AUSTRALIA’S top young surfers stepped up today in the Billabong Occy Grom Comp at Duranbah Beach, setting the scene for an action packed final day.

The much anticipated semi-finals of the U/12 Boys division delivered some outstanding individual performances, lead by Jeames Young (Yamba/Nth Coast NSW) and Kai Hing (Wurtulla/Sunshine Coast), who both convincingly won their respective semi-finals.

Young’s smooth, powerful backhand style saw him capture victory over highly rated Western Australian surfer Jack Robinson, who also advanced through to tomorrow’s final in second place.

However, the biggest surprise of the day was in semi-final two of the U/12 Boys, where Kai Hing (Sunshine Coast) convincingly defeated Californian wonder-kid Kanoa Igarashi….

Tomorrow’s final day will be huge, beginning with round two heats of the U/16 Boys before running into the finals of all the divisions throughout the afternoon. Surfing Queensland event hotline, 07 3030 6388, will be updated each day by 6:30am with exact event details.

The Billabong Occy Grom Comp is made possible through the support of Billabong, Sony, Virgin Blue, VW, Surfing Queensland and Mark Occhilupo.
]The events official website with heat draws, photos and news also updated daily – www.surfingqueensland.com.au

story from surfingqueensland.com.au

The event schedule for the 2009/10 Rip Curl GromSearch Series presented by Snickers has been released and grommets across Australia will be waxing their boards in anticipation of Stop 1 in Victoria this September.

The Rip Curl GromSearch is Australia’s only national junior event series and gives surfers aged 16 and under the opportunity to test themselves against their friends, peers and interstate visitors alike. Each of Australia’s surfing states score a spot on the series calendar, with the timing usually coinciding with school holidays to ensure everyone gets a chance to surf an event in their own backyard.

The GromSearch series makes use of a unique national ratings system that gives competitors the opportunity to gauge their level of surfing against other surfers on a national scale.

Individual event Champions in the 16’s division from each of the seven events earn an invitation to compete in the National Final, which is held during the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach over Easter. The male and female champions of the National Finals are then invited to represent Australia in the International Final.

One surfer who knows just how valuable this experience can be is teenager and 2009 Rip Curl Women’s Pro wildcard Nikki Van Dijk (Phillip Island, VIC). Van Dijk was the star of last season’s GromSearch, powering right through the 2008/09 series all the way to the International Final which she won at the record age of 14.

2009/10 AUSTRALIAN RIP CURL GROMSEARCH CALENDAR:

VIC, Jan Juc Beach, 22-25 September 2009
NSW, Coffs Harbour, 14-17 October 2009
WA, Mandurah, 24-25 October 2009
TAS, Clifton Beach, 7-8 November 2009
SA, Middleton, 21-22 November 2009
QLD, Duranbah Beach, Gold Coast 14-18 December 2009
NSW, Cronulla, Sydney 22-25 January 2010

Australian Final: 28 March 2010
International Final: 1-5 April 2010 – Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach

The 2009/10 Rip Curl GromSearch series is proudly presented by SNICKERS in association with Waves Magazine, Fuel TV, and Surfing Australia.

Further information on the GromSearch series can be accessed at ripcurl.com  Surfing Australia can provide competition entry forms as well as updated information on each of the events proceedings and surfers ratings which is accessed at surfingaustralia.com

more info and story at surfingaustralia.com

North Stradbroke Island is set to host the hottest and hungriest Queensland groms as competition ramps up in the Arnette Queensland Junior Surfing Titles – The Notorious Shootout ’09.

From Tuesday the 30th of June, event two of the Arnette Queensland Junior Surfing Titles kicks off, with the best Queensland surfers under 18 battling for their position in the deciding competition on the Sunshine Coast, in just over a months time. The Arnette Queensland Junior Surfing Titles is the premier junior series, determining the Queensland team to compete at the Arnette Australian Surfing Titles. Top seeds from events one and two will be eligible to compete in the final event on the Sunshine Coast on August 8 – 9.

The top 24 rated U/16 and U/18 year old boy surfers and the top eight U/16 and U/18 year old girl surfers will be invited to contest the final event. 2009 champions will be decided from a surfer’s best three results from the three event series.

Getting off to a great start at event one on the Gold Coast were winners Jack Freestone (Coolangatta – U18’s), Naomi Stevic (Sunrise Beach – U18’s), Noa Deane (Coolangatta – U16’s) and Eden Putland (Currumbin – U16’s). They will look to consolidate their results and cement their place in the third event as a rabid pack of groms look to surf their way to statewide stardom. Series winners will join a who’s who of Queensland surfing in the finals. Those who’ve netted state junior titles in the past include 2007 world champion Mick Fanning (Coolangatta), current world no.1 Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta) and current World Tour competitors Bede Durbidge (Currumbin) and Dean Morrison (Coolangatta).

Entries have been piling into the Surfing Queensland offices as frothing groms vie for their shot at both North Straddie’s pumping waves and the chance to represent their state at the Aussie Titles.

Those who haven’t entered yet still have the chance, with entries closing today, Monday the 29th of June.

find out more at http://www.surfingqueensland.com.au/

original story from surfinglife