Champions Crowned at the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comp Cronulla

The last stop of the NSW based Woolworths Surfer Groms Comp Series wrapped up on Sunday in challenging conditions across the weekend. Both day one and finals day commencing at North Cronulla Beach, the testing conditions didn’t seem to hold back the 70 plus grommets who all stepped up to the plate.

On the boys side of the draw, it was U10 Boys winner Maverick Macgugan (Avalon) who was an overall standout throughout the two days of competition. Maverick came away with the highest two wave heat total of all the finals (14.16) and also had the highest heat total across all male divisions from both day one and day two with a combinations total of 15.43 in round one. Maverick also received the Le Tan “Breakthrough Performer” award for showing the judges his strength and talent well beyond his years.

Another athlete coming away with a great win was Max Goold (Currumbin Alley) in the U12 Boys. The young grom finished up with a combined heat total of 13.67 leaving Sonny Leong (Cronulla) in second, Henry Smith (Mona Vale) in third, and Joakim Bjorck (North Bondi) in fourth.

In the U14 Boys it was a back and forth battle between all four boys with South Coast athlete Jett Bradley (Ulladulla) coming away with the win. Jett posted the highest heat wave (5.77) of the final in an early exchange putting in the box portion for the majority of the final. Leaving Frankie Timmermans (Forresters Beach) in second, Jesse Fitzgibbon (Coledale) in third and Jackson Fraser (Shell cove) in fourth.

As for the girls side of the draw, it was Everly Morgan (Ulladulla) who consistently caught the judges eyes. Everly dropped some of the biggest scores across all girls divisions over the weekend, finishing up with a combination heat total of 11.0 in the U12 girls final. Coming away victorious over fellow competitors Alanni Morris (Shelly Beach), Coco Hamano (Terrigal) and Mila Grainger (Newport).

The U10 Girls Final was a nail biting heat, but it was Byron Bay’s finest, Rosie Barron who took the win narrowly over Chloe Grainger (Newport), Yvie Buckley (Narraweena), and Callie Hull (Flinders). The friends are no strangers to competing against each other and often take it in turns for the win, Rosie was quick out of the blocks to her her final underway before running away with the victory after dropping a 5.5 early in the final.

When it came to the U14 Girls final, it was another tight heat between all athletes. All girls stayed within reach of each other in the final, but after an interference call and a couple numbers coming in right at the dying minutes, it was Malia Barron (Byron Bay), older sister to Rosie Barron, who claimed victory against Lily Sain (Ingleside), Indi Vaughan (Bateau Bay) and Tilly McDonnell (Barrack Point) who battled it out for second, third and fourth.

Then came the most impressive division of them all, the U8’s Mixed Final. After surfing two heats and combining those placements together to find a winner, it was obvious to all that seven-year-old Saxon King (Austinmer) was unstoppable. The young boy from down south is set to have a big future ahead after wowing beach-goers with his skills. 

All scores can be seen here.

Results

Under 8 Mixed
1^st Saxon King (Austinmer)
2^nd Parker Keane (Cronulla)
3^rd Max Gunn (Mossy point)
4^th Josh Pye (Dee Why)

Under 10 Girls
1^st Rosie Barron (Byron Bay)
2^nd Chloe Grainger (Newport)
3^rd Yvie Buckley (Narraweena)
4^th Callie Hull (Flinders)

Under 10 Boys
1^st Maverick Macgugan (Avalon)
2^nd Hayden Mee (Merewether)
3^rd Levi Lowe (Byron Bay)
4^th Thomas Hegarty (Woolooware)

Under 12 Girls
1^st Everly Morgan (Ulladulla)
2^nd Alanni Morris (Shelly Beach)
3^rd Coco Hamano (Terrigal)
4^th Mila Grainger (Newport)

Under 12 Boys
1^st Max Goold (Currumbin Alley)
2^nd Sonny Leong (Cronulla)
3^rd Henry Smith (Mona Vale)
4^th Joakim Bjorck (North Bondi)

Under 14 Girls
1^st Malia Barron (Byron Bay)
2^nd Lily Sain (Ingleside)
3^rd Indi Vaughan (Bateau Bay)
4^th Tilly McDonnell (Barrack Point)

Under 14 Boys
1^st Jett Bradley (Ulladulla)
2^nd Frankie Timmermans (Forresters Beach)
3^rd Jesse Fitzgibbon (Coledale)
4^th Jackson Fraser (Shell cove)

Regarded as one of the major stepping stones in the development of young Australian surfers, the 10-event Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps series caters for surfers from Under 8 to Under 14 and will be held in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia over summer.

As an added bonus, the respective winners of the Under 14 boys’ and girls’ divisions from each event will receive an invite to attend an all-expenses-paid, three-day Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps National Final Surf Camp, (1-day coaching clinic, two days of competition and heat analysis coaching) at the Surfing Australia High-Performance Centre (HPC). For the South Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian events, the Woolworths Surf Camp prize will be awarded to the highest place Under-14 Boy and Girl who reside in that respective state.

Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps 2023 Schedule:

• EVENT 1 – Kiama, NSW – Sept 2 – 3, 2023

• EVENT 2 – Coffs Harbour, NSW – Sept 9 – 10, 2023 

• EVENT 3 – Fleurieu Peninsula, SA – Sept 30, 2023

• EVENT 4 – Gold Coast, QLD – Oct 7 – 8, 2023

• EVENT 5 – Torquay, VIC – Oct 14 – 15, 2023

• EVENT 6 – Clifton Beach, TAS – Oct 28, 2023

• EVENT 7 – Northern Beaches, NSW – Nov 4 – 5, 2023

• EVENT 8 – Trigg, WA – Nov 18 – 19, 2023

• EVENT 9 – Cronulla, NSW – Dec 2 – 3, 2023 

• EVENT 10 – Sunshine Coast, QLD – Dec 9 – 10, 2023

• National Final – Surfing Australia HPC, Casuarina, NSW – Dec 16 – 18, 2023