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RIP CURL GROMSEARCH PRES. BY FLIGHT CENTRE NATIONAL FINAL HEATS UP AHEAD OF TOMORROW'S FINAL DAY.

16/01/2018
 
 

RIP CURL GROMSEARCH PRES. BY FLIGHT CENTRE NATIONAL FINAL HEATS UP AHEAD OF TOMORROW'S FINAL DAY. 
 
ABOVE: Kai Tandler (Coolangatta, Qld) flew the flag for the interstate surfing contingent in the second round of the 16-and-Under Boys, excelling in the solid conditions.
MANDATORY IMAGE CREDITS: Print: Ethan Smith / Surfing NSW. Social: @ethdogsmith / @surfing_nsw
 
KEY POINTS
  • A drastic increase in swell today saw competition move to the protected corner of Bellambi for day two. 
  • Kai Tandler (Coolangatta, Qld) and Xavier Huxtable (Jan Juc, Vic) fly the flag for the interstate competitors.
  • Competition to crown all champions tomorrow. 
  • DOWNLOAD HIGH RES IMAGES HERE 
 
BELLAMBI BEACH, WOLLONGONG (Tuesday, 16 January 2018): The Rip Curl GromSearch presented by Flight Centre National Final saw a drastic increase in swell today as competition was forced to move to the protected corner of Bellambi for day two of the event.
 
Kai Tandler (Coolangatta, Qld) and Xavier Huxtable (Jan Juc, Vic) flew the flag for the interstate surfing contingent in the second round of the 16-and-Under Boys with both surfers excelling in the solid conditions. Both surfers performed an array of impressive backside maneuvers to post two-wave heat totals in excess of 16.00 and as a result cemented their position into the quarterfinals. Joining them, with heat wins were Ben Gradisen (Gracetown, WA) and Finn Hill (Avoca, NSW) who also claimed their respective heats and earned their position in the quarterfinals.
 
Jai Glinderman (Lennox Head, NSW) managed to make up for yesterday's round one loss, taking a win in the second round and the quarterfinals of the 14-and-Under Boys. Glinderman capitalised on the solid waves he found, posting a handful of excellent scores, most notably in his quarterfinal when he notched up a near-perfect 9.00 wave score. Glinderman will make his next appearance in the semi-finals. 
 
Nate Hopkins (Noraville, NSW) synced his powerful forehand repertoire to the chunky lefthanders, posting a pair of 7.83 scoring waves in the second round of the 12 Boys. As a result, Hopkins was able to take a convincing win in his second round and claim a spot in the upcoming quarterfinal.
 
Kirra-Belle Olsson (Avoca, NSW), Sasha Baker (Mudjimba, Qld), Bodhi Leigh Jones (Whale Beach, NSW) and Piper Harrison (Coolangatta, Qld) all claimed wins in their respective 16-and-Under quarterfinals to seal a position in the semi-finals, which will be contested tomorrow.
 
The Rip Curl GromSearch presented by Flight Centre will commence each day at 7:30 am with the call for the day's schedule and location confirmed via the event hotline at 6:45 am. The event hotline number is 0458 247 212 which will leave a voice recorded message each morning of the event.
 
All Rip Curl GromSearch events include boys’ and girls’ divisions in 16 and under, 14 and under, and 12 and under age groups. Surfers receive points for their results in each event, which then count towards a 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 Woonoona, NSW on January 15-17, 2018.
 
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.
 
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:
 
Male: Matt Wilkinson (Australia), Gabriel Medina (Brazil), Kolohe Andino (USA), Felipe Toledo (Brazil), Jordy Smith (South Africa), Nat Young (USA).
 
Female: Tyler Wright (Australia), Stephanie Gilmore (Aust), Malia Manuel (USA), Sally Fitzgibbons (Aust), Nikki Van Dijk (Aust), Tatiana Weston Webb (Hawaii).
 
The Rip Curl GromSearch series is presented by Flight Centre with managing partner Surfing Australia and Surfing NSW.
 
Rip Curl GromSearch 2017/18 Events:
EVENT 1 - Jan Juc, VIC - Sept 23 - 25, 2017
EVENT 2 - Maroubra, NSW - Sept 30 - Oct 3, 2017
EVENT 3 - Trigg / Scarborough WA - Oct 6 - 8, 2017
EVENT 4 - Yorke Peninsula, SA - Nov 4 - 5, 2017
EVENT 5 - Sunshine Coast, QLD - Dec 11 - 15, 2017
National Final – Woonoona, Wollongong, NSW - Jan 15 - 17, 2018

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