GromSearch Goes Off at Huntington Beach
Rip Curl team reigns supreme, snagging all four GromSearch division titles in pumping surf this International Surfing Day weekend.
From the moment Cannon Carr kicked off the opening heat with a massive backside rotation (which earned him the Banzai Bowls Maneuver of the Event Award) it was clear that thisFather’s Day season opener would be one to remember!
After what has felt like far too long of Groundhog Day doldrums, with drapes of grey blanketing the skies, the sun broke upon Saturday’s dawn, and perfect 4-foot peaks allowed the groms to perform to the highest of their abilities from the opening horn. With the top four athletes in each division punching their tickets to the Rip Curl GromSearch National Finals this fall in Palm Springs, there was plenty of incentive for the kids to flare, too!
Aside from the excitement of epic waves and national final implications, Rip Curl also teamed up with Surfrider to host a Huntington Beach cleanup for International Surfing Day. It saw a solid turnup of Surf City faithful, joining forces with Rip Curl’s own Crosby Colapinto in sweeping the sands for trash, enjoying tunes from Iris and the Shade, and then munching on burritos courtesy of Wahoos!
As the buzz on the beach died down, the aquatic action did anything but, and standouts like Eden Walla, Tanner Sandvig, Lucas Cassity and Luke Wyler threw down massive single moves and marched their way through their respective divisions, all making appearances in the finals.
Sunday afternoon’s conditions housed a few longer than average lulls, and every now and then,the unlucky heats fell victim to the solid sets arriving at a slight slower pace. That said,prevailing winds followed suit, and glassy seas held strong all the way until the final horn blew. A Huntington Beach rarity, to be sure. And coupled with the incredible family vibe for Father’s Day, and equally amazing surfing level put forth by this year’s competitors, the Huntington Beach regional qualifier rocketed itself into the record books for one of the most enjoyable events yet!
Rip Curl would like to offer special thanks the City of Huntington Beach, Brillo Productions, and all of our amazing partners: Banzai Bowls, YETI, Flexfit, GoPro, Oakley, Lost Surfboards, FCS, Softech Surfboards & Wahoos Fish Taco for the support of the GromSearch series. series and allowing us to run such amazing contests.
Final Results:
12/U Boys Divison:
1st - Tanner Sandvig
2nd - Finn Castle
3rd – Kai Thompson
4th – Brody Buck
14/U Boys Division:
1st – Petey Romaniuk
2nd – Gavin Bren
3rd – Lucas Cassity
4th – Ian Honda
16/U Girls Division:
1st – Eden Walla
2nd – Maddie Stanton
3rd – Lanea Mons
4th – Remy Todd
16/U Boys Division:
1st – Eeli Timperi
2nd – Luke Wyler
3rd – Will Deane
4th – Cannon Carr
Softech Expression Session: Matteus Santos
…Lost High Heat Total: Cannon Carr
Banzai Bowls Maneuver of the Event: Cannon Carr
