For immediate release
20th February 2025
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: Surfing
Event: 2025 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge – Event 3
Location: Piha Beach, Auckland
Event Info: Surfing New Zealand and Billabong
Final Showdown Set for Billabong Grom Series 2025.
Groms from around Aotearoa are lining up the final event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge this weekend with six series titles on the line come Sunday.
Piha Beach provides the setting for the third and final event after stops at Mount Maunganui and Whangamata.
In the Under 18 Boys division, Mount Maunganui surfer Tao Mouldey is looking for back-to-back wins in the final event of the series after a winning performance a fortnight ago in Whangamata and a 2nd place finish at home in the Mount. He will be one to watch in the final showdown at Piha this weekend, but with Macka Hazard of North Narrabeen and Jacob Haines of Raglan right on his toes the Under 18 Boys division will be a guaranteed edge of your seat finish.
The Under 18 Girls Division is an exciting battle with current leader Maya Mateja of Raglan dominating the rankings with back-to-back wins in Event 1 and 2 of the grom series. She will be looking for a threepeat in Piha however Mount Maunganui surfer Sage Fritchley has been on form this season and will be hot on her heels, looking for her first win of the series. Piha local Leia Millar will also be looking to take the top spot in her home waters at this weekend’s final event.
The Under 16 Boys Division is the most hotly contested with the top surfers all in with a chance of taking out the series. Sol Fritchley of the Mount has been on form all series and sits in second position on the rankings below Raglans Indica Knox Corcorran by just 60 points. Both groms will be looking for the win in the final event of the series however with 2 local surfers Zeke Pragert and Jesse Frazerhurst both in the top five, the top groms will have their work cutout for them . Zen Mouldey of the Mount sits in 4th and with a big performance this weekend he could sneak up and grab the series.
Alani Morse of Raglan has had a standout start to the year in the Under 16 girls with comfortable back to back wins in event 1 and 2 of the series, and a 9th place finish in the Nationals. She will look for a final win in the event to solidify her spot in the New Zealand Junior team and earn the title of 2025 Billabong Grom Series Champion. Just over 500 points separate her and Indi Lee Ruddell who is looking for her first event 1 after two second place finishes in two events. Inform local surfer, Kyra Wallis has had a stellar start to the year coming agonisingly close with a 4th and 3rd place finish in the past two events, at home in the powerful west coast waves, Wallis is a strong contender for the win this weekend.
Gisborne’s Jaxon Pardoe who has found his form in 2025 is being chased by a big pack of surfers in the hotly contested Under 14 Boys Division. The young surfer won the first event of the series placed 4th in event 2 in Whangamata and won the Nationals in Taranaki he will be one to watch in the powerful west coast waves. Ffeon Clifford of Mount Maunganui will look for his first win after some tough finals placing 2nd and 3rd in the first events of the series.
Ahiparas Jade Nias Phillips holds the upper-hand in the Under 14 Girls Division with 2 top performances to take the win at Mount Maunganui and Whangamata. The Far north local who is more than comfortable in powerful waves will also look to take the championship title at Piha whilst local girl Ella Rebolledo-Withers hunts for her first win of the season after consecutive 2nd place finishes to Jade, also at home in grunty west coast beach breaks the Under 14 girls division will guarantee to entertain this weekend.
Action will take place from 8:00am each day with surfing running through to late afternoon.
Please see below for current 2025 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge standings after two of three events.
Under 18 Boys Top 5
Tao Mouldey
Macka Hazard
Jacob Haines
Taimana Marupo
Zade Pitkeathly
Under 16 Boys Top 5
Indica Knox Corcoran
Sol Fritchley
Zeke Pragert
Zen Mouldey
Jesse Frazerhurst
Under 14 Boys Top 5
Jaxon Pardoe
Ffeon Clifford
Beau Broadhurst
Haru Marsden
London Cockerill
Under 18 Girls Top 5
Maya Mateja
Sage Fritchley
Ariana Walker
Chloe Groube
Poppy Entwisle
Under 16 Girls Top 5
Alani Morse
Indi-Lee Ruddell
Kyra Wallis
Isla McKay
Lola Groube
Under 14 Girls Top 5
Jade Nias Phillips
Ella Rebolledo-Withers
Alba Clifford
Savannah Dawes
Madeline Smith
Nami Marsden
Full results and NZ Grom Series rankings can be viewed at www.Liveheats.com/SurfingNewZealand.
Further Information
For further information on the 2024 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High resolution action images of the surfing at all events on the Billabong Grom Series will be available to media free of charge. Please contact Ben Kennings for further details.
Partners
Generous support from Billabong and presenting sponsors Oceanbridge has made this series possible.
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 New Zealand
ACC
Sun Bum
Cookie Time, OSM, Bumper Bars
Ends
