Surfing: Moretti happy to be back in competition

Paul Moretti lays down a frontside carve at Whangamata Beach. Photo / Supplied

A third place for Mimiwhangata surfer Paul Moretti over the weekend could be the catalyst for his successful return to national competition.

Moretti surfed his way through to the finals of the second 2015 Billabong Grom Series event in Whangamata, after making light work of his fellow competitors through the earlier rounds.

"It was a pretty close final, the lead bounced around quite a few times," Moretti said.

Despite Whangamata offering clean and consistent 1-1.2m waves on the opening day, competitors were made to work much harder on the final day.

That didn't deter the Northlander, who was surfing in his first major competition in more than a year.

"It was hard to get a good one but I just lucked into the right waves really.

"It's definitely been a while since I have been in a surfing event but it is good to be back out here and making the most of it."

Moretti, 19, who is cutting his teeth as a builder in Auckland, said he would compete in the next Billabong Grom Series instalment at Piha, however he hopes to go a few results further.

"I've been surfing all summer at Muriwai so, luckily, I've had heaps of time in the water."

In addition to Moretti's result, Whangarei surfer Grace Pevats was second in the under-14 girls final at Whangamata.

Pevats posted a total heat score of 2.8 in her final but succumbed to Gisborne's Kai Woolf.