Finalists from the weekend's Billabong Grom Series event being surfed at Tay Street, Mount Maunganui, have to wait until the next event in Whangamata to contest the final.

Mount Maunganui surfer Mackenzie Christie riding heavy conditions at Tay Street at the weekend. Photo by Col /NZ Surfing Magazine.

The conditions became unmanageable by mid morning on Sunday with the swell tripling in size in a matter of two hours.

Combined with the horizontal driving rain and 30 knot onshore winds, safety was put first with four finals remaining.
'We had no option but to hold off the finals of the remaining four divisions,” says event director AJ Matthews.

'The groms really started to struggle in what looked more like a washing machine than an ocean out there.

'We want to give the finalists the best chance to show what they have, not a war of attrition and that is all we would get out there.”
The four finals will be contested at the next event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge scheduled to take place at Whangamata on February 5-6.

Eight heats were contested in the morning before the pin was pulled on Sunday with the under-16 and under-14 boys' divisions being contested through to the finals.
As the surf increased, the boys in the under-16 semifinals were confronted with big paddle outs and laps around the beach. Mount Maunganui surfer Mackenzie Christie used his knowledge of the waves at Tay Street to progress through two rounds and into his first final at this level.
He will meet Dune Kennings from Whangamata, Waretini Wano from Piha and Elliot Paerata-Reid, also from Piha, in the final.

Dune and Waretini will be contesting their second final in successive events while Elliot will be out for a good result to climb up the ratings and challenge for the series lead.
It was Elliot and Waretini that fought out the last heat of the morning in atrocious conditions.

The two surfers struggled to get any waves of consequence, but did enough to progress to the final.
'I could barely see because of the rain, you just had to luck into a good one and milk it all the way through,” says Waretini.
'I am really stoked to make the final because I missed out at the nationals.

'It is weird to be in the final but not being able to surf it for another two weeks, I guess it was for the best though.”
In the under-14 boys' division Te Rapai Barbarich-Love from Taranaki and Kehu Butler from Mount Maunganui won the first semifinal while Taine Craig-Ranga of Waihi Beach and Harrison Whiteside from Christchurch won the second semifinal to make it through to the finals.

Please see below for the results from day two of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge held at Tay Street, Mount Maunganui.

Under-16 Boys' Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Sean Kettle (Tara), 1, Kahu Craig-Ranga (Waihi Bch), 2, Josh Taylor (Mnt), 3, Matt Hansen (Mnt), 4
Heat 2
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 2, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 3, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 4
Heat 3
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, William Brown (Hastings), 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 3 Logan Owen (H-Bay), 4
Heat 4
Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 1, Waretini Wano (Piha), 2, Kayden Mayes (Mnt), 3, Joe Palmer (Kerikeri), 4

Under-16 Boys' Semifinals
Heat 1
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Sean Kettle (Tara), 3, Kahu Craig-Ranga (Waihi Bch), 4
Heat 2
Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 1, Waretini Wano (Piha), 2, Adam Grimson (Gis), 3, William Brown (Hastings), 4

Under-16 Boys' Final (To be contested at next event)
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), Dune Kennings (Whmata), Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), Waretini Wano (Piha)

Remaining Events
Billabong Grom Series pres by Oceanbridge Event 2, February 5-6, Whangamata
Billabong Grom Series pres by Oceanbridge Event 3, February 26-27, Piha