Louise Lepront and Rory Dace © Kai Wulff
After excellent results at the final event on the Rip Curl GromSearch series 2024, the Rip Curl GromSearch Seal Point presented by Sea Harvest, Rory Dace (Cape St Francis) and Louise Lepront (Scottburgh) emerged victorious in the series rankings.
The prize – a trip to Bali for the Rip Curl Global Finals – was sponsored by Zigzag Magazine. It was supported by The Royal St Andrews Hotel and Sea Harvest.
Zigzag Magazine
Zigzag Magazine is proudly behind grom surfing in South Africa and was happy to be the primary sponsor behind the Bali trips.
The rankings were decided based on the top four out of the five contests in the national series. This comprised events at Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Alfred and Seal Point.
Rory Dace, Seal Point © Kai Wulff
Established in 1999 and known as a launchpad for future surfing superstars, the GromSearch International Final has been the proving ground for an unequalled list of world champions and Olympic medalists. Past finalists include Caroline Marks, Steph Gilmore, Gabriel Medina,
Finalists also receive mentorship from Stephanie Gilmore and Molly Picklum during the event.
“The GromSearch International Final is more than a competition; it’s a celebration of the next generation of surfers and the vibrant community that supports them. With the help of Sun Bum, we’re stoked to bring this event to Bali. A place renowned for its phenomenal waves and rich surfing culture,” says Mark Flanagan, Rip Curl Sports Marketing Manager. “This is where future champions are made.”
Rory Dace is hard at work preparing for this event.
“I’m doing a lot of training and surfing daily,” said Dace on his preparation work. “I amgetting two new boards for Bali, and I’m going to get them dialled in before the comp so I’m at my peak performance. I’m super amped to put on some boardies and hop into the warm water, though.”
Louise Lepront is also hard at work getting ready for this adventure. “I’m trying to hit the gym as much as possible to build muscle so I can throw more power throughout my turns,” said Lepront.
Louise Lepront © Kai Wulff
While the goal of any surf competition is to win, Bali offers a whole new world of experiences for the travelling groms. “
“My goal for the global event is to have a good time, make new friends, and get a good result,” said Dace. “This will let people people know that the young generation of South Africa has high potential.”
Similarly, Louise Lepront is also excited about her upcoming trip. She might be a well-travelled Challenger Series surfer but has never visited Bali. “I have not been to Bali before, so this will be my first time there,” said Lepront. ” I cannot wait to go and make new friends and surf good waves in warm water.”
The Rip Curl GromSearch Global Finals will be covered by Zigzag Magazine. The two-grom team is supported by Zigzag, Sea Harvest, the Royal St Andrews Hotel, and Surfing South Africa.
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