Surfing: Out to rule home waves

Jay Quinn's 2001 under-18 world championship win set him up for his pro career. Photo / Doug Sherring

GROMMET: A tube inserted into the ear canal to allow pressure or fluid to escape, especially in children.

In the world of electricians, grommets are used to protect cables and wires.

They have nothing to do with Wallace and Gromit - the absent-minded inventor and his canine companion.

But if you happen to be at Piha in late January, you will come across gaggles of grommets.

It's a term of endearment used to describe young surfers - and the grommets are heading to Piha to compete for the prestige of being crowned world junior champion.

With roughly 250 competitors from over 30 countries, this is set to be the biggest surfing event to hit the shores of New Zealand. Kiwis have competed at the annual event since its inception in 2003.

Previously known as the World Grommet Titles, the event has become a stepping stone for many of the world's top professional surfers.

The event will be a huge boost for the sport here. It will not only put the spotlight on our own batch of surfing talent, it will also be a great opportunity to show off the country to the world - just as the world rowing championships next year and the 2011 Rugby World Cup are also striving to do.

Bleached-blond surfers from Brazil to Japan will be burying their toes in the black sand of Piha.

Surfing New Zealand last month announced the team that will represent this country in the 2010 event. With age groups up to under-18s, the team of 12 are busy preparing to do battle with the world's best.

Half the team are new faces but, as national selector Ben Kennings says: "The new talent brings an air of confidence that could, with the advantage of home turf, see the team produce our best-ever result at the event."

One to watch is Gisborne's Johnny Hicks. The talented goofy-footer is into his fifth year in the national team and will be looking for a big result at Piha.

"His powerful surfing will suit the Piha waves," says Kennings.

Another senior member of the team is 16-year-old Alexis Poulter. Joined by younger brother Ben, 15, Alexis is representing New Zealand for the fourth time at the 2010 event. She is immensely proud and the recent graduate from the Raglan Surfing Academy is excited about surfing on home soil.

"I love competing for my country and it will be extra exciting because we will have the support of the Kiwis right behind us."

Alexis knows all her hard work will help the team in 2010.

"If we all train hard, I think New Zealand has a great chance of doing well. We have the talent, it's just about putting it together in competition," she says.

Younger brother Ben has been turning heads and taking scalps in the junior ranks for the past few years. He was crowned 'King of the Groms' earlier this year and was also the winner of the 2009 Billabong Grom Series. Although it's his second year representing New Zealand, the nerves are still there.

"It's a really cool thing to do [representing New Zealand] but it is really nerve-racking at the same time," he says. "You usually surf by yourself in competitions but at the worlds, you surf for a team - so there is more pressure to get a good result."

Another emerging star is Sarah Mason. The younger sister of Arini, one of the top New Zealand and WQS (World Qualifying Series) female surfers, Sarah has been rattling cages in Australia since before she hit her teens.

The 14-year-old, who lives on the Gold Coast with her family, has a long list of victories that made her selection for the team guaranteed.

Kennings says: "Mason has already tasted the big time with invites into the Roxy Pro trials on the Gold Coast of Australia, where she astonished massive crowds with her aggressive surfing."

Someone who knows the taste of victory at this event is Gisborne's Jay Quinn. He represented New Zealand at the 2009 ISA World Surfing Games in Costa Rica earlier this year and is a multiple national titleholder and WQS campaigner. The pinnacle of his junior surfing career was winning the 2001 under-18 world junior title.

"That was probably the biggest win of my career," he says. "We were completely written off by the Australian team and press.

"I managed to come through with the win and also helped guide New Zealand to the team title."

Quinn, now a professional surfer based in southern Queensland, directly attributes his recent success to his 2001 victory.

"The win did a lot for my confidence as a surfer. I had pretty good backing prior to winning the event. But many doors became easier to walk through after that. People began to know who I was as a surfer."

Quinn also gave some clues about who to watch out for: "Australia and Brazil always pull out some good surfers. The South American surfers are coming up pretty quick.

"Hopefully the cold water and home ground benefits the home team though."

Kiwi Grommets

New Zealand team for 2010 world junior surfing championships at Piha:

Under-18 boys
Alex Dive (Mount Maunganui)
Damien Norman (NSW, Australia)
JC Susan (Mount Maunganui)
Johnny Hicks (Gisborne)
Reserve: Blake Myers (Whangamata)

Under-18 girls
Alexis Poulter (Raglan)
Grace Spiers (Gisborne)
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gisborne)
Sarah Mason (Queensland, Australia)
Reserve: Rosa Thompson (Auckland)

Under-16 boys
Adam Grimson (Gisborne)
Ben Poulter (Raglan)
Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha)
Tane Wallis (Piha)

Reserve: Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata)