NZ’s top groms set to rip in Gisborne Junior Pro surfing contest

If Makorori Beach is unsuitable for the Gisborne Junior Pro surfing contest, it is highly likely it will be held at Tolaga Bay (pictured). Photo / NZ Surfing Magazine

The Gisborne Junior Pro is set to fire up the East Coast with its fourth consecutive year of grommet action.

As of earlier Thursday, the venue was still to be decided. It was originally scheduled for Makorori Beach’s Red Bus break, but Surfing NZ said given the weather and large swell, it was “highly likely” it would be based at Tolaga Bay.

The Sequence Surf-sponsored contest is the final event on the New Zealand Junior Surf Series calendar and the last opportunity for competitors to earn ranking points for the NZ Grom Series.

Rising talent from Ahipara to Dunedin will battle it out in the Under-14, U16 and U18 divisions.

It is usually set against the stunning backdrop of Makorori Beach, renowned for its long peeling right-handers and powerful beach breaks.

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However, Kennings said with safety at the forefront of Surfing New Zealand events, participants should be ready to travel to a more sheltered option.

If that is the case, organisers still expect another successful contest with a unique flavour.

“What sets the Gisborne Junior Pro apart is its combination of grassroots community energy and professional level competition,” Kennings said.

“With local pride on the line and national rankings up for grabs, competitors will be throwing everything they’ve got at the judging criteria.

“And with the return of the Biggest Manoeuvre Award, the stakes are even higher for those who want to push the envelope.”

The category will award $100 cash to one standout surfer from each division who goes big – whether that’s a massive air, critical turn or radical combo.

“It’s not just about playing it safe,” says Sequence Surf Shop owner and 2003 men’s open national champion Blair Stewart. “We want to see who’s really willing to push their surfing to the next level.”

The Gisborne Junior Pro will also support the next generation of local surfers through the release of a limited-edition event T-shirt.

Designed by a local artist and available for purchase throughout the event, all proceeds from T-shirt sales will go towards funding the Gisborne scholastic surf team as they prepare for the national scholastics in Taranaki in October.

Beyond the competition, the Gisborne Junior Pro is also a celebration of surf culture, community and the raw energy of youth.