Standout Performances Highlight Day One Action

Comment Share Posted on Saturday December 5th 2009 at 7:33 p.m. Tweet

Day one of the Rip Curl GromSearch was held at Piha today (Saturday 5th December) in clean 1.0m waves under clear blue skies. A number of surfers brought their ‘A’ game to the event surfing their way through to the quarterfinals with big moves and big scores. The surfers in the Under 16 divisions are gunning for the last four slots in the national final.

The second and final event of the series was lucky to escape the heavy rain that brought flooding throughout Piha on Friday afternoon. Many of the surfers arrived at the beach early on Saturday morning soaked through like sewer rats.

However it didn't take long for the action and the sun to heat the day up. Northland's Paul Moretti posted the highest heat score of the day in the first heat of the day scoring 15.25 points out of a possible 20. Moretti went on to win his Under 14 Boys Division heat as well to set up a big finals day for the young surfer who is looking for his first win of the year.

"I am keen to finish the year on a high and win this event" commented Moretti. "I have made heaps of finals this year but have come up short in second or third place so hopefully this is my event, the waves are fun and I had good heats today so more of the same would be good tomorrow" added Moretti.

Moretti will face off against Peri Matenga (Mnt), Dune Kennings (WGM) and Sam Courtney in his quarterfinal match up in the Under 16 Boys Division.

Courtney was another standout on day one. Making the trip north from Christchurch with several other South Island surfers, Courtney posted an 11.25 point total heat score which included a brilliantly ridden 7.25 point ride late in the heat to move him into a progression situation. His smooth style caught the eye of everyone at the beach and he may cause more big upsets on the final day of the event.

Hawkes Bay surfer Tyler Lawson put on a powerful display of surfing to win his heat with a 15.0 point total heat score. New Zealand rep Adam Grimson also looked good posting 12.50 in his heat.

Moretti, Courtney, Lawson and Grimson will all be eager to push for a top two placing and qualification to the national final.

The two surfers already qualified for the final encountered mixed results on day one. Local surfer Tane Wallis won his heat but it was Patxi Scott - Arrieta (Sandy Bay) that suffered a shock first round defeat at the hands of Tyler Lawson and Fraser Chatham (WGM).

Sean Kettle (Tara) led a big contingent of Taranaki surfers at the event by top scoring in the Under 14 Boys division with a 13.8 point total heat score. Others to impress were Dune Kennings (13.5), Waretini Wano, Piha (12.85) and Jordan Griffin, Mount (11.75).

Late in the day the Under 16 Girls took to the water with Grace Spiers (WGM), Rosa Thompson (Auck) and Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Gis) all winning their heats.

Swell conditions are expected to remain the same on day two with the wind swinging more to the west. The finals of the event will be held on Sunday afternoon with prizegiving to take place at the beach.

The Rip Curl GromSearch culminates in a national final where the winner of the under 16 boys and girls divisions win an all expense paid trip to compete at the International GromSearch Final alongside the prestigious World Tour event The Rip Curl Pro held at Bell's Beach, Australia. The world's biggest surfing super stars attend the Rip Curl Pro and just being there to witness their surfing is mind blowing let alone competing in the famous Bells Beach surf.

Please see below for results from day one of the Rip Curl GromSearch Event Two held at Piha Beach today (5th Dec).

Under 16 Boys Round of 32
Heat 1
Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 1, Kane Stewart (Waihi Bch), 2, Fintan Cram (Whmata), 3, Hayden Michie-Harris, 4
Heat 2
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 2, Nat Hughes (Rag), 3, Hemi Porter (Tara), 4
Heat 3
Jacob Kohn (Gis), 1, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 2, Hugh Ritchie (ChCh), 3, Louis Smith (Rag), 4,
Heat 4
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Sam Courtney (Chch), 2, Sid West (GT Barrier), 3, Waretini Wano (Piha), 4
Heat 5
Ben Poulter (Rag), 1, Jules Craft (Gis), 2, Stefan Gross (Auck), 3, Matt Smith (Auck), 4
Heat 6
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 2, Sam Haven (Auck), 3, Taylor McNeill (ChCh), 4
Heat 7
Todd Doyle (Mnt), 1, Subarn Linklater (Auck), 2, Jack Hawke (Chch), 3, Josh Kettle (Tara), 4
Heat 8
Tyler Lawson (Napier), 1, Fraser Chatham (Whmata), 2, Patxi Scott-Arietta (Sandy Bay), 3, Eli MacDonald (Tara), 4

