<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With a long history of supporting grommet surfing in New Zealand Billabong and Oceanbridge proudly present the 2025 series and its 20th anniversary. If previous years are an indication, the series will sell out again as one of the highlights on the New Zealand Grom Series calendar.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are thrilled to support the junior development pathway of Surfing New Zealand through this series! said a Billabong spokesperson. These events are the definition of grass roots surfing, and we are proud to be a part of next wave of talent”. “The Billabong Grom Series has and will continue to leave an incredible legacy for the sport in NZ and we can’t wait to celebrate its 20-year anniversary”. See you guys there! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Participants surf across three age groups – Under 18, 16 and 14s for boys and girls providing opportunities for all ability levels. Other enticing factors include national ranking points and points towards selection for the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team, something that many grommets will have their eye on with nine surfers from the 2024 Junior Surfing Team returning next year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A majority of New Zealand’s elite surfers have taken part in the Grom Series over the past 20 years including Olympians Saffi Vette, Billy Stairmand and Ella Williams along with ex World Tour surfers Paige Hareb and Ricardo Christie.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from the competitive side of the series the Billabong Grom events also bring the junior surfing community together for three weekends over the summer, a chance for groms to hangout, surf, enjoy the waves and build friendships.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following on from the National Championships to be held in Taranaki just one week before, the hotly contested first event of the Billabong Grom Series will take place at Mount Maunganui. Freshly crowned National Champions, eager groms and local hopefuls will be amongst over 130 participants displaying their talent in the waves off Tay Street from the 25th to the 26th of January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tauranga City Council is proud to support the Billabong Grom Series in January, in a first for the series.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Deputy Mayor and Mauao/Mount Maunganui ward councillor, Jen Scoular, is thrilled to welcome this iconic event to Mount Maunganui for its 20th anniversary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Hosting such a prestigious surfing event in Mount Maunganui is much more than simply the competitive aspect—it’s about inspiring the next generation of surfers, fostering friendships, and showcasing the beauty of our coastal city. We’re proud to support an event that embodies the spirit of Tauranga, and we can’t wait to welcome surfers to our beautiful beach this summer.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the conclusion of Event 1, the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge heads to Whangamata (8-9 February) and finally Piha at the end of February (22-23 February).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 2025 NZ Grom Series comprises over 10 events nationwide with participants best four events counting toward their national ranking.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Event Dates</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Event 1 25th-26th January 2025 Mount Maunganui, Tay Street</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Event 2 – 8 – 9 February 2025, Whangamata</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Event 3 – 22 – 23 February 2025, Piha Beach, Auckland</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Further Information</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For further information on the 2025 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Dan Westerkamp on 021 02672292 or email <a href="mailto:dan.westerkamp@surfingnz.co.nz" target="_blank">dan.westerkamp@surfingnz.co.nz</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Partners</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Generous support from Billabong and presenting sponsors Oceanbridge has made this series possible for 20 years. We are proud to partner with Tauranga City Council for the first event of the series and thank Sun Bum and Cookie Time from their added support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Follow the event</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Follow the action via social media @billabong on Instagram and @surfingnz across Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Follow the series hashtag – #BillabongGromSeries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Surfing New Zealand is proudly partnered by:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sport New Zealand</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sun Bum</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cookie Time, OSM, Bumper Bars</div><div><br /></div>