Rip Curl GromSearch

RIPCURL GROMSEARCH

It was fantastic to see Rip Curl re-enter the South African surfing contest scene with the opening event of their Rip Curl GromSearch series for 2022 at Mossel Bay. However, it had a challenging start as a large white shark decided to cruise past the surfers at Inner Pool in the day’s second heat, probably looking for a seal kebab for breakfast.

Victoria Bay became the star of the show as the contest moved 40 minutes east to the quiet waves near George. Victoria Bay proved to be an excellent location for the event. The contestants were blessed with windless conditions and consistent waves the entire event.

For local St Francis surfers, it was all eyes on Rory Dace from Cape St Francis. Dace has been killing it on the local Surfing South Africa circuit. But, once again, this event was another contest in which the tall natural-footer absolutely dominated.

The contest report: “The U14 Boys division has some red-hot talent and intense rivalries going. This division is a strong indicator of who our top performers will be in the future, and these surfers did not disappoint during this final battle.

Cooper Smith (CT) and Rory Dace swapped the lead a few times in this nailbiter, and in the end, Dace snatched the victory with a tremendous last wave. A three-turn combo and a classy close-out finish saw the judges award him 7.0 points and the win. Matt Canning (KZN) struggled to find the good ones and finished third, with much-improved Massimo Bienz (CT) in fourth place.

The Rip Curl GromSearch presented by Sea Harvest was an incredible event. The move to Victoria Bay was a good decision. Thanks to the Victoria Bay locals who gave up their surf spot at almost no notice to see the show go on. The vibe throughout the event was vibrant amongst the junior surfing fraternity. Rip Curl can be proud of an event well run by Surfing South Africa, which stoked out the groms to no end.

The next Rip Curl GromSearch presented by Sea Harvest will occur at Magnatubes in JBay on 23/34 July. The final event will be at Scottburgh on the 24/25 of September. The Rip Curl GromSearch series allows kids to compete against the best surfers in the same age bracket from their country. This format provides these groms with an insight into a life of competitive surfing and gives them the invaluable experience of surfing and competing in different waves around the country.