KICKING off on September 22 in Jan Juc, Victoria, the 2018/19 Rip Curl GromSearch is set for another epic year of high-level competition.
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The Rip Curl GromSearch National Series is a prestigious event series giving 16-and-under surfers a chance to compete against their nations’ best, and 2018 marks its 20th year running.
One of the longest junior surfing series in the world, it has become a crucial stepping-stone in the development of junior surfers.
The list of previous GromSearch winners illustrates the significant history of the series, with World Surf League siblings Tyler and Owen Wright, from Culburra Beach, as well as Gerroa’s Sally Fitzgibbons among the list of former competitors and GromSearch international final champions.
“It was such a cool opportunity to get to compete in different areas around Australia at such a young age,” Tyler Wright said.
“It was definitely the best way to prepare for competition on the QS and the CT, and it was a really fun environment too.”
Working in conjunction with Surfing Australia, the Rip Curl GromSearch includes divisions in 16-and-under, 14-and-under and 12-and-under, for both boys and girls.
The Australian National series will feature five stops in the key surfing regions of Jan Juc (VIC), Newcastle (NSW), Trigg Beach (WA), Yorke Peninsula (SA) and the Sunshine Coast (QLD).
Participants can look forward to activities, giveaways and the chance to meet surfers from all over the country at each event, as well as hone their skills in the water.
Athletes will gain valuable experience with the same system of priority and judging used across all elite surfing events.
The Australian series allows surfers from around the country to compete against their contemporaries in a fun and engaging environment.
Each result in the five-event series is awarded points that count towards a surfer’s GromSearch National rating, giving participants across the country the opportunity to compare their performances against their peers.
After the last event in Queensland, the top-ranked surfers qualify for the Rip Curl GromSearch national final (in their respective divisions), where they then compete for the chance to become the Australian GromSearch Champion.
The National Champion then represents Australia at the Rip Curl GromSearch International final, held at a new location around the globe each year, against the best junior surfers in each participating country.
Schedule: Jan Juc (September 22-24), Newcastle (September 29-Ocotber 2), Trigg Beach (October 5-7), Yorke Peninsula (October 27-28) and Sunshine Coast (December 14-18).