It’s ON – Rip Curl Grom Search at Fistral beach in Newquay promises to be an exciting stop on the Europe Rip Curl calendar.
We are thrilled to be able to call the event ON, taking place across the dates of Saturday 15th – Sunday 16th June in Newquay. Due to a powerful six foot swell showing on the surf charts, the contest beach location is subject to change to a more sheltered Newquay beach on one or both days of competition! For real-time updates, please join our WhatsApp group HERE
We extend a warm welcome to the UK’S finest Junior (Grom) shortboarders. Divisions running are Under 12 boys and girls, Under 14 boys and girls, and Under 16 boys and girls.
What is the Rip Curl GromSearch?
For the 2024 edition, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese Groms will go through their National event to qualify for the European Final. Location for the final TBC.
The Rip Curl GromSearch series started as a one-day surfing event at Victoria’s Jan Juc beach in 1999 and has developed to a worldwide series of events designed specifically for the 16 years and under surfer, commonly termed ‘Grommets’.
The series is designed to provide fun events for groms to enjoy themselves and meet crew from around the country, whilst developing their competitive game. As athletes progress to finals the elite level of competition comes into play, with many previous GromSearch competitors going on to the WSL world tour.
Men’s World Surf League athletes that were former GromSearch finalists include: Gabriel Medina, Owen Wright, Italo Ferreira, Jordy Smith, Kolohe Andino, Filipe Toledo, Kanoa Igarashi, Ryan Callinan, Leonardo Fioravanti, Connor O’Leary & Morgan Cibilic. (Note that 4 of the top 5 surfers in the 2021 WSL Finals are all former GromSearch finalists, as well as 20 of the 34 athletes on the men’s WT)
Women’s WSL athletes – Tyler Wright, Carissa Moore, Steph Gilmore, Sally Fitgibbons, Malia Manuel, Nikki Van Dijk, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Bronte McCaulay, Caroline Marks, Macy Callaghan, Brisa Hennessy, Isabella Nichols.
GromSearch competitors have won the last 13 World Surf League women’s World Titles & compile 12 of the current 18 athletes on the women’s WT.
All age divisions will be represented at the GromSearch European final.
All the event winners will qualify for the European final.
The under-16, under 14 and under 12 male and female surfers from the countries where the GS will not take place in 2024 will have a chance to score a wildcard entry to the European Final somewhere in 2024.
Rip Curl European Gromsearch online wildcards up for Grabs
Rip Curl will be awarding lucky surfers from the European countries where the Rip Curl Gromsearch didn’t take place in 2024 the chance to score a Wildcard entry to the European Final somewhere in September 2024. So how do you score a Wildcard spot? Rip Curl is welcoming the return of #GromSearchOnline. This online event will allow you to submit your greatest surf clips via Instagram.
A panel of former GromSearch finalists, now professional Rip Curl athletes, will judge and decide on winners based on their favourite clips.
Who will be the judges of the Final contest?
Former GromSearch Finalists, now Rip Curl professional athletes: – Alys Barton (UK) – Kyllian Guerin (France)
Here’s What You Need To Do To Enter:
1 – Post your best surf clips on Instagram with the hashtag #GromSearchOnline.
2 – Tag @ripcurl with your name, age division and location.
3 – You can enter as many times as you like.
4 – Entries are open until the 15th of July 2024
If you are a Wildcard winner: one wildcard per age division. Each wildcard chosen gets to compete at the Rip Curl GromSearch European Final Somewhere in Fall.
