Rip Curl GromSearch

Cimaja, West Java Indonesia
11 February 2007

2007 Rip Curl GromSearch Opens in West Java

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 16 February, 2007 : - - Slogging through a torrential downpour and the flooded roads of Jakarta, the GromSearch team bravely forged its way through natures worst to at last be greeted by the clear and sunny skies and sunny cobblestone pointbreak of Cimaja in West Java, the scene of the first GromSearch contest of the 2007 season.

On Saturday night before the contest the groms were all invited to the Cek Ombak Hotel to watch the new Wet Dream DVD and meet Rip Curl team riders Pepen Hendrik, One Anwar, and Dedi Gun. The groms each got a free poster and the chance to get it signed by one of their favorite Rip Curl team riders they also received a free MOTHERS MILK Block of Wax to help them prepare for the next morning session .

Some of them had come from as far away as Pangandaran just to enter the contest, a trip of some 8-10 hours, so they were stoked and ready to surf. A check of the waves in the early morning led to a decision to split the contest between two locations, Cimaja for the 16 Under division and Sunset Beach for the 14 Under, as the beachbreaks of Sunset were a better and safer venue for the younger groms as opposed to the rocky and more challenging Cimaja break.

The first heat of the 16 Under division got under way at 7:30 am with glassy 3 foot sets on a rising tide, giving the boys something solid to work with. The wind started up about 11:00 am and the tide got a bit high, but there was still enough push to generate good contestable waves for all the heats.

After a break for lunch and then an Expression Session, the Final went off at 12:30, with One Anwar, Putra Hermawan, BomBom, and Hugo in a battle for first place. It was a close race, too close to call for most of the heat, but Hugo’s deep commitment to his vertical maneuvers put him out front and got him the win.

At Sunset Beach, the 2 foot glassy morning beachbreak turned out to be just the thing for the 14 Under groms. The wind came turned things a bit sloppy later in the day but the boys were still threading their way through the sections with nice floaters and little snaps to rack up points, local knowledge seeming to be the key for success, for as the day progressed pint-sized Sunset local Andre was seen working his way into the Final and then on to victory over his much bigger and taller competitors.

After the Finals in both locations were finished everyone gathered at Sunset Beach for some fun beach games and their chance at some free Rip Curl goodies. Games like gunnysack races and a trash collecting competition gave the non-surfing groms a chance to also come home with some cool Rip Curl stuff.

Then it was time for the awards presentation so the boys were called up to put on their rash shirts and line up for the results & to receive the Accessories from CREATURES of LEISURE. Stoked and nervous they waited while MC Dedi Gun worked up the audience for the moment of truth.

Results

14 Under:
1 Andre (Cimaja/Sunset)
2. Dwi Nuka (Cimaja/Sunset)
3. Rian Tiarno (Cimaja/Sunset)
4. Isaac (Pangandaran)

16 Under:
1 Hugo (France)
2 Putra Hermawan (Lembongan)
3 One Anwar (Sumbawa)
4 BomBom (Cimaja/Sunset)

Oh, and lets not forget the winner of the Expression Session, Rian Hidayat and Ruslandi Macan who each scored a set of X-fins in the best trick competition. All the Finalists received trophies and goody bags from Rip Curl & CREATURES OF LEISURE, as well as the first place winner in the 16 Under division received two free plane tickets to Bali, thanks to SUrF TRaVeL ONLiNe & MERPATI AIRLINES.

There he and the friend of his choice will join the Rip Curl one week training camp and the National Final of the GromSearch Series at Keramas in October. Special thanks to Merpati Airlines , SUrF TRaVeL ONLiNe and Harris Resort Kuta - Bali for making this possible.

A big thanks also to Mumu and his crew at the Surf Culture Club at Sunset Beach and to all the locals who helped out at the event. Rip Curl is stoked to be taking their Search for the Worlds Best Grom to places like Cimaja in Indonesia, and don’t forget that the next stop on the Search is on the 25th of March at Lakey Peak in Sumbawa.

The Rip Curl GromSearch is supported by Harris Resort Kuta-Bali, Merpati Airlines, Surftech, Creatures of Leisure, Mother’s Milk Wax, X-Fins, Aman Gati Hotel, Bali Environmental Foundation GUS, Surf Time Magazine, Trax Magazine and SUrF TRaVeL ONLiNe.

The winner of the 2007 GromSearch Series Under 16 division will go to the world final in Bells Beach Australia while the winner of the Under 14 gets a brand new SurfTech Epoxy board.  The Rip Curl GromSearch series officially sanctioned by the Indonesian Surfing Championship Series (ISC) and all the points collected in the comps will also count towards the National ISC Junior Series Championship.

Rip Curl is forever Searching for the best way to look after the most important surfers in the world... the grommets. That's why the Rip Curl GromSearch is now a global series of Junior surfing events that allows grommets from all over the planet to get down to their local beach and have a go.

The GromSearch series is all about giving male and female surfers the chance to surf with their friends in a fun environment. At the same time it gives grommets great competitive experience and allows selected winners to go on a trip to the Rip Curl Pro WCT event at Bells Beach Australia in April.

www.ripcurl.com

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