Rusty Gromfest
Rusty Gromfest: Chris Friend claimed a decisive win in the 16 Boys division to claim back to back major grommet titles
Every young surfer's ambition is to win a Rusty Gromfest title and today at Lennox Head six of Australia's and the World's best young surfers realized that dream.
With early morning conditions again ideal at Lennox Head and a clean 1m plus swell delivering ideal waves for semi finals across all divisions, Contest Director Max Perrot declared conditions for this years event as possibly the best ever in it's prestigious 11 year history.
The finals began around noon and the biggest upset was to occure in the opening 12 year Girls final. Sth Coast NSW surfer Tyler Wright had already won this division for the past three years and in her final year of the 12 year division looked very likely to take an amazing 4th title. However, Victorian surfer Nikki Van Dijik from the surf rich area of Phillip Island produced a super performance in the final and right from her opening 6 point ride looked the surfer to beat. She backed that ride up with an excellent 8.5 late in the final to take a comfortable win with Wright coming in second.
Twelve Year Boys saw a classic showdown with Port MacQuaries Matt Banting proving too strong to take his second consecutive win here just ahead of Narrabeen ' s Cooper Chapman who had been a standout throughout this event - Cooper scoring the only 10 point ride of the event earlier on day 2!
Fourteen Girls saw a much deserved win to Sunshine Coast ' s Naomi Stevic. Stevic has had a great week finishing 2nd in a major grom. event on the Gold Coast last weekend and today taking the win ahead of WA surfer Felicity Palmateer.
Boy ' s fourteen division was an intruiging final with two Tahitian surfers looking very much the class acts at this event. Two young 13 year old Australian 's did what they could to stop the very talented internationals. Dylan Cummings (Soldiers Beach Central Coast NSW) lead for the first half of the final when he opened with a very strong 7.9 but as the final progressed Tahitian Tamaroa McComb found two strong 6.5 rides to take the lead. Cummings required just a 5 point ride to regain the lead but couldn't find the right wave and McComb took a well deserved win.
The 16 Girl ' s and Boy ' s finals culminated the event and as expected both finals were high standard and close affairs with lead changes throughout and excellent scores required to take the win.
Sth Coast NSW surfer Sally Fitzgibbons won the Girls 16's and her mid final ride of 8.25 was the decisive factor. Late in the heat 15 year old Narrabeen surfer Laura Enever found a great wave and scored a 7.9 to go very close to overtaking Fitzgibbons but the young Gerroa surfer hung on to take the win.
The 16 Boys final provided the perfect finish to this sensational event. All four finalists were in great form and at different stages all held the lead.
With five minutes remaining Tweed Coast surfer Brent Savage looked to have finally claimed the win when he pulled out a big fins free move and posted an excellent 8.25.
Chris Friend (Sunshine Coast) had other ideas and he remained calm, found a good shaped wave and linked together a series of super fast critical moves to score an outstanding 9 point ride to overtake the unlucky Savage.
It was Friend ' s and Fitzgibbons ' consecutive major grommet wins in the past week and both can lay claim to being the best grommet surfers in Australia and possibly the world!
Another sensational year for the Rusty Gromfest which promises to return bigger and better - if that's possible, next year!
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