The world’s best junior surfers have arrived in the tiny town of Raglan on the North Island of New Zealand, flying in from all over the globe for the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final.They were not only greeted with a warm Māori welcome, but also with the tail end of a solid swell.
From the top of the point all the way through to Manu Bay, Raglan was offering clean six-foot lines and section and mechanical section of watery canvas. (Take that, Founder’s Cup!)
“We are so happy to have the GromSearch International Final held here in Raglan,” says Leon Parkin, the Rip Curl New Zealand Marketing Manager.
“It means a lot for our country to host a global event, and to have the opportunity to show these athletes and the world what a naturally beautiful place we live. We are happy to share our waves and our culture.”
To kick off their New Zealand experience, the athletes competing in the GromSearch International Final will have the opportunity to get to know the wave at Manu Bay by entering in and competing in the 2018 Rip Curl Pro Raglan. The international groms will be up against the very best locals, and will have the opportunity to showcase their talent in a very real and grassroots way to New Zealand. Their result in the Rip Curl Pro Raglan will create their seed into the GromSearch International Final.
2018 List of Competitors:Australia: Finn Hill & Piper HarrisonBrazil: Lucas Vicente & Anne dos SantosEurope: Guilherme Ribeiro (PRT) & Emma Dubes (FRA)Indonesia: Kona Eru & Taina IzquierdaNew Zealand: Caleb Cutmore & Saffi VetteUSA: Cole Houshmand & Keala Tomoda-BannertInternational wildcards: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) & Kirra-Belle Olsson (AUS)New Zealand Local Wildcards: Brie Bennett &Navrone Malone
