Blue skies, offshore winds, and a pumping 4-foot swell welcomed stoked grommets to Halfway Beach today for the third and final stop of the 2008 Rusty Gromfest Series. Over 120 kids from all over Bali (and beyond) came out in force to enjoy a fun day at the beach, win prizes, and develop their competitive skills. With a heat draw bursting at the seams, organizers were eager to start proceedings and sent the first heat into the lineup at 7:30am. Spurred on by their peers, psyched groms waxed their boards furiously, itching to get their rails wet.

Round one kicked off as the Kuta bombie erupted on the horizon, triggering some solid sets which sent the kids into a frenzy. The under 16’s shredded the lengthy left-hander’s from start to finish, throwing fans of spray and committing to critical floaters on the inside section. Gazali Hamzah, Agus Frimanto, and Australian Alex Swadling were the early standouts. Organizers chose to run all the under 16 heats up until the final on the incoming tide to take advantage of the peaking swell and superb conditions.

At midday the tide filled in as the under 14 and under 12 division’s hit the water. The kids tore apart the waves with a great deal of flair, showcasing skills beyond their years. Ediana Putra, Luke Hynd, and Koko Mitsua Antara in particular impressed the judges with a combination of floaters and fin busts.

Rusty team rider and guest judge Marlon Gerber exclaimed, “The waves are flawless and the groms are going off! I’m stoked to see them take over for the day… They’re charging! ”

As the rounds progressed and the midday sun cooked Kuta’s stretch of white sand, competitors and spectators alike witnessed some awesome free surfing going down at the adjacent right-hand bank. Indonesian pro’s Pepen Hendrix and Made Adi Putra ‘Bol’ pulled into some amazing pits that sent?the starry-eyed groms into a wild moshpit of hoots and high-fives.

As the horn blew to signal the under 12 final, a large crowd of onlookers flocked at the water’s edge in anticipation. Koko Mitsua Antara, Kadek Yoga, Luke Hynd, and Komang Arip blew up but it was Koko, the Nusa Dua goofyfoot, who wowed the judges with flowing round-house cutback’s and sick fin-throw snaps. He won convincingly and in doing so also finished the series as overall under 12 champion.

The under 14 division final was a nail-biter, as series leader Ediana Putra battled it out against Ornot, Arya Wijaya, and Abi Azwar Anas. Today Ornot from Sumbawa took out the final with his razor-sharp power-hacks, but it was Lembongan’s Ediana Putra who won the overall U/14 series after a 2nd place finish in Keramas, a win in Canggu, and 2nd place again today at Halfway. Amazingly, Ediana is 12 years old and has been surfing in both divisions.

The under 16 final was a fitting climax following a long day of ripping. Gazali Hamzah, Agus Frimanto, Alex Swadling, and Darmaputra Tonjo paddled out as the setting sun dipped into the horizon. Alex Swadling surfed a smart heat, securing an early lead and consolidating on his score shortly after. He blazed a trail of golden spray down the line as he unleashed a series of tight vertical snaps and sweeping carves, leaving both Gazali and Agus in need of 8 point rides. In the end it was Alex Swadling who took top honors and was crowned the Rusty Gromfest Halfway Champ!

With the absence of series leader One Anwar, and the first round loss of rival Putra Hermawan, Gazali Hamzah took the U/16 ratings lead and was crowned the overall 2008 Rusty Gromfest Series Champion. He has been awarded a chance to compete against the best international junior surfers at the 13th annual Rusty Gromfest held at Lennox Head, Australia in July 2008. He will also be granted wildcard entry into the 6-star ISC Rusty Rumble In Da Jungle event at Sanur in May 2008.

