Beach games, BBQs and high-quality surfing set the stage for the finals day of the Wahu Surfer Groms Comps at the Southport Spit on Sunday.
Over 100 frothing groms flocked to the northern Gold Coast beach in hope of winning one of the most exciting national junior surfing series events.
Demonstrating skills well beyond their years was the Under 8 Mixed division. With double overhead sets rolling through for these young micro groms, spectators lined the wall at the Spit to grasp a taste of the heated micro grom action. Concluding the final it was Scott Arderne (Elanora, QLD) who emerged victorious over Joel Emery (Wooloweyah, NSW), Kodi Dellit (Coolum Beach, QLD) and Jordy Halford (Pottsville, NSW) respectively.
Local knowledge helped Josh Grange (Burleigh Heads, QLD) create the needed scores late in his final to secured victory in the Under 12 Boys division. Grange scored a late single wave score of 8.17 (out of possible 10 points) to clench victory and take home bragging rights for the Gold Coast event.
‘I found the Sunshine Coast Wahu event difficult as I had never had the chance to surf that wave before. However, I managed to finish with a second place’, said Grange.
‘This Gold Coast event suited because I prefer left hand breaking waves which is what was available today. The Wahu Surfer Groms Comps is a really fun event with everyone here surfing really well,.’
In the business end of her Wahu Surfer Groms Comps campaign, Pacha Luque-Light (Tugan, QLD) had a stellar performance in the blue ribbon Under 14 Girls division. Luque-Lights performance proved too hard a task to match with Anna Toohey (Dicky’s Beach, QLD), Mahlia Carr (Lennox Head, NSW) and Shaye Leewendal (Currumbin, QLD) finishing respectively.
Redeeming himself after a disappointing Sunshine Coast round was Jaggar Bartholomew who failed to final in the December event. However, Bartholomew’s strategy was evident scoring one of his best waves in the opening minutes leaving his rivals behind.
As winners of the Under 14 Boys and Girls division, both Pacha and Jaggar have scored themselves an all-expenses paid, three-day Wahu Surf Camp at the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre.
Regarded as one of the major stepping stones in the development of young Australian surfers, the 10-event Wahu Surfer Groms Comps caters for surfers from Under 8 to Under 14 and will be held in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. The Under 8 will be a mixed division with parent assists, while competition will be held in both boys and girls in the Under 10, Under 12 and Under 14 divisions.
As an added bonus, the respective winners of the Under 14 boys’ and girls’ divisions from each event will receive an invite to attend an all-expenses paid, three-day Wahu Surf Camp at the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre.
It just isn’t all about the action in the water at the Wahu Surfer Groms Comps with plenty of beach games to keep everyone entertained, while each entrant will also receive a Wahu Surfer Groms Comps t-shirt plus a Wahu beach product.
A qualified chef will also be firing up the Everdure barbie making sure the hordes of grommets and staff don’t go hungry with the Everdure Sausage Sizzle feeding the crew on both days of competition at all 10 events.
The Wahu Surfer Groms Comps are proudly supported by Everdure Barbeques, Surfing Australia and Surfing Queensland.
Results:
Under 8 Mixed Division:
1st- Scott Arderne (Elanora, QLD)
2nd- Joel Emery (Wooloweyah, NSW)
3rd- Kodi Dellit (Coolum Beach, QLD)
4th-Jordy Halford (Pottsville, NSW)
Under 10 Girls:
1st- Cali Barrett (Banora Point, NSW)
2nd- Lilliana Bowrey (Nossaville, QLD)
3rd- Mila Jansen (Tallebudgera valle, QLD)
4th- Allana Glowaski (Burleigh Waters, QLD)
Under 10 Boys:
1st- Rasmus King (Byron Bay, QLD)
2nd- Harry O’Brien (Skennars Head, NSW)
3rd- Landen Smales (Peregian beach, QLD)
4th- Willis Droomer (Jan Juc, VIC)
Under 12 Girls:
1st- Nyxie Ryan (Lennox Head, NSW)
2nd- Raya Campbell (Coolangatta, QLD)
3rd- Lucy Tandler (Coolangatta, QLD)
4th-Lilly Osullivan (Currumbin Waters, QLD)
Under 12 Boys:
1st- Josh Grange (Burleigh Heads, QLD)
2nd- Jack Obrian (Skennars Head, NSW)
3rd- Cameron Macdougall (Little Mountain, QLD)
4th- Hunter Weston (Lennox Head, NSW)
Under 14 Girls:
1st- Pacha Luque-Light (Tugan, QLD)
2nd- Anna Toohey (Dicky’s Beach, QLD)
3rd- Mahlia Carr (Lennox Head, NSW)
4th- Shaye Leewendal (Currumbin, QLD)
Under 14 Boys:
1st- Jaggar Bartholomew (Coolangatta, QLD)
2nd- Eli Carr (Lennox Head, NSW)
3rd- Gabe Ley (Narrabeen, NSW)
4th- Joseph Marwell (Sunrise Beach, QLD)
#wahuaussieas
Wahu Surfer Groms Comps Schedule:
EVENT 1 – Northern Beaches, NSW – September 6 -7, 2014
EVENT 2 – Coffs Harbour NSW – October 11-12, 2014
EVENT 3 – Kiama, NSW – October 18-19, 2014
EVENT 4 – Trigg Point, WA – November 8-9, 2014
EVENT 5 – Sunshine Coast, QLD – December 13-14, 2014
EVENT 6 – Cronulla, NSW – December 20-21, 2014
EVENT 7 – Gold Coast, QLD – January 10-11, 2015
EVENT 8 – Ocean Grove, VIC – January 31-February 1, 2015
EVENT 9 – Fleurieu Peninsula, SA – February 21, 2015
EVENT 10 – Clifton Beach, TAS – February 28, 2015
