Mikey McDonagh at last week’s Skullcandy. Photo Ethan Smith/SNSW
Crystal Cylinders
Lennox Head’s Mikey McDonagh and Nyxie Ryan, along with Byron Bay’s Rasmus King, had excellent results at the Skullcandy Oz Grom Open when it wrapped up last Wednesday at Lennox Head in small but clean waves.
A full international field competed in the 2017 event with surfers coming from as far away as Europe, USA and Japan to make up a field of 176 surfers.
McDonagh surfed fast and powerfully to claim victory in the 16 and Under Boys division. Mikey saved some of his best surfing for last and dominated the final against his opponents.
After her victory at the Occy Grom Comp the week before, Nyxie Ryan was in great form but had to settle for runner-up in the 14 Girls final when Sai Maniwa from Japan claimed the 14 and Under Girls final with a couple of the best waves in the final.
Byron Bay’s Rasmus King was on fire in the earlier rounds and surfed great in the 12 and Under Boys final but couldn’t find the better waves and finished in third place with 11.37 to post a solid result.
The Gold Coast’s Ty Richardson took home the title in an impressive performance. Richardson surfed like a seasoned professional in the final – posting an 18.17 heat total – to leave his fellow competitors chasing two-wave combinations of scores.
Event standout Zahli Kelly (Cabarita) continued her successful charge through the competition taking out the 16 and Under Girls division.
The 14 and Under Boys saw one of the most exciting exchanges of the event, with all four surfers posting a handful of good-to-excellent scores, but it was Jarvis Earle from Cronulla who took the heat with a 15.64 two-wave heat total.
Local surfers who also performed well were: Lennox Head’s Dembe Ryan surfed with power, speed and flow to make the 12 and Under Boys semifinals after a great win in the quarterfinals he finished equal 5th. Harry O’Brien from Lennox Head finished equal 9th in the same division.
Lennox Head’s Hunter Weston and Jai Glinderman made it to round 4 of the 14 and Under Boys while Jack O’Brien from Lennox Head made it to round 3. Lennox surfer Malia Carr made it to the quarterfinals in the 14 and Under Girls finishing equal ninth.
The Skullcandy Oz Grom Open presented by Vissla was proudly supported by Skullcandy, Vissla, Ballina Shire Council, Le-Ba Boardriders and Surfing NSW.
