Taranaki surfer Spencer Rowson has extended his lead on the New Zealand Grom Series after winning the Under 18 Boys Division of the third and final event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge today (Saturday 25th February).
Rowson was joined by local Mount Maunganui surfer Anna Brock who took out her first win of the season in the Under 18 Girls Division.
The senior divisions of the event got the best of the conditions on offer this weekend with the day starting out under dark skies and a messy 1.0m swell which faded throughout the day.
Rowson’s win was punctuated by a clean air reverse in the final that netted him a 7.75 point ride catapulting him into the lead and eventual win.
“I saw Jack Tyro try and air reverse in the final and thought why not, I am stoked I pulled it off and got the win,” he said.
“It was just about being as fast as possible today in the small surf, smooth through turns and finding the best waves,” added Rowson.
He will now head into the three South Island events looking to retain his mid-season lead.
Rowson held off fellow Taranaki surfer Kalani Louis in the final with Louis finishing in second place on 9.30 to his 12.5 point heat total.
Friday’s event winner, Tyler Perry (Kaik), finished third in the final ahead of Jack Tyro (Chch) in fourth, Tyro contesting his first final of the season.
Anna Brock claimed a tight Under 18 Girls Final with a meagre 2.5 points separating first from fourth. In the deteriorating conditions, Brock put early pressure on her opponents and held the lead for the full 20 minutes. She returned from university late on Friday night to compete at the event with her mates insisting on a good result for her efforts.
“My mates back down at university said that I better do well this weekend because I was missing all the action down there (Christchurch), so yeah, it is good to finally get a win this summer and head south with something to show for efforts,” said Brock.
“It is good to win at home with the event being relocated, we are lucky to have the event here this weekend even though the surf is small but I feel sorry for all the West Coast communities that have been impacted by the cyclone,” she added.
Brock was challenged late in the final by her young sister Sophia who caught a wave on the final hooter that fell less than half a point short of the win, the result not being announced until all surfers were on the sand.
Series leader Pia Rogers (WGM) finished in third place ahead of Skylar McFetridge (Tara) in fourth place.
Late in the day the Under 16 Divisions were contested through into the early evening. The girls were contested through until the finals with Pauanui’s Groube sisters Lola and Chloe making the final along with Raglan surfers Maya Mateja and Alani Morse.
In the Under 16 Boys Division, eight surfers remain in contention for the final event title. Tao Mouldey (Mnt) is looking to make it a clean sweep of Billabong Grom Series wins, Taj Millar Dal Bosco (WGM) got a late heat win to advance as did Tyler Stenzel (Mnt) and Theo Morse (Rag).
The Volkswagen Highest Heat Score of the Day award went to Tyler Perry for the second day running after he surfed to a 15 point heat total in the semifinal of the Under 18 Boys Division.
Sunday will see similar size waves with winds tending light variable throughout the morning. The Under 16s will be completed and the Under 14s will enter the water for the first time at the event.
Over 120 young surfers from around the country will converge on Mount Maunganui after the evet was relocated from Piha due the cyclone damage.
Full results and updated rankings after today can be viewed at www.Liveheats.com/SurfingNewZealand.
Each of the three events in the series attracts upward of 130 surfers. It is the eighteenth edition of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge.
The series offers up many surfers first taste of events, pitting themselves against their mates and taking in a fun two days of surfing and developing their skills in the ocean. Participants also team up for their boardrider clubs with the top five surfer’s results from each club going toward overall club rankings.
The 2023 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 Richard Christie (Gis), Paige Hareb (Tara), Billy Stairmand (Rag), Mount Maunganui’s own Kehu Butler and Ella Williams (WGM).
Further Information
For further information on the 2023 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 NZ
Skinnies Sun Gel
Volkswagen
Arepa
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