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The Rip Curl GromSearch is back in full force this year with its prestigious International Final, set to take place in Hossegor, France, from November 4 to 8, 2025. After an intense season of regional events and national finals across the globe, from Australia to Brazil, via Europe, Indonesia, South Africa and North America, the world’s best surfers under 16 will gather in the southwest of France to compete for the coveted International Champion title.

The event will bring together 16 promising young talents, eight girls and eight boys, representing the world’s top surfing nations. Two additional wildcards will be awarded through the digital competition #GromSearchOnline. To top it all off, World Champion Molly Picklum and Championship Tour surfer Crosby Colapinto will be in Hossegor to support and inspire the next generation. Since its creation in 1999, the GromSearch has helped launch the careers of many champions, including Gabriel Medina, Caroline Marks and Caitlin Simmers.

While the official waiting period runs from November 4 to 8, a series of activations will take place throughout the week starting November 3.

Citroën joins the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final this year by unveiling a concept car developed specifically for the event, based on the Ami Buggy, a fun, outdoor electric vehicle accessible from the age of 14. A variety of activations will take place around town during the event to promote the vehicle.

Event Schedule

Monday, November 3

• Opening ceremony at the Airial du Branasse in Soorts-Hossegor (by invitation only)
Tuesday, November 4

• GromSearch waiting period – Day 1
Wednesday, November 5

• GromSearch waiting period – Day 2
• Rip Curl x Citroën Ami Surf Day, a special experience for 24 Citroën Ami drivers. Participants will enjoy lunch, a surf lesson with Kyllian Guerin and Justin Becret, surf film screenings at the Rex cinema in Hossegor, and a Rip Curl gift pack worth at least 150 euros.
• Beach clean-up with the Save la Mermaid association (time and location to be confirmed)
• Surf film screenings at the Rex cinema in Hossegor at 5:00 PM: Dunno, La source du freeride and the latest edit by Kyllian Guerin. Free entry upon reservation, subject to availability. With special guests Molly Picklum, Emilien Badoux and Kyllian Guerin
Thursday, November 6

• GromSearch waiting period – Day 3
Friday, November 7

• GromSearch waiting period – Day 4
• GromSearch awards ceremony and closing party at the Tiger Club in Hossegor, in collaboration with the Krabing collective. Open to the public from 6:00 PM
Saturday, November 8

• Additional competition day if conditions do not allow the event to conclude on November 7

Watch the GromSearch International Final live on ripcurl.com and stay up to date with the latest announcements on Instagram. The Rip Curl GromSearch International Final is proudly supported by Sun Bum, Citroën, FCS and Europe 2. Special thanks to the cities of Capbreton, Hossegor and Seignosse for hosting the event.

words: Steve White photos: Willem Beck

Welsh shredder, Willem Beck, received an early Hallowe’en present this week when he discovered his entire quiver of surfboards had been destroyed on arrival at Stansted.

After completing a Ryanair flight from Biarritz, Willem’s luggage didn’t show up in arrivals. He went to the carrier’s information desk where he was told his boardbag had been run over by a staircase tractor.

“They brought out the remains of my boardbag. Not only had it been run over, the bag had been dragged underneath the vehicle across the tarmac. Everything in the bag was either ripped, flattened or covered in tar, so absolutely nothing was salvageable. All three surfboards were damaged beyond repair.”

“They sent me away with a link to make a claim, and I’ve heard nothing since,” Willem said.

Airlines’ seemingly adhoc handling of surfboards is a well-documented issue. Any surfer who’s travelled by air will be familiar with the anxiety that comes with waiting in arrivals for your boards to appear, hoping everything’s still in one piece.

US pro, Kirra Pinkerton was left with her boardbag ripped open and holes punched in her surfboards following a United Airlines flight a few years ago. More recently, UK surfer Charlotte W described on Tripadvisor how her surfboard had been “completely destroyed” after travelling on an EasyJet flight.

Willem’s is one of the most extreme incidents of airline damage to date. It will be interesting to find out how his claim is handled.

The team spent a few days chasing swell down the coast — linking turns, trading waves, and finding those in-between moments that make a trip what it is. Obrigado, Portugal.

