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Posted on Sunday December 6th at 6:53 p.m.
Piha surfer Tane Wallis surfing his way to victory. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
Tyler Lawson was a stand out performer in the morning of the final day and surfed to the highest heat score of the event for the Under 16 Boys Division. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
Sandy Bay surfer Patxi Scott. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
The surf started out clean on the final day of competition but the sea breeze soon kicked in making the small waves under 1.0m challenging, especially over the full tides.
Wallis was focused in all his three appearances today making sure he analysed the ever-changing conditions to give him the advantage.
Wallis had already secured his place in the national Rip Curl GromSearch final but that wasn't going to take anything away from his win today.
"I am stoked as, it is a good way to finish the year and I am stoked to win at home too" commented Wallis.
"You just had to take it as it came out there today" commented Wallis on the fickle conditions. "There were good waves in the morning and then it deteriorated this afternoon so you just have to get as lucky as possible and I got a good start which set up my win" added Wallis.
Second place went to double finalist Dune Kennings (WGM) who along fellow double finalist and fourth place getter Adam Grimson (Gis) looked to run out of steam after contesting their sixth heat of the day.
Dune Kennings made two finals at the event but could not walk away with his first win of the year finishing runner up in both the Under 16 and 14 Boys. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
Fintan Cram made an early exit from the event but not before getting a couple of good waves. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
Fraser Chatham placed 13th in the Under 16 Boys Division after a good performance on the first day of the event. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
Waihi Beach surfer Levi Stewart placed ninth at the event despite being one of the standout competitors on day one. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
Christchurch surfer Sam Courtney shocked a number of surfers in the early rounds of the event before being eliminated in the semifinals of the Under 16 Boys Division. Photo by Silas / Kiwi Surf.
While Wallis posted 12.5 out of a possible 20, Kennings could only muster up 8.45 in the final with third placed Todd Doyle (Mnt) scoring 7.50 and Grimson 7.15.
Kennings and Doyle by way of their placings secured places in the national final of the Rip Curl GromSearch to be held as part of the Rip Curl Pro at Raglan on the 26-28 February 2010.
Much in the same manner as the Under 16 boys winner Tane Wallis, Alexis Poulter (Rag) stormed out of the starting blocks posting an excellent 8.0 point ride in the early stages of the final and never looked back. Despite a comeback from Rosa Thompson (Auck) and Grace Spiers (WGM) in the dying stages, Poulter held strong and finished with a 10.80 point heat total.
Poulter was elated with the win and securing her place in the national final and ending the year on a high.
"It was my last Rip Curl GromSearch event ever so I am so stoked to win, it was my goal and I am stoked to achieve it" commented Poulter.
Poulter is one of several surfers at the event who will be competing in the World Junior Championships in just under two months time and she was quick to point out the advantage of having the event at Piha this weekend.
"Yeah it is real good to surf at the break that the World Champs are at. We have the Auckland Champs here next weekend too so that is another good opportunity to practice".
Winner of the first Rip Curl GromSearch, Grace Spiers (WGM), finished in second place ahead of Rosa Thompson in third on a ‘count back' after both surfers were locked up on 9.50 points a piece. Thompson by way of her third placing secured the fourth and final place in the national final. Double finalist Ella Williams (WGM) finished the final placed fourth.
The tightest battle of the day came in the Under 14 Boys Division in a low scoring affair. The four finalists struggled to get a strangle hold on one another. As the clock ticked down it was Josh Taylor (Mnt) that rode to a 4.55 point ride on his last wave to secure the win.
It was Taylor's first win at a national event. Dune Kennings (WGM) also rode a last ditch wave but came up short by 0.15 finishing second. Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata) led much of the 20 minute final but ultimately finished in third (8.40) ahead of Adam Grimson (Gis) in fourth (7.65).
Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Gis) made up for a shock semifinal loss in the Under 16 Girls Division by dominating her Under 14 Girls final. Martin - Fitzharris posted 13.75 points in the final which comprised a 7.25 and a 6.5 as her top two rides. Whangamata's Ella Williams placed second in the final coming up a little wave starved scoring 6.0 points. Third place went to Piha's Maiya Thompson and Milly Crewe (Mur) finished in fourth place.
Korbin Hutchings (Gis) made it a clean sweep of the Under 12 Division for the year by winning his sixth final today. The young Gisborne surfer has won all six events he has contested this year. Today he posted a 12.50 point heat total to claim victory. Isaac Kettle (Tara) placed second in the final ahead of Leo Copley (Auck) in third and first time finalist Te Rapai Barbarich - Love (Waitara) in fourth.
Dayna Story (Gis) finished the year on a high in the Under 12 Girls Division by winning her third event of the year over her Auckland based opponents. Double finalist Milly Crewe placed second ahead of Claudia Fraser (Piha) in third, Lauren Walker (Piha) in fourth and Britt Kindred (Mur) in fifth.
Please see below for final results from the Rip Curl GromSearch Event Two completed at Piha Beach today (6th Dec).
Under 16 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Sam Courtney (Chch), 2, Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 3, Peri Matenga (Mnt),
Heat 2
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Kane Stewart (Waihi Bch), 2, Jacob Kohn (Gis), 3, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 4
Heat 3
Ben Poulter (Rag), 1, Adam Grimson (Gis), 2, Subarn Linklater (Auck), 3, Fraser Chatham (Whmata), 4
Heat 4
Tyler Lawson (Napier), 1, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 2, Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 3, Jules Craft (Gis), 4
Under 16 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Sam Courtney (Chch), 3, Kane Stewart (Waihi Bch), 4
Heat 2
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 2, Tyler Lawson (Napier), 3, Ben Poulter (Rag), 4
Under 16 Boys final
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 3, Adam Grimson (Gis), 4
Under 14 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Jules Craft (Gis), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 3, Sam Poulter (Rag), 4
Heat 2
Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), 1, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 3, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 4
Heat 3
Sean Kettle (Tara), 1, Josh Taylor (Mnt), 2, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 3, Taylor Louie (Piha), 4
Heat 4
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 2, Waretini Wano (Piha), 3, Kahu Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), 4
Under 14 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), 2, Jules Craft (Gis), 3, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 4
Heat 2
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Josh Taylor (Mnt), 2, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 3, Sean Kettle (Tara), 4
Under 14 Boys Final
Josh Taylor (Mnt), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), 3, Adam Grimson (Gis), 4
Under 12 Boys Final
Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 1, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 2, Leo Copley (Auck), 3, Te Rapai Barbarich - Love (Waitara), 4
Under 16 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Alexis Poulter (Rag), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2, Maiya Thompson (Auck), 3
Heat 2
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 2, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 3
Under 16 Girls Final
Alexis Poulter (Rag), 1, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 2, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 3, Ella Williams (Whmata), 4
Under 14 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Maiya Thompson (Auck), 2, Hannah Kohn (Gis), 3
Heat 2
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Milly Crewe (Muri), 2, Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 3
Under 14 Girls Final
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Ella Williams (Whmata), 2, Maiya Thompson (Auck), 3, Milly Crewe (Muri), 4
Under 12 Girls Final
Dayna Story (Gis), 1, Milly Crewe (Muri), 2, Claudia Fraser (Piha), 3, Lauren Walker (Piha), 4, Britt Kindred (Muri), 5
Kiwi Surf Highest Heat Score Awards
Under 16 Boys - Tyler Lawson (H Bay)
Under 14 Boys - Sean Kettle (Tara)
Under 12 boys - Te Rapai Barbarich - Love (Waitara)
Under 16 Girls - Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Gis)
Under 14 Girls - Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Gis)
Under 12 Girls - Dayna Story (Gis)
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 surf2surf.com.
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