Saffi Vette. File picture
GISBORNE surfer Saffi Vette posted the highest heat score of the event in winning the under-17 girls’ division of the first leg of the Billabong Grom Series, completed at Whangamata yesterday.
Vette scored 17.6 out of a possible 20 points in the final, her highest wave scoring 9.60 points.
She beat Mt Maunganui’s Elin Tawharu (runner-up), Piha’s Gabrielle Paul (third) and Christchurch’s Tegen Bishop in the final. The win maintained Vette’s unbeaten record for summer.
Finn Vette, brother of Saffi, was third in the u14 boys’ division final, behind winner Kora Cooper of Raglan and runner-up Tom Butland of Oakura, and ahead of Jayden Willoughby of Raglan.
Gisborne surfer Ava Smith was a first-time finalist in the u14 girls’ division, finishing fourth.
Other Gisborne surfers to reach the latter stages of their divisions were Finn Johnson (u17 boys’ semifinalist), Kai Woolf (u17 girls’ semifinalist) and Hannah King (u14 girls’ semifinalist).
Christchurch surfer Harrison Whiteside and Muriwai’s Britt Kindred claimed the premier u20 division titles at the first event of the grom series.
Whiteside trailed for much of his final before he split the peak with Taranaki surfer Daniel Farr, who was leading the final. Farr got caught behind on the left while Whiteside came around the section on the right-hander and completed an air reverse on the closeout to claim a 9.17-point ride and the lead for his first win in five years.
Kindred toughed out a tight final in the u20 women’s division held in the dying swell. A total heat score of 8.07 points was enough for Kindred to secure the win as she held off Piha’s Claudia Fraser (runner-up).
Dunedin’s Elliot Brown lived up to his “overall performance of the event” award from the national championships by winning the u17 boys’ division.
Results of finals and Gisborne-contested heats yesterdayUnder-20 men’s final: Harrison Whiteside (Chch), 14.4.7, 1; Daniel Farr (Tara), 12.43, 2; Callum Chuter (Tau), 10.53, 3; Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 10.07, 4.
U17 boys, quarterfinals, Heat 4: Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 12.33, 1; Finn Johnson (Gis), 8.9, 2; Thomas Carter (Waihi Bch), 8.4.7, 3; Kaya Horne (Mnt), 6.33; 4.
Semifinals, Heat 2: Dylan Preston (Whmata), 11.77, 1; Conor McLennan (Chch), 9.27, 2; Finn Johnson (Gis), 7.2, 3; Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 6.83, 4.
Final: Elliott Brown (Dun), 13.1, 1; Conor McLennan (Chch), 11.1, 2; Dylan Preston (Whmata), 10.5, 3; William van der Beek (Mnt), 9.33, 4.
U14 boys, quarterfinals, Heat 1: Josef Jungwirth (Rag), 9.53, 1; Navryn Malone (Rag), 9.53, 2; Manawa Ruru (Gis), 9.17, 3; Ethan Wray (Tara), 5.5, 4.
Heat 4: Finn Vette (Gis), 12.4.3, 1; Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 11.87, 2; Jacob Buckle (Waipu), 4.97, 3; Sonny Eades (Mnt), 3.43, 4.
Semifinals, Heat 2: Finn Vette (Gis), 12.70, 1; Jayden Willoughby (Rag), 8.23, 2; Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 7.67, 3; Ryder Pennington (Tara), 5.93, 4.
Final: Kora Cooper (Rag), 13.13, 1; Tom Butland (Tara), 12.33, 2; Finn Vette (Gis), 12.20, 3; Jayden Willoughby (Rag), 9.90, 4.
U20 women, final: Britt Kindred (Muri), 8.07, 1; Claudia Fraser (Auck), 6.37, 2; Billie Scott (Whngrei), 4.17, 3; Janee Armstrong (Chch), 2.17, 4.
U17 girls, semifinals, Heat 2: Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 12.4, 1; Saffi Vette (Gis), 8.53, 2; Kai Woolf (Gis), 6.65, 3; Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 4.83, 4.
Final: Saffi Vette (Gis), 17.6, 1; Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 9.7, 2; Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 4.42, 3; Tegen Bishop (Chch), 3.63, 4.
U14 girls, quarterfinals, Heat 1: Ava Smith (Gis), 9, 1; Ariana Shewry (Tara), 8.57, 2; Ely Blackhouse (Auck), 4.5, 3; Sophia Brock (Mnt), 0, 4.
Heat 2: Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin), 13, 1; Alice Westerkamp (Auck), 9.9, 2; Daizee Rawls (Gis), 7.2, 3; India Kennings (Whgmata), 6.1, 4.
Heat 3: Brie Bennett (Rag), 15.4, 1; Hannah King (Gis), 11, 2; Summer Carkeek (Auck), 10.2, 3; Alice Webb (Whgmata), 4.3, 4.
Semifinals, Heat 1: Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin), 8.3, 1; Ava Smith (Gis), 7.7, 2; Anna Brock (Mnt), 7, 3; Hannah King (Gis), 5.17, 4.
Final: Brie Bennett (Rag), 10.6, 1; Ariana Shewry (Tara), 8.07, 2; Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin), 6.93, 3; Ava Smith (Gis), 3.73, 4.