With Ben Skinner, Charlotte van Berkum, Miguel Kilford, Yolanda Hopkins, Edouard Delepro and more.

Photos: Dai Williams / Alun Richardson

After a 13-year hiatus, the Manorbier Tag-Team Shootout made a triumphant return recently, drawing more than 50 surfers and over 150 spectators to Manorbier, Pembrokeshire for a day of stoke, community, and inclusivity.

Seven mixed-ability teams — from groms and beginners to longboarders, adaptive surfers and local legends — paddled out in fun 3–4ft peaks to battle for glory. The day belonged to the Sand Castle Smashers team, who claimed the £400 prize money and had their name engraved on the competition shield.

The event’s return was organised by Blue Horizons CIC, a not-for-profit surf organisation based in Pembrokeshire that provides inclusive surf coaching, adaptive surf sessions, and community surf clubs for children and adults of all abilities.

Co-founder, Ollie Bird explained the motivation behind reviving the Shootout:

“Emma and I have been running adaptive surf sessions for over three years. We realised the wider surf community rarely gets the chance to come together. This event gave us that opportunity.”

Each team fielded surfers across multiple categories — Groms, Over-40s, Beginners, Ladies, Men’s, and Adaptive — tagging in and out as they accumulated points for their team. The result was fantastic competition that prioritised high-energy surfing in all its forms.
Unity in the lineup

The Pembrokeshire Surf Ryders (PSR) crew — veterans of local surf contests — joined forces with Blue Horizons to co-organise the event, supported by more than 20 volunteers covering logistics, safety, commentary, and refreshments.

The winning team comprised a bodyboarder, longboarder, shortboarders, an adaptive seated surfer and a grom on a foamie, each of whom contributed to their team’s success.

One of the most touching moments came when Shanon, a wheelchair user who communicates via iPad, shared in her team’s victory.

She was so excited to be part of the competition that she still tells her mum every day how much it meant to her. Moments like this captured why the event was about far more than points and prizes.

Local surfer and organiser Rhys Jones said:

“When Blue Horizons approached me about making it an inclusive event — bringing adaptive and non-adaptive surfers together — I thought it would be a challenge. But the Blue Horizons team has a unique skill set in adaptive surfing, and once they explained their plan, it became clear that it could work.”

“We could’ve just run a standard contest with a separate adaptive category, but that wouldn’t have truly been inclusive — surfing is such an individual sport at its core. By running it as a tag-team event, it brought a shared sense of teamwork and community that really embodied the spirit of the day.”

From dawn until the final heat, the bay buzzed with support and cheers in the shadow of Manorbier castle. Later, the celebration continued at Mano House Tea Rooms, where 10-time Welsh Champion Greg Owen (Unlimited Wetsuits, Porthcawl) presented prizes for Best Grom, Best Wave, Best Wipeout, Most Helpful, and Most Stoked.

Among the highlights was Richard, an adaptive surfer with Down syndrome, being crowned Most Stoked Surfer — and serenaded by the entire room for his 40th birthday. “It was one of the best days of my life,” he said.
Surfing, inclusivity and community spirit.

Co-organiser Mark Rice said:

“About six months ago, Blue Horizons CIC Surf Club approached me and a few of the old PSR crew with an idea for something truly unique — a grassroots, fully inclusive tag-team surf competition. With the incredible support of our local surf community, that idea became reality last weekend.”

He added:

“For us, it was always about giving as much as we could to make sure every surfer — from the groms to the adaptive riders — felt genuinely welcomed and valued. We wanted everyone to connect, to walk away as familiar faces on the beach rather than strangers sharing waves.”

Mark added a personal reflection that captured the deeper meaning of the event:

“Leaning on my experiences of supporting my daughter, who competed at an international level in WCMX (wheelchair motocross) and more recently in competitive swimming at the Commonwealth Games 2022 allowed me to assist Blue Horizons CIC make their event truly
inclusive.

