NINE NEW CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT THE 2021 BILLABONG OZ GROM CUP

Nine new champions were crowned today at the 2021 Billabong Oz Grom Cup pres. by Coopers Surf Australia following a giant day of action in playful two-foot surf.
 
Lennix Smith (Barrack Point, NSW) wrapped up his final year in the 2021 Billabong Oz Grom Cup pres. by Coopers Surf Australia with a bang, taking out the 16-and-Under Boys division. Smith surfed impeccably over the course of the event, consistently posting mammoth scores for mature manoeuvres and the final was no exception with the Illawarra natural-footer finishing the final with a solid 15.67 two-wave heat total.
 
Charlotte Mulley (Burleigh Waters, Qld) surfed like a seasoned veteran who had honed their backhand on the long righthanders of the Gold Coast as she claimed victory in the 16-and-Under Girls division. Mulley nailed a chain of massive backhand snaps to finish the heat with a 17.23 two-wave total and take the win ahead of Oceanna Rogers (Shellcove, NSW) who claimed the runner-up position.
 
Sierra Kerr (USA) capped off a stellar Billabong Oz Grom Cup campaign, taking victory in the 14-and-Under Girls division. Despite a slow start in the final, Kerr was able to maintain composure in the dying moments of the heat and notch up a near-perfect 9.33 wave score for a chain of powerful snaps and carves – that appeared eerily similar to the same style as her Dad (former Championship Tour surfer Josh Kerr) – to jump from third position into the winner’s chair.
 
Following on Sierra Kerr’s victory, Samuel Lowe (Port Kembla, NSW) became the second child of a former WSL Championship Tour star to take a win. Samuel appeared to channel his father Michael’s performance at the 2004 Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks as he found a handful of beautifully tapered righthanders to post a massive 9.00 wave score and gain the upper-hand against some fancied opposition, including perennial standout Fletcher Kelleher (Freshwater, NSW).
 
Following the recent Rip Curl Newcastle Cup that wrapped up yesterday, Ocean Lancaster (Newcastle, NSW) made sure he did his best to continue representing Novocastrian surfing abroad, smashing the 12-and-Under Boys division. Lancaster dominated the impressive final, executing a barrage of gigantic snaps and carves to finish the heat with a 17.07 two-wave heat total.
 
Pipi Taylor (Peregian Beach, Qld) did the Sunshine Coast proud as she took out the 12-and-Under Girls division. Taylor posted a respectable 9.10 total to take the win ahead of her fancied opponents.
 
Lucas Deffenti (Miami, Qld) showed he is a star on the rise as he took out the highly contended 10-and-Under Boys division. Deffenti stood out in the final, effortlessly linking a chain of giant snaps and carves to post a 15.23 two-wave total and earn the top spot on the dais.
 
Leihani Kaloha Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW) claimed her second Billabong Oz Grom Cup title, taking out the 10-and-Under Girls division. Zoric surfed well beyond her years in the final exchange, nailing an array of beautiful snaps and carves to finish with a giant 16.34 two-wave heat total.
 
Pheonix Talbot (Yamba, NSW) will be heading back to Yamba with his head held high after an impressive victory in the 8-and-Under Mixed division with a heat total of 10.60. The victory confirmed Talbot’s nous in Coffs beachbreak conditions, with the young up-and-comer taking out the same division in the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comp event back in late 2020.
 
The prestigious five-day event – now in its eighth year – ran from the 7th – 11th April and catered for over 200 competitors in nine different divisions.
 
Former champions include 2016 World Junior Champion and current WSL World Championship Tour surfer Macy Callaghan who claimed her respective division in the event’s inaugural year. Since then, the event has been won by a range of Australia’s best and most promising junior surfers.
 
In addition to all the action in the ocean, the final days of the event were webcast through Surfing NSW’s social channels.
 
All event presentations were hosted at the Hoey Moey.
 
Boys and Girls divisions for the event included 8-and-Under Mixed, 10-and-Under, 12-and-Under, 14-and-Under and 16-and-Under.
  
The Billabong Oz Grom Cup pres. by Coopers Surf Australia is proudly supported by Billabong, Coopers Surf Australia, Coffs Harbour Boardriders, Coffs Harbour City Council, Park Beach Plaza, Hoey Moey and Surfing NSW.
 
Event results:
16-and-Under Boys
1 – Lennix Smith (Barrack Point, NSW)
2 – Eden Hasson (Port Stephens, NSW)
3 – Ty Richardson (Palm Beach, Qld)
4 – Kyan Falvey (Cabarita, NSW)
 
16-and-Under Girls
1 – Charlotte Mulley (Burleigh Waters, Qld)
2 – Oceanna Rogers (Shell Cove, NSW)
3 – Holly Wishart (Gerringong, NSW)
4 – Imojen Enfield (Port Macquarie, NSW)
 
14-and-Under Boys
1 – Samuel Lowe (Port Kembla, NSW)
2 – Fletcher Kelleher (Manly, NSW)
3 – Joshua Marsh (Barrack Point, NSW)
4 – Landen Smales (Peregian Beach, Qld)
 
14-and-Under Girls
1 – Sierra Kerr (USA)
2 – Shyla Short (Austinmer, NSW)
3 – Juniper Harper (Lennox Head, NSW)
4 – Ruby Trew (Manly, NSW)
 
12-and-Under Boys
1 – Ocean Lancaster (Newcastle, NSW)
2 – Hunter Anderson (Moffatt Beach, Qld)
3 – Ben Zanatta Creagh (Dee Why, NSW)
4 – Caden Francis (Palm Beach, Qld)
 
12-and-Under Girls
1 – Pipi Taylor (Peregian Beach, Qld)
2 – Avalon Vowels (Scotts Head, NSW)
3 – Charli Hatley (Currumbin, Qld)
4 – Lucy Darragh (Gerringong, NSW)
 
10-and-Under Boys
1 – Lucas Deffenti (Miami, Qld)
2 – Locana Cullen (Avalon, NSW)
3 – Luca Martin (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
4 – Jaggar Phillips (Maroubra, NSW)
 
10-and-Under Girls
1 – Leihani Kaloha Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW)
2 – Talia Tebb (Kincumber, NSW)
3 – Malia Watson (Tweed Heads, NSW)
4 – Henley Smith (Suffolk Park, NSW)
 
8-and-Under Mixed
1 – Pheonix Talbot (Yamba, NSW)
2 – Sage Lewis (Sandy Beach, NSW)
3 – Jaya Suhendra (Byron Bay, NSW)
4 – Bali Dobson (Byron Bay, NSW)