WEST OZ RIP CURL GROM SEARCH CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN SOLID SURF OFF TRIGG POINT

Seth Van Haefton absolutely flaring at Trigg Beach on finals day of the Rip Curl Grom Search Presented By Flight Centre this past Sunday. Photo: Surfing WA / Woolacoot

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The third stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch presented by Flight Centre came to a close on Sunday in Western Australia, with six grommets walking away as champions.

Waves off Trigg Point were testing, but the best junior surfers in Australia made light work of the windswept conditions on offer. Perth’s metropolitan coastline delivered windy and shifty 3-4 foot peaks, allowing competitors to put on a show with their full repertoires of committed and progressive manoeuvres.

Local surfer Ben Spence from Margaret River found a pathway to success, taking the blue-ribbon in the 16 & Under Boys division. With a razor-sharp forehand attack, Spence was able to dominate the 25-minute final with a combined total of 15.24.

His win was no easy task either, as he had to battle through arguably three of the best surfers in the event, Seth Van Haeften (Margaret River ,WA), Cyrus Cox (Margaret River, WA) and Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW).

“I’m used to surfing in windy conditions like this, and yeah, I’m stoked to have won today,” he told Rip Curl post-win. “I haven’t won anything in a while, so it feels even better.”

On the girls’ side of the draw it was another WA local, Margaret River’s Jamaica Selby, who took the top spot in the 16 & Under Girls division. “I was happy enough to just make the final, but to win is unreal,” said Selby, after taking down Nice Frayne (Mona Vale, NSW), Emma Cattlin (Yallingup, WA) and April McPherson (Mandurah, WA). “I want to dedicate this win to my mum and thank everyone for their support.”

In the 14 & Under Boys final, it was Tommy Golsby-Smith from North Narrabeen, NSW, who used the solid conditions and turned them in his favour. With his large frame and even bigger moves, he was able to post a two-wave combined total of 12.20, taking down Van Whiteman (Avalon, NSW), Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW) and Logan Steinwede (Wagstaffe, NSW).

“Its been a great weekend, and to score some big waves is always good for me, given my size,” said Golby-Smith after the event. “It’s cool to come all the way to WA and end up surfing with the NSW boys.”

And then it was Emma Cattlin from Yallingup, WA, who matched Golbsy-Smith on the girls’ side. Cattlin was on fire throughout the whole event, and with a combined total of 13.17, she managed to surpass Cedar Leigh-Jones (Whale Beach, NSW), Arabelle Gibson (Margaret River, WA) and Maddie Cawood (Margaret River, WA).

“This is my second event of the GromSearch series,” Cattlin told Rip Curl. “I really want to qualify for the National Final and this result really helps me do that.”

In the 12 & Under Boys division it was Solomon Pogue-Englert who used his smooth and flowing style to notch up the win. Although he was in-form throughout each heat, it was a high score of 8.33 that saw him take the win and finish ahead of Daniel Benedetti (Margaret River, WA), Jay Robinson (Dunsborough, WA) and Jake Hagan (Geraldton, WA).

“It’s been a sick comp. Surfing and hanging out with your mates is the best,” he said. “I’m not looking forward to going back to school tomorrow, that’s for sure!”

Another standout of the event was Cedar Leigh-Jones from Avalon, NSW, who claimed her third consecutive 12 & Under Girls win here in Western Australia. Proving that she’s a star on the rise, Leigh-Jones posted the only perfect 10-point ride of the event, finishing her head with a combined total of 16.70, defeating Zali Hewson (Margaret River, WA), Lilli Cox (Margaret River, WA) and Denva Halden (Mandurah, WA).

“I’ve been to WA a few times now and it’s always been really kind to me,” she said. “This is the first time it hasn’t been perfect, but I’m thrilled to take the win.”

Alongside Jamie Thompson (Narrabeen, NSW), Cedar Leigh-Jones was also awarded the “Flight Centre Outstanding Performance Award”. Both surfers won the award due to their incredible surfing throughout the entire event, with Thompson posting the highest combined heat total and Leigh-Jones with her perfect-10.

