Surf contest a stepping stone to the world stage

A FRESH look with strong pro junior divisions will see some of the best young surfers from around the country converge at Lennox Head for the Soundboks Oz Grom Open in July.

Soundboks has come on board as the new naming rights sponsor, with the event now in its 14th year.

Registrations filled up this week with full fields to contest the six-day event from July 3.

It is a World Surf League-sanctioned Pro Junior Qualifying Series event, as well as an elite competition for promising grommets in under-14s through to under-18s.

Top-performing surfers in age and pro junior events will qualify for world championship events later in the year.

The event is supported by the Lennox-Ballina Boardriders, who have been involved as a partner since its inception.

Local surfer Mikey McDonagh tasted success in the under-16 boys division at the open in 2017 and holds the event in high regard.

He now surfs in the WSL Challenger Series and was a wildcard entry at the Margaret River Pro last week.

He is still based at Lennox Head, where he took on the club captain role at Le-Ba this year.

“As a kid growing up in Lennox, this was the only event I ever wanted to win,” McDonagh said.

“I’d watch my heroes come to town every July and always looked up to them and how well they surfed.

“Even as a young kid, I knew that this event was the one to win.

“When I won the 16 Boys division in 2017, I felt like I reached one of the goals that I’d set for myself and it really helped prepare me for the competitive life on the Pro Juniors and the Qualifying Series.

“The whole event really is an icon in Australian surfing.”

Local surfers Max McGillivray and Leihani Zoric won the under-16 and under-14 age divisions last year.

Teenagers Ocea Curtis and Juniper Harper also had the chance to compete in the pro junior women’s division.

Curtis represented Australia in the under-16s division at the ISA World Junior Championships in El Salvador and was the North Coast Academy of Sport athlete of the year in 2024.

The Oz Grom Open runs similar to a WSL tour event with a five-person judging panel, computer judging system and priority board, athlete’s area, spectator area and live broadcast.