Young Surfers Win at Piha
Tyler Stenzel and Kyra Wallis captured the under-18 titles at New Zealand's Piha Grom Series. Both surfers put on strong finals performances, with Stenzel's technical turns and Wallis's wave selection highlighted as keys to their victories, signaling their status as rising stars in the regional scene.
The victory at Piha was the final stop of the three-event Billabong Grom Series, with competitions also held at Mount Maunganui and Whangamata. The event drew 140 competitors who were met with the best conditions of the series, surfing clean 1.0-1.5m waves at the southern end of Piha Beach. For Mount Maunganui's Tyler Stenzel, this was his second consecutive victory in the series, a goal he had set for himself after falling short in previous years. He dominated the final day of competition, posting three heat totals over 15.0 points and securing the win with a starting 8.17 ride followed by a 7.27. The win was particularly meaningful for Kyra Wallis, as it took place at her home break of Piha. In a tightly contested final, Wallis secured a 14.56 total heat score by netting a pair of seven-point rides. She noted that the support from the beach and competing in front of family and friends gave her an extra boost. In the Under-18 boys' final, event one winner Van Camenzind from Raglan finished second, followed by Zade Pitkeathly of Mount Maunganui and local surfer Sev Tolhurst. In the girls' division, Wallis finished ahead of Maya Mateja (Raglan), India Kennings (Whangamatā), and fellow Piha local Poppy Arkle. The Billabong Grom Series, presented by Oceanbridge for 21 years, is a crucial event for young New Zealand surfers. It serves as a pathway for national rankings and offers a chance for selection into the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team, with many of the country's elite surfers having previously competed.
