Vette goes up a division for victory

AGE-GROUP WINNER: Gisborne surfer Finn Vette won the under-16 boys’ division at the 2018 Billabong Grom Series at Mt Maunganui over the weekend. Picture by Cormac Seymour

GISBORNE surfer Finn Vette went up a division to win his first contest in the Billabong Grom Series after years of trying.

Vette, 13, won the under-16 boys’ division at Mt Maunganui on Sunday, beating national age-group champion Kora Cooper, of Raglan, in the process.

Vette was runner-up at the nationals.

On Sunday, the Gisborne goofy-footer posted the highest single-wave score of the final — 7.67 out of 10 — as he finished less than a point ahead of runner-up Cooper.

Vette’s two-wave score was 13.77 out of 20 and Cooper’s was 12.93.

Whangarei’s Tom Robinson was third and Gisborne’s Finn Johnson was fourth.

Two Gisborne surfers also made the u14 girls’ final. Daizee Rawls and Asia Braithwaite finished third and fourth respectively.

In the first event of the Billabong Grom Series, presented by Oceanbridge, the winners’ circle included some new faces.

Seven of the eight winners were either first-timers or returning to the No.1 spot after a long break.

Sunday results Under-20 men, final: Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay) 12.63, 1; Sam Sands (Christchurch) 9.3, 2; Jacob Warnes (Mt Maunganui) 4.13, 3; Eli Voschezang (Auckland) 4, 4.

U20 women, final: Billie Scott (Whangarei) 11.73, 1; Indica Ratima (Raglan) 10.63, 2; Maaia Reid-Bennett (Mnt) 4.70, 3; Lily MacDonald (Te Aroha) 3.43, 4.

U18 men, quarterfinals, Heat 1: Conor McLennan (Chch) 13.17, 1; Tom Norton (Waipu) 10.77, 2; Lee Ririnui (Mnt) 10.7, 3; Thomas Carter (Waihi Beach) 6.8, 4.

Heat 2: Luke Griffin (Mnt) 14.23, 1; Caleb Cutmore (Hamilton) 12.83, 2; Shane Kraus (Piha) 12.33, 3; Jack Rosewarne (Ham) 6.2, 4.

Heat 3: Jared Gebert (Ohope) 15.53, 1; Jay Piper-Healion (Whiti) 12, 2; Ayrton Yarrell (Waihi Bch) 7.4, 3; Tyler Carrington (Wgtn) 7.33, 4.

Semifinals, Heat 1: Jay Piper-Healion (Whitianga) 12.63, 1; Caleb Cutmore (Ham) 12.43, 2; Conor McLennan (Chch) 11.6, 3.

Heat 2: Luke Griffin (Mnt) 13.6, 1; Jared Gebert (Ohope) 9.9, 2; Tom Norton (Waipu) 8.16, 3.

Final: Caleb Cutmore (Ham) 12.60, 1; Jared Gebert (Ohope) 12.33, 2; Jay Piper Healion (Whiti) 11.73, 3; Luke Griffin (Mnt) 8.03, 4.

U16 boys, quarterfinals, Heat 1: Kora Cooper (Rag) 11.4, 1; Finn Johnson (Gisborne) 11.3, 2; Tom Butland (Tara) 9.5, 3; Jack Hinton (Mnt) 7.87, 4.

Heat 2: Jack Lee (Whakatane) 12.2, 1; Tom Robinson (Whngrei) 11.3, 2; James Ririnui (Mnt) 8.84, 3; Te Kauwhata Kauwhata (Whngrei) 6.93, 4.

Heat 3: Finn Vette (Gis) 13, 1; Luis Southwood (Whaka) 12.2, 2; Josef Jungwirth (Gis) 8.77, 3; Manawa Ruru (Gis) 8.37, 4.

Semifinals, Heat 1: Tom Robinson (Whngrei) 13.5, 1; Kora Cooper (Rag) 12.3, 2; Luis Southwood (Whaka) 9.86, 3.

Heat 2: Finn Vette (Gis) 11.8, 1; Finn Johnson (Gis) 10.5, 2; Jack Lee (Whaka) 9.1, 3.

Final: Finn Vette (Gis) 13.77, 1; Kora Cooper (Rag) 12.93, 2; Tom Robinson (Whngrei) 11.23, 3; Finn Johnson (Gis) 10.77, 4.

U16 girls, final: Charlie Phillips (Australia) 11.83, 1; Brie Bennett (Rag) 11.17, 2; Georgia Wederell (Mnt) 8.26, 3; Summer Carkeek (Auck) 7.0, 4.

U14 boys, semifinals, Heat 1: Jayden Willoughby (Rag) 15.3, 1; Koby Cameron (Chch) 9.9, 2; Bill Byers (Piha) 7.53, 3.

Heat 2: Navryn Malone (Rag) 13.9, 1; Reef Newdick (Mnt) 8.77, 2; Jai Wallis (Auck) 4.4, 3.

Final: Jayden Willoughby (Rag) 12.0, 1; Navryn Malone (Rag) 9.5, 2; Koby Cameron (Chch) 9.17, 3; Reef Newdick (Mnt) 3.33, 4.

U14 girls, semifinals, Heat 1: Natasha Gouldsbury (Taranaki) 14.43, 1; Asia Braithwaite (Gis) 8.57, 2; Jay Ryan (Gis) 3.87, 3.

Heat 2: Anna Brock (Mnt) 10.1, 1; Daizee Rawls (Gis) 9.47, 2; Daisy Boon (Auck) 6.4, 3.

Final: Anna Brock (Mnt) 6.34, 1; Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) 5.60, 2; Daizee Rawls (Gis) 5.27, 3; Asia Braithwaite (Gis) 3.30, 4.