Maz Quinn sent New Zealand's best grommets into a frenzy on the first day of the Quiksilver King of the Groms event held at Wainui Beach, Gisborne yesterday.

The grommets got to surf 'No Access' which dished up perfect 1.0m waves with offshore winds making conditions perfect for much of the day.

Mount Maunganui surfer Josh Taylor. Photo: Col NZ Surfing Magazine.

The proceedings were dominated by some of the closest heats of summer as the Under 16 Boys Division fought it out to get one step closer to winning the trip to France and entry into the international final of the Quiksilver King of the Groms.

Two Bay of Plenty surfers took charge of their encounters coming out on top of their highly anticipated quarterfinal match ups.
Josh Taylor (Mount) won his heat over Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), Sean Kettle (Tara) and Mackenzie Bowden (WGM). Taylor posted 9.90 points out of a possible 20 points with only 0.16 separating first from third which went to Taranaki surfer Sean Kettle.
Taylor has progressed through to two finals this year with his best placing being a second at an event at Whangamata. However he would love nothing more than to go one better at this event.
"It was very close, I was a bit worried at the end of that heat" said a relieved Taylor. "I just didn't want to let anyone else get any waves at the end there."
However in the dying stages of the heat it was Moretti and Kettle that had the final exchange with Moretti getting the upperhand over Kettle with three powerful backhand re-entries.
All entrants have the trip to France in the back of their mind and Taylor is no different. "I want to win so bad, I have made two finals this year but to win this one and get a trip to France would be so mean."
Fellow Bay of Plenty surfer Levi Stewart (Waihi Beach) was also in good form eventually taking an easy win in his quarterfinal match up scoring 12.50 points to win his heat. The smooth natural footer is yet to make a final this year despite impressing every time he enters the water.
"Yeah I have been trying hard as recently" said Stewart post heat. "I haven't made a final this year and it is something I really want to do - especially at this event because of the trip to France if you win and the mean as prizes."
Local surfers Korbin Hutchings and Jules Craft dominated their quarterfinal to move through to a semifinal match up against Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha) and Mackenzie Christie (Mnt) who progressed through to the last heat of the round.
Craft surfed the wave of the day tucking into a long forehand barrel in the early rounds. The barrel netted him 7.75 out of a possible 10 points. However it was Elliot Paerata - Reid who locked in the highest single wave score and highest heat score after his first round performance scoring 8.17 for his highest scoring wave and 15.33 for his overall heat total to lead after day one of the event.
The award for the best air in the event is wide open with the grommets unable to take to the air on the first day of the event.
The surfers Skin Under 12 Boys front runners Kehu Butler (Mnt) and Tane Bowden (WGM) took control of their Under 12 Boys heats with convincing wins while Daniel Farr (Tara) and Taine Craig - Ranga (Waihi Beach) battled it out in the final first round heat, Farr getting the nod on a count back.
Late in the day the second round of the Sequence Surf Shop Under 14 Boys took to the water with the top seeds getting their first heat of the day. The Roxy Under 16 Girls Division will be contested on Sunday.

Under 16 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 13.83, 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 6.9, 2, Sunny Brown (Gis), 6.63, 3, Caleb Braithwaite (Whtane), 5.03, 4
Heat 2
Josh Taylor (Mnt), 10.7, 1, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 9.87, 2, George Busby (Gis), 6.27, 3, Bryn Marshall (Ohope), 5.6, 4
Heat 3
Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 12.5, 1, Sean Kettle (Tara), 7.37, 2, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 4.43, 3, Samuel Sands, 0.67, 4
Heat 4

Dune Kennings (Whmata), 9.73, 1, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 5.6, 2, Matt McGreggor (Whngrei), 5, 3
Heat 5
Jules Craft (Gis), 12.57, 1, Kayden Mayes (Tau), 10.1, 2, Sam Deeley (Willards), 9.33, 3, Adam Grimson (Gis), 9, 4
Heat 6
Peri Matenga (Mnt), 10, 1, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 9.4, 2, Mahorahora McLeod (Waitara), 5.57, 3, Ashlee Sullivan (Gis), 1.83, 4
Heat 7
Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 15.33, 1, Corey Asplin (Rag), 4.07, 2, Jordan Hart (Tara), 2.28, 3, Joshua Farr (Tara), 2.17, 4
Heat 8
Kahu Craig-Ranga (Waihi Bch), 13, 1, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 7.33, 2, Toa Macdonald (Waitara), 4.23, 3, Nicolaj Probst (Ohope), 4.17, 4

Under 16 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Josh Taylor (Mnt), 9.93, 1, Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 9.8, 2, Sean Kettle (Tara), 9.77, 3, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 5.1, 4
Heat 2
Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 12.5, 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 9.93, 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 8.87, 3, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 8.8, 4
Heat 3
Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 9.2, 1, Jules Craft (Gis), 8.37, 2, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 8.33, 3, Corey Asplin (Rag), 5.53, 4
Heat 4
Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 11.17, 1, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 9.83, 2, Kayden Mayes (Tau), 8.6, 3, Kahu Craig-Ranga (Waihi Bch), 5.7, 4

Under 14 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Taine Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), 5.9, 1, Jack Virtue (Gis), 3.9, 2, Paraone Muru (Whtane), 3.47, 3,
Heat 2
Joshua Farr (Tara), 7, 1, Rangi Moore (Gis), 5.93, 2, Ben McCulloh (Gis), 3.53, 3, Blake O'Kane (Tau), 2.13, 4
Heat 3
Callum Chuter (Tau), 9.83, 1, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 6.6, 2, Daniel Farr (Tara), 3.18, 3
Heat 4
Sam Deeley (Willards), 13.5, 1, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 10.8, 2, Harrison Mossop (Tau), 7.77, 3, Jack Mills (tau), 6.03, 4

Under 12 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Tane Bowden (Whmata), 10.1, 1, Luke Griffin (Mt), 6.3, 2, Kyle Hannah (Gis), 3, 3
Heat 2
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 12.5, 1, Reuben Mottart (Gis), 3.9, 2, Rangi Moore (Gis), 1.7, 3
Heat 3
Daniel Farr (Tara), 9.1, 1, Taine Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), 9.1, 2, Samuel Sands (ChCh), 4.03, 3