Semi-Finals Set as U14 and U16 Groms Battle at 2025 Rip Curl GromSearch Phillip Island Presented by Bass Coast Shire

Phillip Island, VIC (Friday 3rd October, 2025): Day 4 of the 2025 Rip Curl GromSearch at Phillip Island, presented by Bass Coast Shire, saw the focus shift back to the U14 and U16 Boys and Girls battling through their heats to lock in spots for the semi and quarter finals.

Conditions at Smiths Beach tested the surfers, with shifting weather all day and extremely competitive heats. Despite the challenges, standout performances across all divisions set the stage for an exciting finals weekend.

The U14 Boys Round 3 opened the day and produced some high scoring rides as surfers pushed their combinations to advance. 

Next, the U14 Girls round 2 showcased strong performances and smart surfing. Stevie O’Day (Torquay, VIC) came away with a win to proceed to the quarterfinals, “it’s pretty hard out there.” But she stayed positive, focusing on being in Phillip Island, “it’s really beautiful, there’s so much wildlife!’

In the the U16 Boys Round 3 brought powerful surfing and big moments, locking in the matchups for the weekend’s semi-finals. Joey Silk (Port Macquarie, NSW) had a stand-out performance with an 8.17- point wave, “I was paddling out the back and I was under priority.” He continued, “I just took off, did three turns and got through it.”

Similarly U16 Boys Rio Luther Barr (Bundagen, NSW), shared his excitement for the finals tomorrow, ‘it feels really good to make finals day, its such a big comp and I love it down here in Phillip Island.’

Closing out the day, U16 Girls Round 2, the field narrowed as competitors fought for their semi-final berths. Sisters, Eliza and Rosie Richardson (Sunshine Beach, QLD) both advance to the semi-finals. Eliza spoke while her sister competed in her quarter final about making the semis, “Yeah I’m super stoked, I missed last year with a broken ankle but yeah I’m super happy.” Similarly, Rosie knew she needed a big score to proceed, “I had a slow start” but she ended up with a huge score, “I did a big bottom turn and I saw this big lip and I hit it.”

As the event heads into its final stages, anticipation builds for the semi-finals and finals across all divisions, where Australia’s best junior surfers will look to stamp their names on the 2025 Rip Curl GromSearch at Phillip Island.

With the U14s and U16s battling through their rounds today, the field has been narrowed and the stage is now set for the semi-finals. With momentum building and the forecast looking promising, the next rounds of the 2025 Rip Curl GromSearch at Phillip Island are shaping up for an explosive finish.

Live scores and schedule can be found via https://liveheats.com/events/382022

The RipCurl GromSearch Phillip Island is presented by Rip Curl, Bass Coast Shire and Phillip Island and supported by the Victorian Government, Skin Health Australia, Surfing Australia, Beyond Coconut Water, Parklane Holiday Parks, Phillip Island Boardrider Club and Surf Better Now.