Watch the Video from Gromfest Halfway! Go to:

Gromfest Halfway Results:

Under 16
1. Alex Swading
2. Agus Frimanto
3. Gazali Hamzah
4. Darmaputra Tonjo

Under 14
1. Ornot
2. Ediana Putra
3. Arya Wijaya
4. Abi Azwar Anas

Under 12
1. Koko Mitsua Antara
2. Luke Hynd
3. Komang Arip
4. Kadek Yoga

Overall Gromfest Series Rankings:

Under 16
1. Gazali Hamzah – 5350 points
2. Agus Frimanto – 4583 points
3. Putra Hermawan – 3833 points

Under 14
1. Ediana Putra – 6100 points
2. Arya Wijaya Blerong – 5000 points
3. Ornot – 4175 points

Under 12
1. Koko Mitsua Antara – 5183 points
2. Komang Arif – 4083 points
3. Nyoman Satria ‘Blacky’ – 3833 points

RUSTY GROMFEST SERIES BALI 2008 – KERAMAS
February 17th, 2008

Blue skies, offshore winds and grinding 3-4 foot waves welcomed stoked grommets to Keramas Beach this morning for the first stop of the three-stage Rusty Gromfest Series 2008. With a heatdraw bursting at the seams, organizers were eager to start proceedings and sent the first heat into the lineup at 7:30am. Spurred on by their friends and families, the kids waxed their boards furiously, itching to get their rails wet.

In the under 12 division Putu Eka, Koko Antara, and Ediana Putra surfed impressively but it was Japan’s Hiroto Ohara who became the crowd favorite after pulling off a combination of critical floaters and vertical snaps. Hiroto also surfed in the U/14 division and won his heat convincingly. The first round in the under 16 division saw a few familiar names progress – Gazali Hamzah, One Anwar, and Putra Hermawan – no strangers to junior competition in Bali. This trio were the standouts on the ISC junior tour in 2007, but only one of them could claim the inaugural Rusty Gromfest title.

Guest judge and Rusty team rider Marlon Gerber remarked, “The standard of surfing today has been amazing. The groms are taking full advantage of the empty lineup and perfect conditions. I wish I was out there getting pitted and launching off those ramps.”

Soon after, his wish came true as he joined fellow pro surfers and guest judges Betet Merta, Tipi Jabrik, Garut, Mega, Agus Perr, Tole, and reigning ISC Champ Lee Wilson in the lineup for an expression session. Starry-eyed groms high-fived each other as their heros danced over Keramas’ black lava reef, throwing buckets of spray and pulling off the latest aerial variations.

After the 45 minute expression session it was back to business with the quarter finals, semi’s, and final. The waves continued to break with consistency, walling up all the way to the wedgy inside section. Hiroto and Ediana advanced all the way to the finals in both the U/12 and U/14 divisions. Today Hiroto’s polished style and flawless top-turns won the judges over, as he was crowned champion in both divisions. At just 11 years of age, this composed Japanese unit is already surfing beyond his years. Amazingly, Hiroto won 7 out of 8 heats today and surfed his finals back-to-back.

The under 16 division was a more evenly matched, with One, Gazali, dark horse Putu Anggara, and Japan’s Kaohe battling it out in the final. Gazali surfed on rail with an abundance speed and power, Putu strategically picked off the best set waves, and One wowed the spectators with a radical combination of fin-busts and gouges. In the end One took top honors and was crowned the Rusty Gromfest Keramas Champ! This result further solidifies One’s reputation as being Indonesia’s grom to beat, after recently receiving the 2007 ISC Rookie of the Year Award and finishing the year as overall champ on the 2007 ISC Junior tour.

Final Results:

Under 12
1. Hiroto Ohara
2. Koko Mitsua Antara
3. Edian Putra
4. Komang Arif

Under 14
1. Hiroto Ohara
2. Edian Putra
3. Arya Wijaya
4. Yogo Kawabata

Under 16
1. One Anwar
2. Putu Anggara
3. Gazali Hamzah
4. Kaohe

The overall U/16 winner will be awarded a chance to compete against the best international junior surfers at the 13th annual Rusty Gromfest held at Lennox Head, Australia in July 2008. This event has enjoyed a rich history that has seen the likes of Mick Fanning, Bede Durbidge,? and Julian Wilson crowned as champions. The overall U/16 and U/14 division champions will also be granted wildcard entry into the 6-star ISC Rusty Rumble In Da Jungle event at Sanur in May 2008.

Dude. Great surf destination, Bali!

Click here to view the embedded video.