For immediate release
4th February 2025
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: Surfing
Event: 2025 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge – Event 2
Location: Whangamata
Event Info: Surfing New Zealand and Billabong
Pressure builds for Event 2 of the Billabong Grom Series Presented By Oceanbridge
This weekend marks the second of three events in the Billabong Grom series presented by Oceanbridge which started at Mount Maunganui and finishes at Piha, Auckland at the end of February.
Record demand for the event taking place Saturday and Sunday (8-9 February) sees a large field of participants from around the country taking part.
Looking to make the most of the forecasted “fun” conditions, the Coromandel will be well represented across all divisions. The strong contingent of surfers from Whangamata including Lola Groube, Ella Rose Luke, Ruby Milne will look to take a win in their home in the Under 16 girls division. It will be the out of towner Alani Morse (Raglan) who will look for her second win of the series whilst Indi Lee Ruddell, Isla Mckay, Grace Gundry, and Kyra Wallis all look to upset the local favourites.
In the Under 16 Boys it is Sol Fritchley who will be looking for his 2nd win of the series after a standout performance in Mount Maunganui. Local groms will be hot on his heels as will Alexis Owen, Flint Sherbourne France and Jack Higgins, who travel back to the North Island again looking for their first wins of the 2025 Billabong Grom Series. The allure of pumping Whangamata also sees Wellington surfers Stan Brough and Theodore Wilson join the event.
In the Under 14 Girls division it is Bella Biddle and, Megan Luke of Whangamata who will look to use their home break advantage to challenge Jade Nias Phillips of Ahipara who took out event 1 in style at Mount Maunganui.
In the 14 Boys division it was Jaxon Pardoe of Gisborne who wowed the crowds in the Mount placing first against Bay of Plenty team member Ffeon Clifford and Taranaki’s London Cockerell, this talent stacked division will be entertaining as ever.
In the Under 18 girls division Maya Mateja of Raglan will look to continue her winning streak after placing first in Mount Maunganui just 2 weeks before however Bay of Plenty surfers Sage Fritchley and Ariana Walker will be keen to take the win in familiar waters. Local girls Chloe Groube and India Kennings will also be vying for their first wins of the season after 5th equal place finish in the mount.
Event 1 winner of the Under 18 Boys division Cooper Roberts , will not be in attendance paving the way for a new champion in event 2. However Sol Fritchley (Under 16 Boys), Alani Morse (Under 16 Girls) Maya Mateja (Under 18 Girls), Jade Nias Phillips (Under 14 Girls) and Jaxon Pardoe (Under 14 Boys), will all be looking for back-to-back wins this weekend.
After Roberts it is Tao Mouldey who leads a stacked field of surfers in the Under 18 Boys Division alongside Taimana Marupo, Zade Pitkethly and Christian Fougere. All battling for the prestigious Champion of the Billabong Grom Series title.
With just one more event after this weekend the pressure is building for groms also hoping to qualify for the New Zealand Junior team.
Surfers from Ahipara down to Dunedin will take part this weekend with action taking place at Access 8 on The Esplanade from 8am – 5pm daily.
The draw and rankings can be viewed at www.Liveheats.com/SurfingNewZealand.
Each of the three events in the series attracts upward of 130 surfers. It is the twentieth 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 2025 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 2025 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
Go to Surfing New Zealand
Author: Dan Westerkamp