Biggest waves of the week continue to pump on Day 3 of Rip Curl GromSearch Phillip Island, presented by Bass Coast Shire.

PHILLIP ISLAND, VICTORIA: Day 3 of the Rip Curl GromSearch Phillip Island presented by Bass Coast Shire has wrapped up, with conditions continuing to allow the best juniors to showcase their skills. Today the competitors were met with the biggest waves they have had all week, with sets pushing 4 to 5 ft. With little to no wind in the morning, the event organisers made the most of the solid surf and ran through until 2 pm, before the storm approached and shifted the wind.

With the early rounds now complete, all eyes turn to tomorrow’s highly anticipated Finals Day, where division champions will officially be crowned across all age groups. Event organisers plan to use the most optimal times, aligning wind and tides, aiming to crown the winners before any potential weather shifts impact the surf quality. Competitors across the Under 14, Under 16, and Under 18 divisions will go head-to-head in the semi-finals and finals, capping off an unbelievable week of junior surfing on Phillip Island.

Lily White (Jan Juc, VIC), one of the few remaining Victorians in the draw, has done multiple trips to Phillip Island and was able to draw on her experience and get through her heat and make the semis for the under 14 girls, for the first time at Phillip Island.

“I think I’ve been to Phillip Island about six or seven times, and every year I’ve usually been knocked out in the first round of this event, so I’m super stoked to finally make it through to the semis,” said Lily White after scoring a 9.33 in her heat. “The waves are pumping, and even though it was pretty nerve-wracking surfing against girls who are absolutely ripping, I love coming here, and I’m just super happy.”

Hayden Mee (Newcastle, NSW) stood out in a high-scoring affair in his heat, with his power and wave selection being the difference.

“This is one of my favourite comps I’ve done this year, the conditions are really fun, and we even went to see the penguins yesterday,” said Hayden Mee (Newcastle, NSW) after advancing to the Under 14 Boys semi-finals. “I’m going to try and get the ones that hold up a bit, not ones that are a bit fast, so I can get multiple turns.”

Maverick McGugan (Avalon, NSW) was a standout in the under-14 boys’ division, showcasing a surfing ability that rivalled his peers in older divisions.

“This is my first time on Phillip Island, and I love it; it’s such a cool place,” said Maverick MacGugan. “The waves are always good, and I’ve never had waves this good in a competition before.”
With another day wrapped, event organisers are looking to finish finals day tomorrow and pick the eyes out of the conditions and tides, allowing us to crown winners across all divisions.

UPCOMING FINALS DAY MATCHUPS

Under 14 Boys – Semifinal 1: Maverick Macgugan vs. Max Goold

Under 14 Boys – Semifinal 2: Hayden Mee vs. Banjo Bemrose

Under 14 Girls – Semifinal 1: Everly Morgan vs. Sage Fleming

Under 14 Girls – Semifinal 2: Lily White vs. Cobie O’Day

Under 16 Boys – Final: Locana Cullen vs. Jaxon Pardoe

Under 16 Girls – Final: Talia Tebb vs. Maddison Kenchington

Under 18 Boys – Final: Reef Cant vs. Lachlan Arghyros

Under 18 Girls – Final: Olive Hardy vs. Lani Cairncross

EVENT INFORMATION & LIVE SCORES

Live Heats Stream: https://liveheats.com/events/563918/watch

Live Heats Scores & Schedule: https://liveheats.com/events/563918

Event Updates & Social Media: Follow @surfingvictoria on Instagram