Tane Bowden - Image Daniel Davie

Under yet another scorching day of sunshine at Whangamata, the second event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge saw the youngest surfers in the event challenged by the clean 1.0m waves today (Saturday 23^rd

Surfers as young as seven years of age took to the event having fun all day alongside the best junior surfers in the country.  They chilled out at the beach, hung with their families, many staying in their wetsuits for hours on end.

Nine year old Josef Jungwirth (Gis) progressed through to the semifinals of the Under 12 Boys Division, only the second time he has progressed to that stage of a national event.

“I love coming to the comps and having fun and surfing with everyone” said Jungwirth.  “My whole family comes to the comp with me and my sister competes as well so it is real cool, I really enjoy it” he added.

Jungwirth placed second in his heat behind Hamilton surfer Caleb Cutmore.

Eleven year old Luke Griffin (Mnt) was equally as happy with his performance on day one of the event winning his heat and moving through to the semifinals.  Griffin travelled to the event with his Dad, both of them sharing waves in and around the event.

“I am missing out on soccer this weekend unfortunately” said Griffin who is part of an elite development program for the region.  “But this was a two day event and it was good to get away from playing soccer for a little while.”

With a wealth of young surfers coming through it was still top seed Tane Bowden (WGM) that impressed most scoring 14.37 in his heat with some big turns.  One particular forehand hack netted the young surfer a 7.20 point ride after he displaced a bucket of spray.

“I had a pretty good heat, I am happy with my heat score.  I have had three heats today so it has been a lot of surfing but I am ready to go for tomorrow for both divisions” said Bowden who will contest the semifinals of both the Under 14 and Under 12s on the final day of the event.

Late in the day the Under 16 Girls Division contested their first round.  The Gisborne trio of Abby Falwasser – Logan, Dayna Story and Jasmine Smith all progressed through to the semifinals with Falwasser – Logan and Smith taking good heat wins.  Auckland surfers Britt Kindred (Muriwai) and Claudia Fraser (Piha) also won their respective heats.

The Under 16 Boys Division contested their quarterfinal match ups at the end of the day.  Harrison Whiteside (Chch), Travis Morton (Waihi Beach), Isaac Kettle (Tara) and Kehu Butler (Mnt) all won their heats.

Action at the beach will get underway at 8:00am on Sunday with a full day of surfing to get through.  Prize giving will be held at the beach after the conclusion of the surfing.

Abby Falwasser - Logan - Image Daniel Davie	Dayna Story - Image Daniel Davie
Josef Jungwirth - Image Daniel Davie	Reef Matthews - Image Daniel Davie

 

Set out below are results from day one of Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge held at Whangamata today (Saturday 23^rd February).

Under 16 Boys Round of 38
Heat 1
Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 10.17, 1, Quin Matenga (Mnt), 10.17, 2, Samuel Sands (ChCh), 3.13, 3, Alex Shields (Auck), 2.03, 4
Heat 2
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 15.67, 1, Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.03, 2, Timu Mulhbacher (Whitianga), 6.97, 3, Toby Dobson Smith (Auck), 4.17, 4

Under 16 Round of 32
Heat 1
Campbell Ivory (Tairua), 5.97, 1, Jack Lockhart (Whitianga), 4.47, 2, Jack Mills (BOP), 3.87, 3, Seren Marsh (Tau), 3.1, 4
Heat 2
Callum Chuter (Tau), 9.67, 1, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 5.8, 2, Ihaia Ngata (Tau), 5.73, 3, Max Dicken (Auck), 5.47, 4
Heat 3
Adam Clegg (Tara), 9.8, 1, Ryan Renall (Mangawhai), 7.42, 2, Simon Fraser-Mackenzie (Tau), 6.17, 3, Joshua Farr (Tara), 6.1, 4
Heat 4
Te Rapai Barbarich Love, 11.03, 1, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 10.73, 2, Andrew Fraser-Mackenzie (Tau), 9.87, 3, Quin Matenga (Mnt), 4.63, 4
Heat 5
Isaac Kettle (Tara), 9.9, 1, Daniel Farr (Tara), 8.13, 2, Harrison Mossop (Tau), 6.07, 3, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 4.97, 4
Heat 6
Riccardo Lucibella (Tara), 7.23, 1, Zac Curle (Katikati), 6.3, 2, Maddy Gowthorpe Mnt), 6.23, 3, Lewis Mennie (Auck), 4.57, 4
Heat 7
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 17.77, 1, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 14, 2, Ben McCulloch (Gis), 7.9, 3, Jack Virtue (Gis), 5.33, 4
Heat 8
Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 9.97, 1, Taine Craig Ranga (Mnt), 8.73, 2, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 8.17, 3, Cory Wood Auck), 1.97, 4


