GromSearch winners in the hunt for global honours

With exceptional surfing performances in the highly contestable and consistent right-hand waves at Witsands, Loghann Tilsley, from Strand, and Emily Jenkinson, from Kommetjie, emerged victorious in the Premier under-16 division of the first Rip Curl GromSearch event of the year.

With huge turns on his backhand, Tilsley won the boys’ division from Scarborough's Kai Stubbs.

In the girls’ division, Jenkinson, the Kommetjie natural footer took victory from Leah Lepront, the goofy footer from Scottburgh.

Cape Town delivered in style for the final day, providing clean waves, clear skies, and light winds at Witsands for the gathered competitors.

The country's top junior surfers stepped up in the fun right-handers, throwing down powerful turns and impressive performances.

This event provided a chance for some fresh faces to make their mark in the first event of the 2025 series.

Summer Harding and Leo McLeod, both from Cape St Francis, were impressive in the under-12 division with Harding taking the girls' win, while the on-form Ethan Schermbrucker claimed victory in the boys, with McLeod securing a solid second place.

Kommetjie surfers continued to dominate in the under-14 girls, with Coco Clark, Charlotte Copson, and Emma Schermbrucker sweeping the podium, while Maya Malherbe from Coffee Bay rounded out the final in fourth.

The under-14 boys’ division was an extremely close affair between first and second, with Slayde Shooter just ahead of Marcello Zedde by a whisker, winning the final by 0.36 of a point.

The surfing in the under-18 boys finals was electric, with Durban surfer Matt Canning holding a comfortable lead. As the seconds ticked away towards the end of the heat, Cape Town surfer Levi Epenetos found what he was looking for and snagged a nugget of a wave to snatch victory from Canning.

A polished Jenkinson beat Maxine Kauffman from Durban in the under-18 girls’ section, with Leah Lepront and Taylor Emslie in the minor positions.

The Expression Session was a great addition to the day's competition. In the boys’ division, Massimo Bienz took the R1000 cash for a perfectly executed air reverse, with Kai Stubbs in second and pocketing R600 for his effort.

enkinson continued her winning ways, making it three out of three wins, by taking out the girls’ Expression Session. She won the R1000 prize purse with Leah Lepront in second, banking her R600.

The overall series winners in the Premier under-16 boys’ and girls’ divisions of the Rip Curl GromSearch Series South Africa 2025 earn a coveted spot in the Rip Curl GromSearch international final. This event, set for a yet-to-be-announced international location later this year, will bring together the worldwide GromSearch winners to battle it out for top global honours.

The Rip Curl GromSearch Series, run by Surfing South Africa, is a highlight of the junior surfing calendar - hugely popular and a clear reflection of the thriving talent in South African surfing. It's also a glimpse into the sport's future stars.

Next up, the series heads to Port Alfred over Easter as part of the Port Alfred Easter Festival.