“The skateboarding community truly accepts everyone no matter what their background as long as you’re on wheels having fun. This ethos is something I wished to achieve at the event in surfing terms. The tag-team format gave each surfer something completely different: the chance to surf in an adapted way as part of a team, where every surfer’s contribution was valued equally. That’s what true inclusion looks like.”

About Blue Horizons CIC

Blue Horizons CIC is a community-interest surf organisation based in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It delivers adaptive and inclusive surf coaching, runs surf clubs for adults and children, and provides ocean-based wellbeing sessions designed to make surfing accessible to everyone. Its mission is to remove barriers to participation, empower individuals through the ocean, and build stronger, more connected coastal communities.

For more information, visit bluehorizonssurfclub.co.uk

From chasing storm surf to scoring new wave pool perfection. Jump in the van with the Billabong team as we visit the people and places that make the East Coast of the United States what it is.

Starring: Joel Parkinson, Luana Silva, Shion Crawford, Kepa Mendia, Seth Moniz, Macy Callaghan, Laura Enever, Bo Raynor, Cruz Dinofa and Shane Dorian

Shot and edited: Jimmy Wilson | @jimmicane

Soundtrack:
Glass chapels “Foreign Rain”
Total Maximum “Bite Wrong”
The Beefs “Full Speed”

Fistral Beach came alive this month as both seasoned pros and stoked locals lit up the lineup. Clean offshore winds and a solid swell combined to produce classic autumn conditions, with head-high sets rolling through from dawn till dusk. From lofty airs to deep barrels, it was a day that reminded everyone of the talent and quality of waves that Newquay has hiding away.

Film and edit: @colabsurf

Tya Zebrowski has just made surfing history: at only 14 years old, she becomes the youngest surfer ever to join the sport’s elite, the Championship Tour.

Her 2025 Challenger Series season has been nothing short of impressive. With two quarterfinal finishes, a runner-up spot at the US Open of Surfing, and a win at the EDP Ericeira Pro, all she needed was one more heat win at the Banco do Brasil Saquarema Pro to secure her ticket to next year’s Dream Tour. Mission accomplished.

“Qualifying is a dream come true. I’m so happy to be able to learn alongside the best, to keep progressing and to find my rhythm on the CT. Most of all, I can’t wait to showcase my surfing in world-class waves. It’s going to be incredible. But what matters most to me is keeping joy and lightness in the way I surf,” said Tya Zebrowski after learning of her qualification.

This historic achievement crowns an exceptional 2024–2025 season. Tya Zebrowski won three Qualifying Series events in just two months: Newquay in England, Pantin in Spain, and Anglet in France. She then made a strong impression at her very first Challenger Series event in Ericeira in October 2024, finishing second against Australian surfer Sally Fitzgibbons.

These results earned her the WSL Europe QS Champion title for the 2024/2025 season last April.

“Spotting and supporting future champions is one of Rip Curl’s key missions. Tya has been part of the team since she was 9, and I’ve always seen in her the champion she’s becoming. Seeing her on the CT today is a huge source of pride, but also something that feels completely natural. Her qualification is just the first step, and Rip Curl will continue to stand by her in the years to come as she works toward her dream of becoming world champion,” said Yann Martin, Team Manager Europe.

With roots in both the Landes region and Tahiti, Tya Zebrowski has extended her contract with Rip Curl through the 2028 Olympic Games. She benefits from the brand’s international support, facilities, and athletic guidance. Rip Curl is proud to have supported her on the European circuit and is excited to continue the journey at the highest level by her side.

Australian surfer Lee Berryman is still recovering in hospital two days after a frightening shark encounter off Kangaroo Island, South Australia, on Tuesday.
The local tour guide had been surfing at a well-known spot in D’Estrees Bay when he suddenly felt something — believed to be a bronze whaler shark — strike the back of his leg.

“I have turned around and his nose is right near me,”Mr Berryman told Sunrise on Thursday.

“I actually did not want to punch him in the mouth. I was getting him in the side because I didn’t want to go anywhere near those teeth. And I just yelled out, ‘Shark!”

” just knew that I couldn’t sit there so I just kept punching it until he let go.”

“I pretty much looked at him right in the eyes.”

Hit the video for the full edit.