Five unforgettable days of junior surfing as more than 200 of Australia’s best young surfers descended on the Coffs Coast for the 2026 Rip Curl GromSearch Oz Cup, covered by Sun Bum.
From emerging Under 12 talents experiencing their first taste of national competition, to Under 18 surfers already building momentum towards elite pathways, the event showcased the incredible depth and future of Australian surfing.
Across 106 heats, competitors surfed 1,768 waves and produced 36 excellent rides, with North Diggers Beach and Park Beach delivering everything from playful runners to powerful east coast walls that tested every part of a surfer’s skill set.
For some, the goal was securing a place at October’s National Final.
For others, it was about proving they belong among Australia’s best young surfers.
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
A Week That Kept Building
Opening day belonged to the Under 12 and Under 14 divisions, with Levi Lowe immediately making his mark by claiming victory in the Under 12 Boys division after sharing a memorable heat alongside his younger brother.
Chloe Grainger wasted no time reminding everyone why she is regarded as one of Australia’s most exciting junior talents, posting an excellent 8.17 single-wave score, while Kyuss Rimmer, Luca Dart, Billy Daniel and Tully Crompton all opened the event with impressive performances.
As the swell continued to build, so did the level of surfing.
Fresh from claiming a NSW State Title, Hamish Harrigan found himself under pressure early but responded with the composure and skill expected of one of the country’s leading young surfers.
Local favourite Benji Lowen lit up Park Beach with an 8.83 single wave and a 14.66 heat total, setting the benchmark for the event at that stage.
Rio Luther Barr and Bobby Patch were not far behind, showing just how deep this year’s field had become.
By day three, attention turned to the girls’ divisions.
Mila Grainger produced one of the standout performances of the event, combining an 8.50 and 7.50 for a 16.00 heat total, the highest girls’ score of the week.
Levi Lowe responded shortly after with a huge 17.33 heat total, the highest score of the boys’ competition at that point, before the Under 12 divisions crowned their first National Final qualifiers.
Pressure Creates Performances
As finals approached, Park Beach began delivering the kind of conditions that separate good surfers from great ones.
The Under 14 divisions produced exceptional surfing throughout the week, with Tully Crompton and Sage Fleming claiming victory after consistently posting some of the strongest performances of the event.
Elsewhere, Luca Martin began building towards something special.
His quarterfinal performance hinted at what was coming.
His semifinal confirmed it.
Two incredible rides worth 9.50 and 9.40 delivered an 18.90 heat total, the highest of the entire event and one of the most impressive performances seen at GromSearch in recent years.
It was not the only standout number.
Joey Silk produced the highest single-wave score of the competition, earning a 9.57 during the Under 18 Boys semifinals, while Rio Luther Barr and Benji Lowen continued their strong campaigns heading into finals day.
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
Finals Day Delivers the Moment
Finals day brought exactly what the Rip Curl GromSearch is built around.
Clean conditions. Powerful surf. Pressure moments. And young surfers rising to the occasion.
After challenging weather early in the morning pushed the start time back, Park Beach cleaned up and delivered some of the most exciting waves of the week, with a solid easterly swell providing the perfect proving ground for the Under 16 and Under 18 divisions.
In the Under 16 Boys Final, Luca Martin carried his incredible form through to the finish, backing up his semifinal heroics with another excellent performance to claim victory over Lennox Lindsay.
Both surfers produced standout performances throughout the event, consistently finding excellent scores and showing why they remain two of Australia’s most exciting young talents.
In the Under 16 Girls Final, Malia Simon adapted brilliantly to the biggest conditions of the event, showing composure well beyond her years to claim the win.
The Under 18 divisions provided a fitting finale.
Madora Barton enjoyed a breakout week, thriving in the larger conditions and showcasing powerful, mature surfing to claim the Under 18 Girls title.
In the boys’ division, Benji Lowen continued the momentum he had built throughout the event, combining an 8.83 and a 9.27 in the final to secure victory on home waters.
Unfortunately, fellow finalist Joey Silk’s campaign came to an early end after suffering an injury midway through the final following an outstanding week that included the highest scoring wave of the entire event.
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
Photo credit: Matt Dunbar
2026 Rip Curl GromSearch Oz Cup Finalists
The top four surfers in the U12-16 divisions secured their place at October’s National Final.
Under 12 Girls
1st: Myra Brown
2nd: Chloe Grainger
3rd: Callie Hull
4th: Chloe Bar
Under 12 Boys
1st: Levi Lowe
2nd: Saxon King
3rd: Ollie Sharpe
4th: Tasman Mellis
Under 14 Girls
1st: Sage Fleming
2nd: Stevie O’Day
3rd: Mila Grainger
4th: Josefa Melus
Under 14 Boys
1st: Tully Crompton
2nd: Noah Kornek
3rd: Reko Moltzen
4th: Flynn Swierczewski
Under 16 Girls
1st: Malia Simon
2nd: Malia Watson
3rd: Pearl Eaton
4th: Rubylee Neill
Under 16 Boys
1st: Luca Martin
2nd: Lennox Lindsay
3rd: Andy Blanchfield
4th: Bobby Patch
Under 18 Girls
1st: Madora Barton
2nd: Olivia Louise Shannon
3rd: Avalon Vowels
4th: Dune Pruvot
Under 18 Boys
1st: Benji Lowen
2nd: Jake Lanyon
3rd: Rio Luther Barr
4th: Joey Silk
More Than a Contest
Like every Rip Curl GromSearch, what happened between heats mattered just as much as what happened in the water.
Sun Bum kept the beach buzzing with games, giveaways and activations, and Fatboy eBikes became a familiar sight cruising through Park Beach throughout the week.
Competitor packs disappeared almost as quickly as they were handed out, filled with gear from Rip Curl, Ritual Vision, Coopers Surf, Sun Bum, Athlete IQ and more, that had just as many parents looking inside as competitors.
By The Numbers
196 surfers
106 heats
1,768 waves surfed
36 excellent waves scored
Highest Heat Total:
18.90
Luca Martin | Under 16 Boys Semifinal
Highest Single Wave Score:
9.57
Joey Silk | Under 18 Boys Semifinal
Highest Girls Heat Total:
16.00
Mila Grainger | Under 14 Girls
Highest Champion Average:
16.31
Luca Martin | Under 16 Boys
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The Pathway Continues
For more than 25 years, the Rip Curl GromSearch has helped shape the future of Australian surfing.
Tyler Wright. Owen Wright. Molly Picklum. George Pittar. Joel Vaughan.
All once stood where this week’s finalists stood.
Somewhere across five days on the Coffs Coast, another generation took its next step.
Stay up to date
Event galleries are available via the Rip Curl Gromsearch Oz Cup covered by Sun Bum event website.
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