Rip Curl GromSearch tour-stop #3 – Lakey Peak, Sumbawa, 10th April 2011
After searching for the best groms in Java and Lombok the third stop of Rip Curl’s GromSearch was held in Lakey Peak, Sumbawa. The GromSearch Crew is always excited about traveling to this area of Indonesia which is blessed with perfect surf from which Sumbawa’s top surfers like Oney Anwar and Dedi “Gun“ Satriadin emerged. The groms in Sumbawa are some of the best in Indo and live for surfing.
For the groms a ticket to the national GromSearch finals in Kuta, Bali is at stake. The national winner will get an all expenses paid trip to compete in Rip Curl’s International final at Bells Beach, Australia. No wonder that fifteen under-14 and twenty under-16-year-old grommets were hungry to compete for the title of the best grom in Sumbawa.
The RIP CURL crew headed over a few days before the comp to sample some waves and shoot some footage. Head judge and team-rider Wayan Gobleg, local hero Dedi “Gun“ and one of Rip Curls international searchers Bruno Santos from Brazil enjoyed hanging out and surfing with all of the groms. “It is our mission as the ultimate surfing company to provide the groms not only with surf gear but also advice and insight into surfing to push them to the next level. That’s why it is so important to have guys like Bruno or Dedi “Gun” and Gobleg out there in the line-up.” (Wayan Yudha – Team Manager Rip Curl Asia)
The long awaited swell started filling in just in time to offer perfect 5ft waves for the frothing groms. The under-16-divison opened the competition with a low tide barrel fest. Surfing in yellow, Mansur scored the first 10 point ride in any GromSearch for 2011for a perfect deep barrel, 2 big snaps with a huge air reverse finish – and this was just the beginning. “I was surprised how those grommets charged the big waves on that shallow reef. They are having the right attitude, they surf with their heart. They all took on the challenge out there and there are for sure some hot ripping kids.”(Bruno Santos)
After talking to the under-14 groms, it was decided that they too would charge the peak at Lakey’s. With lifeguards on both sides of the peak to look after the little guys, they paddled out to the almost triple over head waves. With survival-stance-air-drops and committed bottom turns the under-14 groms took it on. Due to the high tide and cross-shore winds the wave turned from barrels to long workable walls for the finals. In the final heat Armansyah Baharudin from Hu’u out-surfed all the others in the under-14 division and was rewarded with a custom surfboard, a load of prizes and the title of the best grom under-14 of Sumbawa.”yeeeaaaha, da winner of under-14 is only 10 years old, he is the hardest charging 10 year old in indo, that’s what the grom search is about…boooya” (Dedi Gun)
The under-16 final was a hard battle between Usman, who won last year’s GromSearch in Sumbawa, Yasin, Mansur and 12 year-old Andre. All of the boys were pushing each other. In the end Yasin won the title of the best under-16 grom in Sumbawa and the trip to Bali to compete at this year’s GromSearch final held in Kuta beach in October during RIP CURLS SURF and MUSIC FESTIVAL. Bruno Santos was tripping on the level of surfing of the final – in fact tripping so hard that he gave the winning grom one of his personal boards as an incentive to keep on ripping. Proud Yasin later said about his victory: “I was totally focused on my waves and didn’t feel nervous. That’s why I knew that I could win that heat. Now I am looking forward to the national finals and will work even harder on my level of surfing.”
An essential part of the GromSearch events is to put focus on the environment and to keep Indos beaches clean. Rip Curl’s event manager Dhanny Madaniah tries to focus the attention of the grommets to environmental issues. Together with local hero Dedi “Gun”, Dhanny challenged the kids with fun-games but also advice about their environment. With the big mining projects being discussed in Sumbawa, it was good to see the local kids participating in the beach cleaning and to witness their growing understanding of environmental awareness.
The Lakey Peak Board Riders Foundation which supports the local surfing scene also was glad to have the GromSearch Crew in Lakey for the 6th time. “An event like this brings the community together and helps the groms to focus on the future. We try to challenge them to go surfing and keep away from doing drugs. To have the GromSearch together with surf-pros like Dedi, Gobleg and Bruno in town helps our work a lot.” (Muhamad Ali – Lakey Board Rider)
It was for sure one of the most challenging and action packed GromSearch events ever held in Sumbawa. Rip Curl wants to thank all people who were involved and participated in this GromSearch. Special thanks go to Sammy Samsudin, his team and all the people of Hu’u and Lakey Peak.
The next Event will be held in Medewi, Bali at September 11th.
Results
* U-14
1st Armansyah Bahaudin
2nd Finda Ramlin
3rd Irfan S. Judin
4th Kadek Baron
* U-16
1st Yasin
2nd Usman
3rd Mansur
4th Andre Anwar
Expression Session
* Best Wave: Mulis Jafar (M.J)
* Best Trick: Halik
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