The final event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge takes place at Piha this weekend with six series-champions to be crowned in the West Coast Waves come Sunday.
After kicking off at Mount Maunganui then heading to Whangamata, all six divisions are hotly contested with over 15 surfers in the running to clinch titles.
Another large field of surfers have registered to participate and Piha is expected to turn it on with a small clean swell and favourable offshore winds for much of the two days. Conditions will make for the perfect platform where New Zealand’s top young surfers can duke it out with each other.
It is the premier Under 18 Boys Division that has the tightest pack of surfers at the top of the rankings. At least five surfers can realistically eye up a win this weekend which would be enough for them to jump to the top of the pack, currently lead by National Champion Finn Vette (Gis).
It is Vette’s consistency that has him leading the pack ahead of event 1 and 2 winners Kora Cooper (Rag) and Tom Robinson (Whngrei). Jayden Willoughby (Rag) follows close behind along with Jack Hinton (Mnt) who has been one of the form surfers of the series.
Brie Bennett (Rag) and Ariana Shewry (Tara) front the Under 18 Girls Division in a two-way tie and look set to battle it out this weekend alongside local surfer Liv Haysom who will want to put in a big performance in the familiar waves of her beloved Piha.
Tao Mouldey (Mnt) and Navryn Malone (Rag) are also tied for the lead in the Under 18 Boys Division and can only be eclipsed by a stellar performance from the highly capable Jack Tyro (Chch) who has placed in both finals alongside his rivals.
Ten points is all the difference for Asia Braithwaite (Gis) as she looks to fend off Anna Brock (Mnt) in the Under 16 Girls Division.
In the Under 14 divisions, it is Cooper Roberts (Mnt) and Maya Mateja (Rag) that hold leads, Mateja being the only surfer to have won both events in the series.
The full draw for the event can be viewed here. The schedule of events will be posted first thing on Saturday morning. Finals will take place from 2pm on Sunday.
The three event Billabong Grom Series is part of a wider New Zealand Grom Series which turns it’s focus to Christchurch in the coming weeks with the Seventhwave Women’s Canterbury Championships and Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing then on to Dunedin, Pauanui, Kaikoura, Christchurch and back to Piha for the final.
Top five surfers in each of the six divisions of the Billabong Grom Series pres by Oceanbridge are set out below.
Under 18 Boys Division
1, Finn Vette (Gis)
2, Kora Cooper (Rag)
2, Tom Robinson (Whngrei)
4, Jayden Willoughby (Rag)
5, Jack Hinton (Mnt)
Under 16 Boys Division
1, Tao Mouldey (Mnt)
1, Navryn Malone (Rag)
3, Jack Tyro (Chch)
4, Bill Byers (Piha)
5, Izak Hayes (Whngrei)
Under 14 Boys Division
1, Cooper Roberts (Mnt)
2, Tyler Stenzel (Mnt)
3, Dale Cromhout (Hbay)
4, Taj Dal Bosco (WGM)
5, Ezekiel Wyper (Tai)
Under 18 Girls Division
1, Brie Bennett (Rag)
1, Ariana Shewry (Tara)
3, Liv Haysom (Piha)
4, Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin)
5, Alice Westerkamp (Auck)
Under 16 Girls Division
1, Asia Braithwaite (Gis)
2, Anna Brock (Mnt)
3, Sophia Brock (Mnt)
4, Leia Millar (Piha)
5, Skylar McFetridge (Tara)
Under 14 Girls Division
1, Maya Mateja (Rag)
2, Chloe Groube (Pau)
3, Alani Morse (Orewa)
4, Lola Groube (Pau)
5, Indi-Lee Ruddell (Whngrei)
The Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge offers three of nine events nationwide where grommets can take part before the final in May which caters for the top 16 boys and eight girls in the Under 18 and 16 Divisions.
The sixteenth edition of the series draws on a long history of fun with all of New Zealand’s current crop of elite surfers having taken part including Ricardo Christie (Gis), Paige Hareb (Tara), Billy Stairmand (Rag), Kehu Butler (Mnt) and Ella Williams (WGM).
Further Information
For further information on the 2021 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.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 will be available to media free of charge.
Event Hotline
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.
Partners
Generous support from Billabong, presenting sponsors Oceanbridge, Kustom, Von Zipper and Dakine has made this series possible.
Thanks to Piha Boardriders for hosting the event.
Follow the event
Follow the action via social media @billabong on Instagram and @surfingnz across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Follow the series hashtag – #BillabongGromSeries.
Surfing New Zealand is proudly partnered by:
Sport NZ
Skinnies Sun Gel
SunSmart
Water Safety NZ
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