Farr and Butler Return to Rip Curl GromSearch

Two of New Zealand’s top young surfers in Daniel Farr (Tara) and Kehu Butler (Mnt) are returning to New Zealand waters this weekend (12^th – 13^th March) to compete at the Rip Curl GromSearch being held at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth.

The two surfers have been traversing Australia for two months this summer competing on the World Surf League Australasian Pro Junior Series. A gap in their busy schedule means they are able to return to New Zealand for the first time this year.

Daniel Farr is a local New Plymouth surfer that won the New Zealand Grom Series in 2015. After ??? events throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, he will relish the chance to return home and compete this weekend.

Kehu Butler claimed the Rip Curl GromSearch title in 2015 and in doing so, won himself a trip to Brazil to compete in the international final which was hosted by 2014 World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA).

The coveted spot in the international final is up for grabs again in the Under 17 Boys and Girls Divisions this year and Kehu Butler is eligible for the spot that goes to the two highest placed surfers under the age of 16.

Butler is New Zealand’s highest ranked surfer on the Pro Junior Series currently sitting in ninth position with three events remaining.

The two returning surfers will further strengthen an already bulging line up of surfers and will certainly give current ratings leader Jonas Tawharu (Mnt) a good challenge, the young surfer currently being undefeated on the New Zealand Grom Series this year.

Other Under 17 Boys Division surfers to look out for include Jared Gebert (Ohope), Dylan Preston (WGM), Caleb Cutmore (Ham) and Waitara surfer Reef Matthews who round out the top five positions on the rankings.

The Under 17 Girls Division will be another hotly contested division. Raiha Ensor (Mnt) has led for the entire summer but she will again face a good challenge from Elin Tawharu (Mnt), Kai Woolf (Gis) and local surfer Zhana Hutchison who will no doubt use a home town event to find some late summer form.

Ensor was the New Zealand representative in Brazil for the 2015 final but this year she will be too old to attend the event leaving the race to her counterparts under the age of 16.

Fresh off a win in the Under 14 Boys Division at Piha last weekend, Whakatane surfer Jack Lee will be eager to continue his run of good form that has seen him make two finals this summer and sit in the top five despite missing the National Championships in Dunedin.

Likewise Georgia Wederell (Mnt) took a win at Piha last weekend and she will attempt to surf to back-to-back victories and strength her ratings lead against her opponents.

The Rip Curl GromSearch includes Under 12 Boys and Girls Divisions which introduce new talent to the sport as well as giving those keen youngsters that generally compete in the Under 14 Boys Division, a chance to go head-to-head against surfers their own age. Raglan will be represented by a trio of surfers including number one seed Kora Cooper as well as Jayden Willoughby and Navryn Malone, all three surfers having been regular competitors in the Under 14 Division this summer.

In the Under 12 Girls Division, the field of seven surfers includes five newcomers to the Rip Curl GromSearch.

Action will take place from 8:00am – 4:00pm daily on Saturday and Sunday at Fitzroy Beach.

See below for top five surfers on the ratings for the Boys and Girls Under 14 and Under 17 Divisions on the New Zealand Grom Series.

Under 17 Boys Division
1, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt)
2, Jared Gebert (Ohope)
3, Dylan Preston (Whmata)
4, Caleb Cutmore (Ham)
5, Reef Matthews (Tara)

Under 14 Boys Division
1, Taylor O’Leary (Mur)
2, Tom Robinson (Whngrei)
3, James Ririnui (Mnt)
4, Josef Jungwirth (Rag)
5, Jack Lee (Whakatane)

Under 17 Girls Division
1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt)
2, Elin Tawharu (Mnt)
3, Kai Woolf (Gis)
4, Tiana – Breeze de Mooj (Mnt)
5, Maaia Reid – Bennett (Mnt)

Under 14 Girls Division
1, Georgia Wederell (Mnt)
2, Stella Smith (Gis)
3, Estella Hungerford (Chch)
3, Summer Carkeek (Auck)
5, Hannah King (Gis)
5, Alice Westerkamp (Auck)

Information
For more information on the Rip Curl GromSearch please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz. Alternatively, please contact Leon Parkin on 021386473 or email lparkin@ripcurl.co.nz.

Imagery
Web clips will be distributed free of charge from the event. Please contact Ben Kennings for further details.

High resolution images will be available to media upon request. Images will be distributed free of charge courtesy of Rip Curl New Zealand.

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