Rip Curl Grom Search 2007
 Event 1

St Michael's on Sea June 2 & 3

Testing conditions were the order of the weekend while the country’s best groms took to the water at St Mikes on the KZN South Coast (June 2/3) for the first of three Surfing South Africa sanctioned Rip Curl Gromsearch events

They were competing for slots in the Rip Curl Grom Search grand final which will take place in October at a venue that will be made known when the series is concluded in early September.

Only the top four surfers in the Under 16 Boys division of each of the three qualifying contests will get to compete in the Grand Final with the eventual winner scoring  a return flight to Torquay, Australia to compete in the International Rip Curl Grom Search final at the Rip Curl Pro, an ASP World Championship Tour event which takes place at Bells Beach over Easter.  

DALE STAPLES

 Dale Staples of St Francis Bay continued his recent winning streak by dominating the U16 Boys division, beating Blake Freegard of Umhloti in the man on man final which Rip Curl and Surfing South Africa used in both the U16 and the U14 boys divisions.

The man on man format is used in all WCT contests and this format was included in the Rip Curl Gromsearch series to prepare these elite groms for when they eventual get to compete at WCT level.  

Ryan Klynsmith of Glenwood and Brett Palmboom of Seapark were equal third and Palmboom was presented with the Zigzag Blowing up award for his consistently outstanding performances though-out the event.  

MICHAEL FEBRUARY

In the Under 14 division, Michael February of Kommetjie won every heat he competed in on his way to claiming the U14 Boys title.

Dane Staples of St Francis Bay was second with Davey Brand of Kommetjie and David Van Zyl of Glenashley, equal third.  

The competitive U12 boys Division was won by Benji Brand of Kommetjie with Nicholas Notten of St James second, Jason Harris of Scottburgh third and Josh Smit of Amanzimtoti fourth.

HEIDI PALMBOOM

The U16 and the U14 Girls divisions produced a ding dong battle between Sarah Baum of Athlone Park and Heidi Palmboom of the Bluff, two girls who consistently out performed their opponents. Baum beat Palmboom in the Under 16 final with Laura Oppel of Shelley Beach third and Annie de Vries of Umhlanga Rocks fourth.

Palmboom then turned the tables on Baum in the Under 14 division edging her into second spot ahead of third placed Heather Klug of Glenmore and Chanelle Botha of Warner Beach, who was fourth.

Final Results

U16 boys
1. Dale Staples
2. Blake Freegard
= 3. Ryan Klynsmith 
= 3. Brett Palmboom

U16 girls
1. Sarah Baum
2. Heidi Palmboom  
3. Laura Oppel
4. Annie De Vries

U14 boys
1.Michael February  
2. Dane Staples
=3. Davey Brand 
=3.  David van zyl 

U14 girls
1. Heidi Palmboom
2. Sarah Baum
3. Heather Klug
4. Chanelle Botha

U12boys
1. Benji Brand
2. Nicholas Notten
3. Jason Harris
4. Joshua Smit

Entries are open for the second Rip Curl Grom Search, a mobile event in Cape Town on the August 4 & 5.
Enter online at www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za