Under 16 Boys Quarterfinals (To be surfed on Sunday)
Heat 1
Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata),Peri Matenga (Mnt), Dune Kennings (WGM), Sam Courtney (Chch)
Heat 2
Jacob Kohn (Gis), Kane Stewart (Waihi Beach), Tane Wallis (Piha), Mackenzie Christie (Mnt)
Heat 3
Ben Poulter (Rag), Subarn Linklater (Piha), Adam Grimson (Gis), Fraser Chatham (WGM)
Heat 4
Todd Doyle (Mnt), Jules Craft (Gis), Tyler Lawson (HBay), Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata)

Under 14 Boys Round of 32
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 2, Wade Kindred (Auck), 3, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 4
Heat 2
Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 1, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 2, Mahorahora McLeod, 3, Nicolaj Probst (Ohope), 4
Heat 3
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 1, Jules Craft (Gis), 2, Brennan Hill-Rennie (H-Bay), 3, Caleb Braithwaite (Whtane), 4
Heat 4
Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), 1, Sam Poulter (Rag), 2, Quinn Matenga (Mnt), 3, Joe Palmer (Kerikeri), 4
Heat 5
Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 1, Kahu Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), 2, Brodie Arbuckle (Tara), 3, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 4
Heat 6
Sean Kettle (Tara), 1, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 2,Jack Virtue (Gis), 3, Blake Haven (Muri), 4
Heat 7
Waretini Wano (Piha), 1, Josh Taylor (Mnt), 2, Jordan Hart (Auck), 3, Toa MacDonald, 4
Heat 8
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Taylor Louie (Piha), 2, George Busby (Gis), 3, William Brown (Hastings), 4

Under 14 Boys Quarterfinals (To be surfed on Sunday)
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), Jules Craft (Gis), Jordan Griffin (Mnt), Sam Poulter (Rag)
Heat 2
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), Peri Matenga (Mnt)
Heat 3
Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), Josh Taylor (Mnt), Sean Kettle (Tara), Taylor Louie (Piha)
Heat 4
Waretini Wano (Piha), Kahu Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), Adam Grimson (Gis), Korbin Hutchings (Gis)

Under 12 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Isaac Kettle (Tara), 1, Te Rapai Barbarich - Love (Waitara), 2, Quinn Matenga (Mnt), 3, Vincent Masse-Denicourt (Ohope), 4
Heat 2
Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 1, Leo Copley (Auck), 2, Jack Virtue (Gis), 3
Heat 3
Taine Craig Ranga (Wahi Bch), 1, Tane Bowden (WGM), 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 3
Heat 4
Blake Haven (Muriwai), 1, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 2, Chris Brokenshire (Auck), 3

Under 16 Girls Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Grace Spiers (Whmata), 1, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 2, Alethea Lock (Chch), 3, Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 4
Heat 2
Rosa Thompson (Auck), 1, Maiya Thompson (Auck), 2, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 3, Lydia Walsh (Tara), 4
Heat 3
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Ella Williams (Whmata), 2, Kristi Zarifeh (Chch), 3, Hannah Kohn (Gis), 4

Under 14 Girls Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 1, Maiya Thompson (Auck), 2, Billie Fairchild- Mckelvie (Muriwai), 3, Lydia Walsh (Tara), 4
Heat 2
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Dayna Story (Gis), 3, Hannah Kohn (Gis), 2, Brooke Naismith (Auck), 4
Heat 3
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 2, Milly Crewe (Muri), 3, Emma Croton (Tara), 4

Under 12 Girls Final (To be surfed on Sunday)
Dayna Story (Gis), Milly Crewe (Muri), Claudia Fraser (Piha), Britt Kindred (Muri), Lauren Walker (Piha)

For more information on the Rip Curl GromSearch please contact Ben Kennings at Surfing New Zealand on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz. Alternatively contact Leon Parkin at Rip Curl on 021386473 or email lparkin@ripcurl.co.nz

Check out www.ripcurl.com.au for more information.

The Rip Curl GromSearch is brought to you by Rip Curl, Kiwi Surf Magazine, The Edge and www.surf2surf.com.

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