Coleman, Cairncross win GromSearch at Jan Juc

SURF Coast dynamo Kai Coleman and Kiama Downs surfer Lani Cairncross reigned supreme in the Rip Curl Gromsearch at Jan Juc over the weekend.

More than 80 of the country’s best grommets (Under 12 to Under 16) were given the chance to put their best surfing on show in two-to-three-foot conditions.

In the Under 12 Boys division, Surf Coast local Kai Coleman looked right at home throughout the duration of the event, nailing a range of excellent scores in his earlier round heats to breeze through to the division final.

Starting off the final with an impressive nine-point ride (out of a possible 10 points), Coleman never looked back, posting another two huge numbers to put the rest of the field in a combination situation where they required two new scores.

Coleman’s fearless approach to the waves netted him a colossal 18.57-point heat total out of 20, with his nearest counterpart scoring a total of 11.94.

Coleman was chaired up the beach after his maiden GromSearch event on home soil.

“It was really fun to be out here at Jan Juc in some pumping right-handed waves and to see everyone absolutely ripping,” he said.

“I’m very happy to get the win here in my very first Gromsearch competition.”

Jacques Callebaut (Freshwater) finished second, third went to Angus Kennedy (Cowes) and fourth place was Jesse Woods (North Wollongong).

In the Under 16 Girls division, Cairncross put her best surfing on show when it mattered, attacking the waves with power to secure a win in a close encounter.

U/16 Girls winner Lani Cairncross showed her her lethal backhand.

After finishing second in the Under 14 Girls final to Charli Hately (Currumbin) a few heats earlier, the two duelled it out once again in the Under 16s, but it would be a turn of results with Cairncross the eventual winner by a slim 0.47 margin.

“I feel really honoured to be here and to compete in the event and it’s special to be coming away with this win,” Cairncross said.

“The conditions were really clean and the waves were a great size which made for a very fun day.”

Sara Hickson (Rye) and Ava Holland (Dromana) came third and fourth respectively.

Other local Surf Coast-Bellarine finalists included Tanner Maddock (Jan Juc) who secured a fourth place in the Under 14 Boys and Elise Chapman (Point Lonsdale) who finished fourth in the Under 12 Girls.

The tri-event series now heads to Newcastle in NSW from September 29 to October 2 before wrapping up in Coolum in December.

Full results can be found at surfingvic.com/live