Tim McDonald : photo Steve Robertson

Rip Curl GromSearch
Presented by Snickers

Surfing Australia
Gold Coast Australia
17 - 21 December 2007

Ellie Jean Coffey takes out 16 and 14 Girls final while Stradbroke Island’s Tim MacDonald wins 16 Boy’s.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 December, 2007 : - - Nth Stradbroke Island surfers have plenty to celebrate following their favoutite son Bede Durbridge’s win at Pipeline last week and today at Duranbah Beach young Pt Lookout surfer Tim MacDonald added to the celebrations by taking a great win in the nationally rated Rip Curl GromSearch 16 and under premiere Boys division. 

In an exciting final local Coolangatta surfer Jack Freestone held the lead and looked in control for most of the final after opening with an excellent 8 point ride. While Freestone tried to find a second strong scoring ride for the rest of the final McDonald left his winning run until the final 10 minutes when he posted a strong 7.4 and then in the final minute the finals top scoring ride of 8.5 to run out a convincing winner. 

“I can’t believe I’ve won “ said an excited McDonald after his win – “ I came to compete and have fun and never really expected to win but I kept getting through all my heats and then when I made the final I sort of figured anyone could win and I ended up winning – It’s my best win ever!”  

Crescent Head surfer Ellie – Jean Coffey was a surprise but well deserved  winner in the 16 girls defeating world number 2 junior Laura Enever (Narrabeen). Coffey’s second ride in the final proved decisive when she scored an excellent 8.67 then backed it up with a good 5.1 and left Enever chasing a solid score for the entire final. 

“I’m so happy to win here!” said Coffey after the final. “ Laura is an amazing surfer and has been ripping all week and I never thought I had a chance of beating her  – That  8.67 ride was the best wave in the final and after I caught that I sort of figured I was a chance but I was also expecting Laura to score some massive waves as well – luckily for me she didn’t and I’ve won! – I’ll get to surf the national final at Bells next year which will be fantastic!”  

Thirteen year old Ellie Jean surfed in both the 16 and 14 and under divisions and she won both!

Both MacDonald and Coffey have now qualified for the national final next April at Bells Beach and if they can win at that event they then go into the Rip Curl GromSearch International final which runs at Bells during the ASP World Championship Tour Easter event at Bells Beach.  

In the 14 and under Boy’s , a super high scoring final saw Port Macquarie surfer Matt Banting take a narrow win over Newcastle’s Jake Sylvester with Crescent Head surfer Jackson O’Donnell in 3rd – all three scoring outstanding 9 point plus rides in the final! 

Banting edged out Sylvester on 17.10 to 16.27 with O’Donnell in 3rd on 14.77 

Twelve and under boys also ripped in the great Duranbah waves and a very close final saw local surfer Will Morrison (Coolangatta) take the win over Soli Bailey (Byron Bay) while in the 12 and under Girls Kirsten Ogden (Crescent Heads)  took a massive win over Beth Palmer in 2nd with Charlie Roach 3rd. 

The win by Kirten gave Crescent Heads victory in all the girls divisions with Ellie Jean winning both the 16’s and 14’s! 

What an event blessed with fantastic waves from start to finish! 

SNICKERS wave of the day on the final day went to Jackson O’Donnell – also Crescent Heads for his 9.7 ride in the Boys 14 final. 

This is Australia’s premier series for 16 year and under surfers, both boys and girls, with events running right around the nation and culminating in a national final with winners qualifying for the international GromSearch final.  

In the true spirit of Rip Curl this series searches for and finds the hottest young grommets world wide!

The number of exciting young Australian surfers is forever growing in surfing’s greatest nurturing ground across Australia’s surf rich coastlines and this seasons GromSearch promises to expose all the best youngsters who will surf hard and have fun at every event.

2007/08 Rip Curl GromSearch presented by Snickers Series Dates

Jan Juc, Vic: 25th – 28th Sept 2007
Newcastle, NSW: 6th – 9th Oct 2007
Trigg Point, WA: 13th – 14th Oct 2007
Clifton, Tas: 27th Oct 2007
Seaford, SA: 24th – 25th Nov 2007
DBah, Qld: 17th - 21st Dec 2007
Sydney (TBC - Cronulla), NSW 19th – 22nd Jan 2007

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Steven Robertson

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