Pumping 3–5 foot waves greeted competitors for the 29th annual Gracetown Groms, with 59 entries across six divisions hitting the water at the iconic North Point. The one-day grassroots event, hosted by Cowaramup Bay Boardriders, is held each year as a memorial to honour the lives lost in the 1996 Gracetown tragedy. Surfers travelled from across the state, with entrants coming from as far north as Exmouth.
Cowbay Boardriders President Ian Anderson said this year’s conditions pushed the groms to another level.
“It was an epic day! We had blue skies, pumping surf and an amazing atmosphere,” said Anderson. “The committee did an incredible job with the organisation and the kids really pushed themselves. This event is all about camaraderie, having fun, and remembering how lucky we are to be here.”
In the blue ribbon 16 & Under divisions, Jake Scott (Swanbourne) stole the show in the Boys’ final, locking into the best barrel of the day and backing it up with excellent scores to finish on 15.00 (out of 20). He overcame a strong field including defending champion Jack Bulloch (Secret Harbour), who placed runner-up, ahead of Kade Martin (Dunsborough) and Ace Flynn (Cowaramup). In the Girls’ final, Poppy Redman-Carr (Dunsborough) delivered under pressure, scoring an excellent 8.50 on her last wave to secure the title with a 14.23 heat total, defeating Grace Cook (Cowaramup), Mia Jacobs (Gracetown), and Leila Fraser (Margaret River).
The 14 & Under divisions produced equally thrilling battles. In the Boys, Ethan Anderson (Cowaramup) saved his best for last, posting a buzzer-beater score in the dying seconds to edge past Jack Bowdell (Cowaramup) by less than a point. Levi Vosloo (South Africa) and Taylor Flynn (Cowaramup) rounded out the top four. In the Girls, Stella Annesley (Margaret River) impressed to take the win over Lily Naylor (Cowaramup), Jessica Quayle (Exmouth), and Betsy Englert (Cowaramup).
In the 12 & Under division, Girls champion Ily Fraser (Margaret River) defended her title in style with the highest heat total of the entire event, combining an excellent 8.33 and 7.83 for 16.16 points (out of 20). She held off strong challenges from Summer Barkhuizen (Eglinton), Rosie Annesley (Margaret River), and Luna Thomas (Margaret River). In the Boys, Nate Spooner (Dunsborough) edged out Oscar Blackburn (Yallingup), Billy Bromfield (Dunsborough), and Brysen Gee (Dunsborough) in a nail-biting finish, winning by just 0.2 points.
Away from the water, the club also shared exciting news about its future. Plans are underway for a permanent storage shed in Gracetown, providing Cowbay with its first dedicated base.
“Our home has always been Gracetown, but we’ve never had permanent storage for trailers and gear,” said Anderson. “Now we’ve got the funds, the plans, and Shire approval. This will give the club a lifelong base in town and it’s fully supported by the community, which is really exciting.”
Events
