“The Tassie Assault” is a film by Lehman Jennings allowing you to ride along for an epic journey following 3 friends driving south from Sydney into the depths of Tasmania with an old landy, a dirt bike strapped to the back, a few surfboards & only the essentials. With a hunger for adventure and the highs and lows of a plan turned upside down it’s sure to be an experience they’ll remember forever.
@lehmanjennings
Directed By: Lehman Jennings Filmed By: Lehman Jennings & Nelson Kingery Starring: Nelson Kingery, Tanner Stephens & Lehman Jennings Edited By: Lehman jennings & GeoCreative Water Cinematography: Joel Barker Stills Photography: Tanner Stephens
The 2025 Rip Curl GromSearch UK wrapped up in style at North Devon’s iconic Croyde Beach, after a week of challenging swell conditions forced a mid-week relocation to Putsborough, before returning to Croyde as the forecast settled—setting the stage for an electric weekend of surf competition.
With over 100 of the UK’s best young surfers competing across U12, U14, and U16 shortboard divisions, and a packed beach of families, coaches, and supporters, the contest celebrated the next generation of British surfing in top form.
Priority Judging Debut For the first time at the GromSearch UK, Priority Judging was implemented. Priority judging helps manage the order in which surfers catch waves, ensuring competitors with priority get first choice of waves and can execute their strategies without interference.
This system promotes more strategic surfing, and allows judges to better assess each surfer’s performance. Priority judging is widely used in national and international competitions, helping young surfers develop important contest skills like wave selection and tactical awareness. Introducing it at the UK level better prepares groms for the demands of European and world championship events.
Elite Finals & Heat Highlights The action-packed finals didn’t disappoint, with surfers delivering impressive scores under pressure. Here’s a breakdown of each division champion and their winning heat performances, followed by the full podium for each category:
U12 Girls – Betsie Reay – 10.97
Betsie found early rhythm in the final, linking clean turns and displaying excellent wave selection to stay comfortably ahead. Her calm, composed approach under pressure marked a breakthrough performance.
Cassius was untouchable in the final, opening with a massive 9.00 ride that lit up the beach. With crisp rail work and explosive energy, he not only took the win but secured the event’s highest heat total, earning the €500 Oakley High Score Award.
Podium:
• Cassius Woudberg
• Teijo Boletta
• Albie Gould
• Bobby Smith
U14 Girls – Bella Llewellyn – Scoring 10.27
Bella brought smooth flow and timing to her turns, executing her strategy perfectly. She controlled the final from start to finish, making it clear she’s a rising force in junior surfing.
Podium:
• Bella Llewellyn
• Isabella O’Reilly
• Daisy-Bleu Heddercott
• Summer-Marie Moore
U14 Boys – Cairo Garcia Plartus – Scoring 13.73
Cairo brought power and precision to the lineup, locking in two big scores early in the heat. His aggressive yet stylish approach made him a standout throughout the weekend—and a deserving champion.
Podium:
• Cairo Garcia Plartus
• Jensen Martin
• Jude Beech
• Joshi James
U16 Girls – Josie Hawke – Scoring 9.54
Josie rose to the occasion in a tight final, using her experience and confidence to find the heat’s best wave and lay down a critical 6.17 ride that made all the difference.
Podium:
• Josie Hawke
• Sunny Ingram
• Coco Arthur
• Kaja Millward
U16 Boys – Joel Nicholson – Scoring 13.60
Joel was surgical in his wave selection, backing up a powerful 6.93 with consistent surfing to control a fiercely contested final. His composure under pressure made him a clear victor.
Podium:
• Joel Nicholson
• Rory Murphy
• Isaac Friend
• Reuben Joseph Wakely
Eyes on Europe: Hossegor Awaits
All division winners will now represent the UK at the Rip Curl GromSearch European Final, set to take place in Hossegor, France (date TBC). They’ll take on Europe’s top young surfers, including champions from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Wildcard entries. The road to the GromSearch World Final starts here!
Gratitude to Sponsors & Supporters
The success of the GromSearch UK would not be possible without the support of these incredible partners:
• Rip Curl – Event Creator and driving force behind global grom progression
• Oakley – Backing elite performance, providing rad prizes and awarding our highest scorer
• FCS – Longtime GromSearch partner and supporter of young surfers
• Parkdean Resorts – Ruda, for allowing us the use of the incredible venue of Croyde Beach.
