Mount Maunganui up-and-coming surfing star Kehu Butler is the winner of the under-12 event at the Rip Curl GromSearch on Sunday.
The final day of the event, which was contested at Piha Beach over the weekend, was played out in 1m waves with sea breeze winds.

Kehu Butler won the under-12 category at the Rip Curl GromSearch event on Sunday. Photo by Silas: Kiwi Surf Mgazine.

It was a tight final for Kehu, with the lead changing several times throughout the 25 minute final.
Kehu was trailing early on after Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay) scored the final-high 8.25 point ride at the start of the heat. However, as time progressed he fought back into the lead and challenged Manu before scoring a 6.60 on one of his last waves to clinch the win.
Manu was left requiring only a small score of 4.61 points but after a valiant effort had to settle for second, the first event he has not won in 2010.
Waihi Beach surfer Taine Craig Ranga placed third, scoring 10.10 ahead of Isaac Kettle (Taranaki) in fourth scoring 9.25.
Kehu also tested himself in the under-14 event, but was unable to match the pace of the older boys.
Dune Kennings (Whangamata) ran away with the under-14 boys final leaving his opponents in a combination situation for much of the final.
Dune went into the final as the ratings leader and extended his lead further with the win. He posted 14.50 in the final comprising 7.50 and 7.0 point rides with big fin wafts on his forehand and backhand. Korbin Hutchings (Gisborne) snuck into second place scoring 5.65 on his last wave and 10.05 points overall. Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha) placed third in the final on 9.85 ahead of double finalist Kehu on 6.70.
In the under-14 girls event, the Sansom twins of Auckland pushed each other for the win in the under-14 girls division with Gabriela coming out on top for the third straight time this year winning with a heat score of 13.75.
It was a long right-hander on her backhand that scored 8.00 on her last wave of the final that clinched it. Bianca eventually placed second to her sister scoring 9.25 securing her best result of the year. Gisborne girls Dana Story and Hannah Kohn placed third and fourth respectively, Story doing enough to hold on to second overall for the year end rankings.
In the under-12 girls, Milly Crewe stole the show scoring 11.0 to win the final after her highest scoring ride of 6.5 took the final beyond her opponents grasp. As a result of her win, she goes through 2010 undefeated winning all three grom events in 2010.
Her friend Britt Kindred placed second at the event and runner up overall for the year while Sarah Wilson placed third.
In the under-16 events, Ben Poulter (Raglan) and Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gisborne) won their respective and in doing so, won the chance to represent New Zealand at the international final in 2011.
As national champion, Ben added a third win to his belt for 2010 as well as his overall SNZ Grom Series win he secured on day one of the event.
'I have ended the year the best way I could by winning today, so I am stoked” says Ben.
'It is real good to win the whole SNZ Grom Series, it is another positive for the year and it is the first time I have won the whole series so I am real happy about that.”
He will attend the international final in April when the best surfers in the world head to Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia for the Rip Curl Pro, a key event on the Australian calendar.
'It is the first time I have represented New Zealand at that event, I think my sister has been twice.
'I just want to do my best over there and make the final. That would be my main goal.”
In the final on Sunday he started with two huge turns on a set wave that scored a 9.0 point ride. His competitors took note and answered back, Moretti scoring an 8.33 and Wallis a 7.0. However, Ben's power was too much for his lightweight opponents.
By the end of the final, he finally heard that he was in the lead, at which point his approach turned more tactical to defend his lead.
Piha surfer, Wallis, placed second in the final scoring 13.8 with Moretti in third place only requiring a 5.9 to win but unable to find the modest score. Double finalist Dune Kennings placed fourth in the final.
Earlier in the day Ben and Wallis eliminated Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha) and Peri Matenga (Mount Maunganui) in semifinal one while Kennings and Moretti eliminated Jules Craft (Gisborne) and Mackenzie Bowden (Whangamata) in the second semifinal.
In the girl's event, Jayda Martin Fitzharris (Gisborne) claimed the girl's trip to Bells Beach after winning the under-16 girls final.
With 40 seconds to go, Jayda latched on to a righthander surfing it all the way to the reform to score 5.60 and overtake Ella Williams (Whangamata) who led the entire final.
'Well I wasn't originally going to take that wave, but I knew I was in second and that it was my only chance,” says a chirpy Jayda of her final wave, adding 'I had no idea if I had got the score or not after that wave, it was close, but I am beyond stoked now, I can't even describe it.”
The first place was not enough to push her past Ella who was the overall SNZ Grom Series winner, but nevertheless Jayda was ecstatic winning the trip to Aussie.
'I didn't do all the comps this year so I don't mind too much about finishing second but are you kidding me, I am so stoked on winning the trip to Aussie.
Placing third was Gabriela Sansom (Auckland) with double finalist Milly Crewe (Murupara) placed fourth.