The Rip Curl GromSearch series started in 1999 as a one-day event at Jan Juc in Victoria. Since then it has developed into the strongest international series for 16 year and under surfers in the world. With parallel Rip Curl GromSearch series in over 10 countries, it has become a crucial stepping stone in the development of elite junior surfers.

Surfers competing in Western Australia are chasing all important points, which count towards the National GromSearch ratings system, allowing surfers from around Australia to compare their results with contemporaries. Leaders on the National Ratings will then qualify for the last event of the series, the Rip Curl GromSearch National Final, to be held at North Narrabeen, NSW on January 16-18, 2017.

The list of previous GromSearch competitors highlights the elite level of competitors that make up the Rip Curl GromSearch series. Current WSL World Tour surfers who have competed in the Rip Curl GromSearch include; Matt Wilkinson (Australia), Gabriel Medina (Brazil), Kolohe Andino (USA), Felipe Toledo (Brazil), Jordy Smith (South Africa), and Nat Young (USA). As well as female surfers; Tyler Wright (Australia), Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), Malia Manuel (USA), Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia), Nikki Van Dijk (Australia), and Tatiana Weston-Webb (Hawaii).

Visit www.ripcurl.com.au for all GromSearch info, updates, images and video content. For further event information be sure to check out www.surfingwa.com.au

RIP CURL GROMSEARCH - WA FINAL RESULTS:

16 & Under Boys:
1 – Ben Spence (Margaret River, WA) – 15.24pts
2 – Seth Van Haeften (Margaret River, WA) – 13.70pts
3 – Cyrus Cox (Margaret River, WA) – 12.10pts
4 – Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW) – 10.70pts

16 & Under Girls:
1 – Jamaica Selby (Margaret River, WA) – 9.44pts
2 – Nica Frayne (Mona Vale, NSW) 6.53pts
3 – Emma Cattlin (Yallingup, WA) – 5.50pts
4 – April McPherson (Mandurah, WA) – 5.17pts

14 & Under Boys:
1 – Tommy Golsby-Smith (North Narrabeen, NSW) – 12.20pts
2 – Van Whiteman (Avalon, NSW) – 10.66ptss
3 – Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW) – 8.40pts
4 – Logan Steinwede (Wagstaffe, NSW) – 6.20pts

14 & Under Girls:
1 – Emma Cattlin (Yallingup, WA) – 13.20pts
2 – Cedar Leigh-Jones (Avalon, NSW) – 9.77pts
3 – Arabelle Gibson (Margaret River, WA) – 7.50pts
4 – Maddie Cawood (Margaret River, WA) – 5.50pts

12 & Under Boys:
1 – Solomon Pogue-Englert (Gracetown, WA) - 11.80pts
2 – Daniel Benedetti (Margaret River, WA) – 5.80pts
3 – Jay Robinson (Dunsborough, WA) – 5.10pts
4 – Jake Hagan (Geraldton, WA) – 3.0pts

12 & Under Girls:
1 – Cedar Leigh - Jones (Avalon, NSW) – 16.70pts
2 – Zali Hewson (Margaret River, WA) – 7.84pts
3 – Lilli Cox (Margaret River, WA) – 5.93pts
4 – Denva Halden (Mandurah, WA) – 5.64pts

The 2016 Rip Curl GromSearch series is presented by Flight Centre.
Proudly supported by Citroën, Surfing Australia and Surfing Western Australia.
Citroën is the official vehicle partner of Rip Curl Australia & New Zealand.

2016 Rip Curl GromSearch Series Australia:
EVENT 1 - Jan Juc, VIC - Sept 17 - 19, 2016
EVENT 2 - Maroubra, NSW - Sep 24 - 27, 2016
EVENT 3 - Metro Beaches, WA - Oct 7 - 9, 2016
EVENT 4 - Yorkes Peninsula, SA - Nov 12 - 13, 2016
EVENT 5 - Sunshine Coast, QLD - Dec 12 - 16, 2016
National Final - North Narrabeen - Jan 16 - 18, 2017