Top surfing talents to hit Jan Juc beach this weekend

THE most prestigious grom event in the world, the Rip Curl GromSearch, will launch the Australian series this weekend on the Surf Coast.

The event will bring more than 100 of the country’s top surfing talents to Jan Juc beach, the birthplace of the first GromSearch event.

The prominent event series gives 16-and-under surfers a chance to compete against the nations’ best, and 2018 marks its 20th year running.

One of the longest Junior Surfing Series in the world, it has become a crucial stepping-stone in the development of junior surfers.

“The opportunity to have the opening Rip Curl GromSearch event at Jan Juc is fantastic,” Surfing Victoria chief executive officer Adam Robertson said. “This is a long running, prestigious junior series that has showcased the best of Australia’s talent for many years.

“I’m excited to see how the next generation of Victorian surfers take on the competition.”

Victorian Surfers to compete in the event include former event champion Ellie Harrison (from Barwon Heads), Bella Wilson from Jan Juc and Xavier Huxtable from Jan Juc.

After the five event series, the top 10 ranked surfers in each divisions qualify for the Rip Curl GromSearch National Final, where athletes compete for the chance to become the Australian GromSearch Champion.

The National Champion will then represent Australia against the best junior surfers from around the world at the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final, held at a new international location each year.

The event will kick off this Saturday and finish next Monday at Jan Juc beach.

Live scores for the event can be found at liveheats.com/surfingvictoria.