Rip Curl GromSearch

Surfing South Africa
Cape Town South Africa
27 - 28 June 2009

February, Scott win main titles at the Rip Curl GromSearch in Cape Town

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 30 June, 2009 : - - Michael February (Kommetjie) and Sabrina Scott (Glencairn) claimed the U16 Boys and U16 Girls titles respectively at the 2009 Rip Curl GromSearch, held in perfect 3-4 foot waves and offshore winds at Long Beach, Kommetjie on Saturday and Sunday (June 27 & 28).

The Under 16 Boys Final featured all four members of the South African Junior team that competed in the ISA World Junior championships in Ecuador earlier this year and lived up to its billing as the premier division of the contest.

Fittingly, the result of the U16 Boys final was in the balance going into the final seconds of the heat but in the end  it was a determined Mikey February who claimed victory over fellow Kommetjie surfer Davey Brand with the last wave of the event.

Robin de Kock, General Manager  of Surfing South Africa said that “the conditions were perfect for all of the surfers”. Luckily, the storms that had been smashing the Cape the previous week had disappeared and with the swell dropping to a contestable 3 - 4 feet combined with  light offshores de Kock said that “we saw some really high heat scores throughout the event”.
 
The Rip Curl GromSearch is an national event, with the winner of the Boys Under 16 division winning an all-expenses paid trip to the Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival at Bells Beach next April. February, the South African representative, will be competing in the Rip Curl GromSearch International Finals against the best young surfers from countries such as Argentina, Australia, France, the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, and New Zealand.

In the U16 Girls final Sabrina Scott posted her best ever victory since winning the SSA Academy Cup a few years ago beating Cara Mac Donald another up and coming young surfer from East London.
 
Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh) won the Under 14 Boys division, Shane Sykes (Salt Rock) took the Under 12 Boys title, and Kenilworth’s Nina Woermann won the Under 14 Girls division. One of the youngest surfers in the contest was nine-year-old Adin Masencamp of Strand, who went on to claim 4th spot in the Under 12 Boys division while the youngest of all the competitors was seven year old Jessie Van Niekerk of Kommetjie who took her place in the U16 Girls heats.
 
The contestable waves were not the only obstacle the competitors had to deal with, as the icy Cape waters really tested the determination of the young surfers. Shane Sykes, who won the Under 12 Boys division, was one of the few Natalians to succeed in an event dominated by Western Cape surfers. Slade Prestwich was another KZN surfer to buck the odds as he again proved that he is major junior talent, backing up his Under 14 Boys title with a 3rd place in the premier Under 16 Boys division.
 
Rip Curl’s Marketing Manager Alana Beales said that they “were really happy with how the event unfolded'' adding that “the mobile venue meant that we were able to find the right kind of conditions which resulted in some really competitive surfing”.

The 2009 Rip Curl Gromsearch is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa, the organisation recognised by SASCOC, Sport and Recreation SA and the International Surfing Association as the governing body for surfing in South Africa.

Results:
 
Under 16 Boys 

   1  Michael February ( Kommetjie)
   2. Davey Brand (Kommetjie)
   3. Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh)
   4. Dane Staples (St Francis)

Under 14 Boys

   1. Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh)
   2. Max Armstrong (Scarborough)
   3. Daniel Buitendag (George)
   4. Jordy Maree (Kalk Bay)

Under 12 Boys

   1. Shane Sykes (Durban)
   2. Donovan Wichman (Marina da Gama)
   3. Steffen Burrows (Stellenbosch)
   4. Adin Masencamp (Strand)

Under 16 Girls

   1. Sabrina Scott (Glencairn)
   2. Cara Macdonald (East London)
   3. Emma Smith (Jeffreys Bay)
   4. Alex Morris (St James)

Under 14 Girls

   1. Nina Woerman (Kenilworth)
   2. Inge McLaren (East London)
   3. Tahra Uren (Jeffreys Bay)
   4. Gina Smith (Jeffreys Bay)

www.ripcurl.com
www.ripcurl.com/gromsearch

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Olivia Jones

Groms - Surfersvillage

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