Mount Maunganui junior surfer Kehu Butler is hoping for a good result at this weekend's Billabong Pro and Grom Series combined event at Whangamata.

Kehu is in the under-14 boy's division and is aiming for one of three prizes for series age-group winners to go to Australia to compete in the Occy Grom Comp in July.

Kehu Butler.

The youngsters contesting the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge will do so from today hot on the heels of the first event of the series held at Mount Maunganui last weekend.

Elliot Paerata-Reid from Piha and Gabriela Sansom from Albany got the best possible start to the series winning the first event in the under-16 divisions.

This weekend they take on double duties as they both contest the Billabong Pro as well.

The Billabong Pro presented by Sony starts today with a good 1m of easterly swell forecast.

The event is attracting the top surfers from around New Zealand to the Coromandel Peninsula seaside town.
The change in dates for the event has allowed Maz Quinn from Gisborne the ability to return to fitness after injuring his back while surfing over the Christmas period.

He missed the National Championships in January due to the injury, but for the first time in six weeks he entered the water last weekend.
Fellow Gisborne surfer Chris Malone will go into the Whangamata event as the number one seed with national champion Billy Stairmand from Raglan competing at an international event in Australia and unable to attend the event.

Billy is joined by several other surfers competing overseas including Jay Quinn and Richard Christie who are both over in Brazil contesting their first major event of the year.
The women's division will see Thandi Durham – Tipene from Taranaki enter the water as the new national champion.

She takes on a swag of young guns coming through the ranks including local surfers Grace Spiers and Ella Williams, Jayda Martin - Fitzharris, Alexis Poulter and Rosa Thompson.
The under-20 men's division will be contested for the first time this season.

Great Barrier Island surfer Sid West will go into the event as the number one seed with a number of top junior surfers having moved up into the open men's division.

He is joined by Tane Wallis and Jacob Kohn and Joe Moretti as well as the new crop of surfers that have recently moved up from the under-16 boy's division including Sean Kettle, Adam Grimson and Paul Moretti.
The Billabong Pro presented by Sony is now in its eighth consecutive year and boasts the largest prize pool of the New Zealand Pro Series with over $12,800 of cash and prizes up for grabs.

Current New Zealand Pro Series Standings
Open Men's Division
1. Billy Stairmand (Rag)
2. Chris Malone (Gis)
3. Tim O'Connor (Mnt)
4. Matt Hewitt (Mnt)
5. Jay Quinn (Gis)
5. Bobby Hansen (Gis)
7. Zen Wallis (Piha)
7. Alex Dive (Mnt)

Open Women's Division
1. Thandi Durham - Tipene (Tara)
2. Mischa Davis (Piha)
3. Ella Williams (WGM)
4. Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Gis)
5. Grace Spiers (WGM)
5. Jessica Santorik (Rag)