Surfing: First event of grom series at Mount Maunganui's Tay St

Bay of Plenty's Jack Lee is hoping to win this weekend's 2020 Billabong Grom Series at Mount Maunganui after a successful 2019. Photo / Cory / NZ Surfing Magazine

In 2019, Jack Lee set goals for his surfing career and achieved them - but 2020 is looking even better.

Just days into the year Whakatāne17-year-old secured a national title at the Health 2000 National Surfing Championships in Dunedin, taking out the Under 18 division.

"That was my best ever accomplishment in surfing," Lee says.

This weekend, he hopes that success continues, eyeing a win at the first of the three-event 2020 Billabong Grom Series at Mount Maunganui.

The event was scheduled for last weekend but due to a dormant ocean, it had to be postponed. The 2020 Billabong Grom Series now starts at Mount Maunganui's Tay St beach this weekend. It is the first of three events in the series, which heads to Whangamata on February 8-9, and Piha on February 22-23, and Lee is hoping for good waves and results tomorrow and Sunday.

"I'm pretty excited."

Lee, who was in superb form at the national champs, will be one of five age-group national title holders in action during the Grom Series. Last year he took the runner-up placing in the New Zealand Grom Series and with this year being his last before moving into the Open Men's Division, he'll want to go one better this year.

He'll be making the trip to Mount Maunganui from Whakatāne with fellow surfer Tai Murphy, who will be competing in the under-14 division.

Lee says he's been surfing since he just turned 11 and loves progressing in his sport.

Last year he made the New Zealand surf team for the first time - a goal he had set for himself and achieved in 2019. This year will be his last being eligible for the same team, hoping to secure another spot in 2020.

"It's just fun when you feel yourself getting better, I just have fun," he says of being out on the water.

The 2020 Grom Series is the 15th edition of the series and has drawn another big field of junior surfers from around the country.

Most of the entrants will be competing in the under-14 division - one that Bay of Plenty surfers are known to dominate. This year is no different with the likes of Tao Mouldey and Sophia Brock leading a large pack of surfers from Mount Maunganui including Beau Woods, Tava Santorik, Tyler Stenzel and Lily Savill.

The surf is expected to be small with less than 1m of swell which will fade through into Friday.

Morning offshore winds will give way to afternoon sea breezes. Participants will enjoy a second chance format at the event this year with all surfers getting to surf twice.

The action takes place at Tay St beach from 8am until late afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday.

2019 Billabong Grom Series winners:
Under-18 Boys: Caleb Cutmore (Raglan).
Under-16 Boys: Jayden Willoughby (Raglan).
Under-14 Boys: Bill Byers (Piha).
Under-18 Girls: Gabrielle Paul (Piha).
Under-16 Girls: Ava Henderson (Christchurch).
Under-14 Girls: Anna Brock (Mount Maunganui).