• Apex Rescue, ensuring water safety throughout
• Biffen’s Kitchen, fuelling our hard working team with great food and good vibes
Massive thanks as well to Contest Director Pauly Jeffrey, Priority Judge Kerry Powell, our judging panel, media team, and every competitor and family who brought this special weekend to life.
Asher Pacey and Victor Bernardo have once again come together with their latest collaboration, Austral Eden. Together, their distinct approaches create a beautiful contrast — Asher’s soulful glide paired with Victor’s powerful finesse results in a visual symphony that celebrates the art of surfing in all its forms. Hit play and slide away with the kings of fluidity and finesse.
A short film by Dan Scott
Music: After sunrise – Sergio Mendes Let it ride – The Soundcarriers
The surfing community often goes unrecognised as the first line of defence in the prevention of drowning. Most surfers just pull the victim out of the rip, get them to the beach and carry on surfing. It’s only if cameras are onshore that a small amount of incidents come to light. All in a day at the beach!
Incidents are on the increase though so as well as taking our hats off to all the heroes, I’d just like you to think about learning a few rescue techniques.
Inspired by the lockdown stories of surfers rescuing and basically saving hundreds of lives, Langland Surf Lifesaving Coach and Trainer and fanatical surfer Andy Parkinson has put together a series of videos you can use to save the lives of your mates, or randoms in trouble.
It’s well worth everyone knowing these techniques so you can do your best, because not knowing and feeling helpless is a pretty shit feeling. Even if it doesn’t all go to plan at least you have given it a go.
At the moment in most these cases the chances of you contracting Covid are 1,000s of times less than the casualty dying.
• Always call 999 before taking any action, unless you are the sea and don’t have your phone, in which case call for help.
• Get as many peoples attention as you can as you go over to aid the casualty.
• In the water get one designated person to go and call in for help and co ordinate.
• Let the most experienced person in your group take the lead.
• Stay calm and focus
• If you are inexperienced stay calm stay safe and wait for help. Don’t turn one casualty into two.
• Do your best, that all anyone can ask for.
Assisting a distressed/ tired paddler
Assisting a conscious swimmer
Assisting an unconscious surfer
Dealing with an unconscious casualty – Covid19 CPR
Tom Lowe has released an update from hospital and he is doing great!
He can’t remember much of what happened but thanked his rescuers Geta David and Sage Burke, without who it’s hard to believe he’d be here. (Rescue techniques for surfers are here . If you have been affected rescuing someone advice “Who rescues the rescuers” is here )
“So here we are. What are the chances of having another near-death at Teahupo’o the first time back surfing it. Thankful it wasn’t my time again.
“Eternally grateful to @veteadavid and @sage_burkefor rescuing and resuscitating me…my true guardian angels!!
I don’t remember anything about the accident at all, besides coughing up water and blood in the marina.
I was under for 2 or 3 minutes the guys said…must have got knocked out on the reef or blacked out from the hold down. Feels pretty scary not remembering anything.
“Wanted to say thanks to @matahidrollet and @guy__mac for getting my family to me in the hospital, and to the locals for being so kind in the lineup always.
“Will this be the end of Teahupo’o for me…I really don’t know. It’ll be hard not to come back to this magical place again. For now I’m just so grateful to be alive, to be able to be with my family here, and for the deep connections made with the place and people once again.
” @veteadavid and I met here around 2008 and we shared a barrel together. Then a few years ago, he came to visit me in hospital after that first gnarly accident. Now this has connected us for life. If it wasn’t for him grabbing my lifeless body out of the water, and him and @sage_burke resuscitating me, Teahupoo would have taken me.
I’m a lucky guy.
” Big love and thanks for all the kind messages and prayers everyone ”
Rio Waida is a trailblazing professional surfer who has made history as Indonesia’s first Olympic surfer, representing the nation at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games. Born in Saitama, Japan, in 2000 and raised in Bali from age five, Waida developed his surfing skills on the iconic waves of Jimbaran, Kuta, and Uluwatu. Check out this sweet edit of Rio blazing through Uluwatu, Keramas and Canggu.
