SHREDDING with smiles and good vibes. 21 groms aged from seven to 13 years from Phillip Island Boardriders Club (PIBC) put on a show in near perfect conditions at Shelley Beach last Saturday.
It was the second Supergroms judged competition for the season, aimed at giving young surfers the thrill of competing in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Supergroms Coordinator, Deb Leonard said she, and all parents, were incredibly impressed with the enthusiasm and positive attitude shown by all surfers. “There were definitely some new friendships and surf buddies made,” said Deb.
Many competitors also tried their hand at judging some of the heats. “It was so heartwarming listening to some of the older kids cheering on the younger ones while judging, and being so encouraging when one of them surfed a wave well,” said Deb. “Judging not only gives them a better idea of what judges look for and score highly on, but it’s also a requirement when they enter the club’s bigger contests.”
For some groms, it was their competition debut, and for others, it was their first-time surfing at Shelley Beach.
Steve Lock’s eight-year-old son, Judd was one of the groms catching his first competition wave. “Seeing the smile on the kids’ faces was awesome but more importantly seeing the kids out in the water so supportive of each other, cheering on their mates (and competitors) was a really great sign of sportspersonship,” said Steve.
Many participants had recently participated in the club’s Youth Development Program, and the improvement in their surfing was undeniable.
Phillip Island Boardriders Club would like to thank all parents and competitors who helped and made this event such a success. PIBC hope to run more events like this in the 2024/2025 season.
Results:
U14 Girls:
1st Scarlett Rennie
2nd Phoenix Stedman
3rd Savannah Bennett
U14 Boys
1st Ryan Hain
2nd Angus Farman
3rd Lennox Archibald
U12 Girls
1st Madeline Ritzdorf
2nd Emma Simpson
U12 Boys
1st Max Anagnostou
2nd Lennox Archibald
3rd Bode Bassed
U10 Girls
1st Ashley Anagnostou
2nd Violet Dunham
U10 Boys
1st Rusty Maier
2nd Hugo Joyner
3rd Judd Lock
Legend Award: Max Dunham
Butler Award: Karl Dunham