Under 12 Boys Round of 20
Heat 1
Reef Newdick (Mnt), 9, 1, Millar Smith (Auck), 7.87, 2, Kauri Barbarich (Mnt), 3.73, 3
Heat 2
James Scott (Coro), 8.7, 1, Oli Meadows (Waiheke), 8.47, 2, Cory Vercoe (Mangawhai), 5.17, 3, Boss Meadows (Waiheke), 0.47, 4

Under 12 Boys Round of 16
Heat 1
Luke Griffin (Mt), 7.00, 1, Finn Johnson (Gis), 5.13, 2, Reef Newdick (Mnt), 4.73, 3, Sam Copley (Piha), 3.47, 4
Heat 2
William van der Beek (Mnt), 5.73, 1, James Ririnui (Mnt), 5.60, 2, Taylor O'Leary (Muriwai), 5.00, 3, Millar Smith (Auck), 1.77, 4
Heat 3
Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 6.3, 1, Josef Jungwirth (Gis), 5.67, 2, Oli Meadows (Waiheke), 5.47, 3, Tom Butland (Tara), 3.63, 4
Heat 4
Tane Bowden (Whmata), 14.37, 1, James Scott (Coro), 3.23, 2, Jai Daly-Parr (Tau), 3.1, 3, Henry Copley (Piha), 1, 4


Under 16 Girls Round 1
Heat 1
Abby Falwasser - Logan (Gis), 6.60, 1, Dayna Story (Gis), 5.30, 2, Tiana Breeze - de Mooj (Mnt), 3.83, 3, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 3.57, 4
Heat 2
Claudia Fraser (Auck), 9.17, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 7.07, 2, Lily Spiers (Whmata), 3.43, 3, Jana O'Connor (Coro), 3.17, 4
Heat 3
Britt Kindred (Muri), 8.87, 1, Maaia Reid-Bennett (Arataki), 8, 2, Jennifer Rockwell (Auck), 4, 3, Celeste Calway (Katikati), 4, 4
Heat 4
Jasmine Smith (Gis), 11.9, 1, Kea Smith (Mnt), 10.7, 2, Sammy Croker (Waihi Bch), 6.63, 3, Ella Jungwirth (Gis), 4.43, 4


Under 14 Boys Round of 24
Heat 1
William Barnes (Mnt), 13.00, 1, Joel Clegg (Tara), 8.93, 2, Jack McLaren (Mnt), 5.43, 3, Quin Bedford (Mngawhai), 0.00, 4
Heat 2
Reef Matthews (Waitara), 8.93, 1, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 8.83, 2, Fraser Falconer (Auck), 3.63, 3, Jamahl Moselen (Whngrei), 3.17, 4
Heat 3
Tane Bowden (Whmata), 14.77, 1, Braedyn Louie (Piha), 6.87, 2, Atawhai Charteris (Coro), 5.63, 3, Lachlan O'Connor Mnt), 3.43, 4
Heat 4  
Reuben Mottart (Gis), 8.50, 1, Connor Seaman (Auck), 4.07, 2, Finn Smith (Auck), 3.00, 3, Matt Berry (Auck), 1.87, 4

Please see below for the date of the final event:

Billabong Grom Series pres by Oceanbridge Event 3 – 9^th – 10^th March, Piha Beach, Auckland

Entry into the events can be completed at Surfing New Zealand under events.

Further Information
For further information on the 2013 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.  Alternatively contact Billabong Event Manager Keone Campbell on 0274921138 or email keone.campbell@billabong.co.nz.

Imagery
Web clips will be distributed free of charge from each event.  Please contact Ben Kennings for further details.

High resolution action images of the surfing at all events on the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge will be available to media free of charge.

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The Surfing New Zealand event hotline is 0211134506.  This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions for the day.

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