With a massive southerly swell rampaging up the East Coast of New Zealand, the country’s top young surfers found themselves at the remote Tologa Bay on the East Cape for the final event of the NZ Grom Series today (Saturday 11th May) – the Sequence Surf Gisborne Junior Pro.
The Under 14 Boys and Girls Divisions were surfed through to completion in the clean 1.0m waves fanned by offshore winds. Along with the youngest of the surfers in the event, the Under 16 Boys Division also kicked off their event late in the afternoon.
It was Jesse Frazerhurst (Auck) that held his number one ranking position with his third successive win of the season in the Under 14 Boys Division. Frazerhurst looked sharp from his first heat of the morning and continued through until the final where he posted a 9.60 point heat total to take the win.
Frazerhurst was joined by local girl Charlotte McDiarmid who won the Under 14 Girls Division, competing in her first final of the year.
Frazerhurst found himself in second for much of the final until his last wave on the hooter which scored a 5.25 to bump Kentaro Mitchell (Ahipara) down to second place. Ohope surfer Beau Broadhurst finished in third place ahead of local surfer Jaxon Pardoe (Gis) who placed fourth, his best result of the season.
Charlotte McDiarmid found herself up against a trio of Mount Maunganui surfers in the final of the Under 14 Girls Division but triumphed over them with Millie Dyck topping out her buddies in second, Nami Marsden in third and Jayda Bramley in fourth.
Late in the day the older of the participants took to the water and had a blast with Mount Maunganui’s Sol Fritchley and Vitor Bauermann surfing up a division and mixing it with their older counterparts with heat wins. They were joined by Tyler Stenzel (Mnt), Zade Pitkeathly (Mnt), Indica Corcoran (Rag) and Ethan Kirk Ormon (Rag) as heat winners.
The two Sequence Surf Best Manoeuvre Awards for the Under 14 Boys Division went to Logan Vester (Tara) and Charlotte McDiarmid (Gis).
Pitkeathly took out the Volkswagen Highest Wave Score of the Day Award with a 7.75 point ride for a clean two-turn combo.
Zeke Pragert (Piha) currently holds the Creatures Highest Heat Score of the Event Award for his 11.5 point heat total in the Quarterfinals of the Under 14 Boys Division.
Results from day one of the Sequence Surf Gisborne Junior Pro as well as the schedule for day two can be viewed here – https://liveheats.com/events/219596.
It is anticipated that day two of the event will take place at Midway Beach in Gisborne on Sunday and will commence at 8am. Finals will take place from 1:20pm.
The New Zealand Grom Series is a chance for junior surfers to test themselves against their companions from all around the country. There are thirteen events throughout the country that junior surfers can participate in. The Sequence Surf Gisborne Junior Pro is in to its third season as part of the series.
This year’s event would not be possible without the support of Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne, Creatures of Leisure, Sex Wax, Gisborne Boardriders and Grassroots Central Trust.
Further Information
For further information on the 2024 Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro, please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High-resolution images will be available to media upon request.
Images will be distributed free of charge courtesy of New Zealand Surfing Magazine.
Please contact Ben Kennings for further details.
Event Details
The draw and results can be viewed at www.Liveheats.com/SurfingNewZealand.
Follow the event
Follow the action via social media @surfingnz across Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.
Surfing New Zealand is proudly partnered by:
Sport New Zealand
Sun Bum
Volkswagen
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