Under 16 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Ben Poulter (Rag), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 3, Peri Matenga (Mnt), 4
Heat 2
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 2, Jules Craft (Gis), 3, Mackenzie Bowden (Whmata), 4

Under 16 Boys Final
Ben Poulter (Rag), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 3, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 4


Under 14 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 2, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 3, Mahorahora McLeod (Waitara), 4
Heat 2
Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha), 1, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 2, Mackenzie Bowden (Whmata), 3, Te Rapai Barbarich Love (Waitara), 4

Under 14 Boys Final
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 2, Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha), 3, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 4

Under 12 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Isaac Kettle (Tara), 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 2, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 3
Heat 2
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 1, Taine Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), 2, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 3

Under 12 Boys Final
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 2, Taine Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch), 3, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 4


Under 16 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Milly Crew (Muri), 2, Britt Kindred (Muri), 3
Heat 2
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 2, Claudia Fraser (Piha), 3

Under 16 Girls Final
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Ella Williams (Whmata), 2, Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 3, Milly Crewe (Muri), 4


Under 14 Girls Round 1
Heat 1
Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 1, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 2, Milly Crewe (Muri), 3, Jasmine Smith (Gis), 4
Heat 2
Dayna Story (Gis), 1, Hannah Kohn (Gis), 2, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 3, Britt Kindred (Muri), 4

Under 14 Girls Final
Gabriela Sansom (Auck), 1, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 2, Dayna Story (Gis), 3, Hannah Kohn (Gis), 4

Under 12 Girls Final
Milly Crewe (Muri), 1, Britt Kindred (Muri), 2, Sarah Wilson (WGM), 3

Please see below for the top five on the ratings for the respective six divisions contested in 2010.

Under 16 Boys Top 5
1, Ben Poulter (Rag)
2, Adam Grimson (Gis)
3, Tane Wallis (Piha)
4, Patxi Scott-Arietta (Sandy Bay)
5, Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha)

Under 14 Boys Top 5
1, Dune Kennings (Whmata)
2, Korbin Hutchings (Gis)
3, Jordan Griffin (Mnt)
4, Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha)
5, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay)

Under 12 Boys Top 5
1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay)
2, Taine Craig Ranga (Waihi Bch)
3, Kehu Butler (Arataki)
4, Isaac Kettle (Tara)
5, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch)

Under 16 Girls Top 5
1, Ella Williams (Whmata)
2, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis)
3, Gabriela Sansom (Auck)
4, Bianca Sansom (Auck)
5, Hannah Kohn (Gis)

Under 14 Girls Top 5
1, Gabriela Sansom (Auck)
2, Dayna Story (Gis)
3, Hannah Kohn (Gis)
4, Bianca Sansom (Auck)
5, Milly Crewe (Muri)

Under 12 Girls Top 5
1, Milly Crewe (Muri)
2, Britt Kindred (Muri)
3, Lily Spiers (Whmata)
4, Sarah Wilson (WGM)
5, Paige Penny (Gis)