Rip Curl GromSearch

Surfing Australia
Duranbah Beach, Qld
15 - 19 December 2008

Rip Curl GromSearch gets mobile and heads to the Seaway Spit

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 December, 2008 : - - Gold Coast -- Australia’s best young 16 year old and under surfers went from yesterdays southern tip of the Gold Coast venue at Duranbah to the very northern tip today to compete at the Seaway Spit as the 14 Boys division took to the waters for the  Rip Curl GromSearch presented by SNICKERS.

Light northerly offshore winds and perfectly shaped very small waves made for exiting surfing throughout rounds 1 and 2 of the Boys 14. For Coolangatta 13 year old super grommet Mitch Parkinson, surfing the tiny waves took some serious adjustment having flown in from Hawaii just last night where he’s been surfing for the past month with his famous cousin Joel.

“Today is way smaller than anything I’ve surfed over the past month and the waves feel really weak right now, still I won my heat and I surf these types of waves heaps so I feel fine – it’s just very different!”  Parkinson experienced the biggest waves of his life in Hawaii and described the month as scary and exhilarating.

“I was out at Pipeline when waves were coming through at maybe 10 feet plus and I reckon I maybe caught some 6 feet plus waves” said Mitch who, like any surfer returning from Hawaii had to seriously think about how to best categorize the wave heights he’d experienced.

Number one seed and current ratings leader on the Rip Curl GromSearch 14 Boys Series Harrison Mann (Torquay) was another surfer to show his adaptive skills in today’s small conditions.  Just over a week ago Mann was excelling in 10 feet waves at Margaret River in WA for the Australian Junior Titles and today he managed to find his small wave form to score a late round two heat win.

“It’s the absolute opposite to last week’s big waves in WA” said Mann after his win.  “ I have small wave specialty boards here for this event so I’m prepared and I feel confident but really I’d much prefer it if the swell happened to increase a lot”

That swell increase is very unlikely but the entire field here has shown off their excellent small wave surfing skills. The events highest scoring wave to date was posted by Cronulla surfer Zac Scott who notched up a spectacular 9.57 on a ave he thought was more in the good range

“ I couldn’t believe the score I got for that one. I was thinking 6, maybe 6.5 and then I heard a 9.57 and I was stoked – That’s the best score I’ve ever received – Maybe the judges like me here and I can go on and win!”

Sunshine Coast representatives in the 14 Boys were also in good form today with Mudjimba’s Ziggy Alberts posting an easy win along with Coolum surfer Kelly Norris and Kai Hing (Wurtulla) who both also progressed impressively.

One of the most innovative and skillful performance of the day was put on by Cronulla 13 year old Chris Robertson who easily won through his first two heats displaying a variety of powerful on face moves along with some excellent aerial moves. Robertson looks a definite that here and after his round two heat win said “

I feel I can win here, I won a Rip Curl GromSearch 12 Boys event last year and I don’t mind being one of the youngest in the 14 Boys – I’m getting better at aerials and I’ll use them when I can to score big!”

With northerly winds moving onto the Gold Coast along with searing hot days organizers are again looking to run tomorrows event on the northern beaches of the Gold Coast and a call will be made early tomorrow morning – Event hotline number is 30306388

The event runs right through to Friday and very good waves are expected from tomorrow onwards. The Rip Curl GromSearch series is proudly presented by SNICKERS in association with Waves Magazine, Fuel TV, Surfing Australia and Surfing NSW.

2008/2009 RIP CURL GROMSEARCH SERIES DATES
Vic Jan Juc Sept 23-26, 2008
NSW Coffs Harbour Oct 3-6, 2008
WA Mandurah Oct 11-12, 2008
Tas Clifton Oct 25-26, 2008
SA Middleton Nov 22-23, 2008
Qld Gold Coast Dec 15-19, 2008
NSW Cronulla Jan 17-20, 2009

National Final Bells April 6, 2009
International Final Bells April 9-14, 2009

www.ripcurl.com
www.surfingaustralia.com

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Steve Robertson
Surfing Australia
stever@surfingaustralia.com 

Marine Cole
Rip Curl
mcole@ripcurl.com.au

Groms - Surfersvillage