day the expression session is a great chance for competitors to bust out their biggest moves without being under the constraints of competition surfing.

Jessi Miley-Dyer and Mick O’Rafferty picked out Steve Ahrens (Curl Curl) as the most impressive surfer of the expression for an amazing air reverse which won him the trip to Bell’s Beach! Organizers are predicting an increase in swell to provide good waves for the finals day of GromSearch tomorrow at Maroubra Beach.

The 16 and under Boy and Girl winners of the event will go onto the National GromSearch Final at Bells Beach next Autumn  and from there, winners go to the International GromSearch Final which runs as a specialty event  at Bells Beach during the World Championship event at Easter!

Today’s SNICKERS® wave of the day award went to Steve Ahrens for an impressive win in the Expression Session !

Previous reports:
# 1 : Rip Curl GromSearch Maroubra gets visit from Ben Dunn
# 2 : Seeded surfers sizzle at Rip Curl GromSearch Maroubra
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Steve Robertson

Groms - Surfersvillage