Coromandel looks to make waves at junior world surf champs

Pauanui surfer Lola Groube became the youngest winner of a national surfing event winning the New Zealand Women’s Surfing Surf Festival earlier this year. Photo / Lauren Crerar

Coromandel junior surfers Lola Groube and Harrison Biddle have landed in El Salvador and have already been in the surf as they get set to tackle the World Junior Championships this week.

Biddle, from Whangamatā, is among three Kiwi surfers in the Under 16 Boys Division while Groube, from Pauanui, will also be among three Kiwis surfing in the Under 16 Girls Division.

Both surfers are Whangamatā Area School students.

Goube’s mother, Amber Cordero, speaking from El Salvador, said the team had just landed on Wednesday and had already been for a surf at Surf City, El Tunco.

Conditions were hot and waves a lot bigger than surf conditions experienced on the east coast of the Coromandel, she said.

Kiwi surfers were describing conditions at Surf City as similar to Taranaki, Cordero said.

Competition would get underway on Saturday after the official opening ceremony where the Kiwi team would perform a haka.

Cordero said Surf City was abuzz with numerous junior teams from around the world converging on the beaches with their supporters.

Eight parents were supporting the team of 12 New Zealand juniors.

Groube made waves in Pāuanui in March, breaking a record at the inaugural New Zealand Women’s Surfing Surf Festival, when at the age of 12, she became the youngest winner of a national surfing event.

She not only took out the title in the Open Women’s Division but also won the top title in the Under-18 and Under-16 Girls Divisions.

It is her second outing at the world juniors.

The New Zealand junior surf team ready for the 2024 ISA World Junior Champs in El Salvador

Groube, who was the star of the New Zealand team in 2023 placed 19th at the World Junior Championships.

Biddle, a first timer at the worlds, was among juniors from Whangamatā Area School who scooped up a big win at the inaugural New Zealand School Surfing Festival held at Auckland’s Muriwai Beach in March.

Whangamatā Area School claimed the Cranch Cup in the boys’ division, awarded in honour of school surfing stalwart Carol Cranch, who instigated the New Zealand school surfing programme in the late 80s with the formation of the Scholastic Championships.

Biddle joins the team off the back of a stellar season with multiple heat wins and finals finishes.

A fresh-faced 2024 New Zealand Junior Surfing Team includes eight new faces among the country’s 12 top junior surfers.

Leading the way for the Kiwis are the four groms (young surfers) who are no strangers to International Surfing Association (ISA) competition.

Whangamatā surfers Harrison Biddle, Jay Tingle and Zeke Wyper celebrate at Muriwai.

In the Under 18 Boys, it is Spencer Rowson who makes his third straight appearance in as many years, looking to better his 25th place finish from 2023, and he was looking forward to putting his experience into practise.

Alongside him will be first-time team member Taimana Marupo and Tai Murphy. Marupo earned his place on the team as 2024 national champion, and Murphy as ratings leader in the 2024 New Zealand Grom Series. Both surfers would look to put on their best displays as they battle the world’s best in front of the biggest audience in junior surfing.

An entirely new trio joins the team in the Under 18 Girls division with Sophia Brock, Ariana Walker and Poppy Arkle.

Brock took the title at the recent Te Kaika South Island Champs as well as multiple finals berths throughout the season.

Hailing from Piha, Arkle is no stranger to powerful waves and has multiple final finishes throughout the season.

Walker, from Mount Maunganui also steps up to the plate in the Under 18s as the team’s third surfer.

Biddle with be joined by returning team member Alexis Owen who leads the pack after six from eight titles this season.

Owen will be looking to better his 33rd place finish from 2023.

Benji Lowen, who resides in Australia, will join the Kiwi team for the first time.

Originally from Christchurch, Lowen earned his place with a dominant display at the nationals, eventually being crowned the 2024 national champ for the Under 16 Boys.

Groube will be among an experienced pack in the Under 16 Girls division as she joins Alani Morse for another year.

Morse comes off a great build-up to the event which has seen her win the Under 16 Girls national champion title as well as a consistent run of finals throughout the year.

She will look to better a 37th place finish from 2023.

Rounding out the team will be Northland star Indi Lee Ruddell.

With a convincing win in the final event of the Billabong Grom Series and a consistent run of performances leading up to the event, Rudell will look to make the most of her first opportunity to represent New Zealand.

The team will compete between May 3 and 12.

In 2033 the New Zealand team placed tenth overall.

The championship is the largest junior surfing event in the world playing host to over 340 surfers from 44 nations in 2024.