Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler, surfing in the Under 16 Boys Division, was one of the three surfers to claim division titles on day one of the final 2013 Billabong Grom Series held in Piha yesterday.

Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler won his division title.

Kehu was joined by Piha surfer Claudia Fraser, surfing in the Under 16 Girls Division, and Whangamata surfer Tane Bowden surfing in the Under 12 Boys Division.

The surf remained around the 1.0 metre mark all day with offshore winds battling against the sea breeze.

Organisers were pleased with the full tide conditions but as the tide went out competitors were challenged with plenty of close outs making wave selection crucial.

Claudia, after winning her semifinal yesterday, moved through to the final four surfers of her division. She scored 9.30 in her semifinal surfing the local break at the south end of Piha. With the absence of previous ratings leader Jasmine Smith from Gisborne and her cousin Abby Falwasser – Logan, due to Surf Life Saving commitments, Claudia will be lining up her first win at national level.

On the final day Claudia will be matched up against three younger opponents surfing up a division from the Under 14 Girls Division. Elin Tawharu, Maaia Reid - Bennett and Kea Smith all of Mount Maunganui will do their best to upset Claudia in today's final.

Tane was the second surfer to claim the series, this time in the Under 12 Boys Division progressing through his first round heat and into the semifinals.

After winning the first two events of the series Tane was always expected to claim the Under 12 Boys Division but his true test will come in the Under 14 Boys where he also leads the pack of surfers.

Tane progressed through one round of the Under 14 Boys Division early yesterday. However so did his nearest rivals including Kehu, Taranaki surfer Daniel Farr and Mount Maunganui surfer Jonas Tawharu.

Tane needs to place third or better in the final of the division to claim the title.

Late in the day the Under 16 Boys Division contested the all-important quarterfinals in tricky low tide conditions. Competitors had to hunt out the very infrequent peeling wave that rattled down the bank.

Raglan surfer Taylor Hutchison led the boys out winning the first quarterfinal match up. Taylor was quick to rack up a couple of good waves in his heat, his first, a 6.67 being the best of the heat.

He finished with a 12.0 point heat total to move through to the semifinals alongside Callum Chuter from Mount Maunganui in second.

Ratings leader Kehu dominated his heat scoring an 8.83 point ride for a series of sharp backhand turns and a 13.07 point heat total.

By way of making it through to the semifinals, Kehu secured the series title with his opponents now unable to bridge the big points gap after he won the first two events of the series.

Kehu returned less than 24 hours before the event after having been in Australia taking in the first Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour event for 2013 held on the Gold Coast. He will contest both the Under 16 and Under 14 Boys Division at today's final event.

Tane and Daniel won the last two heats of the day.

The results from yesterday are:

Under 16 Boys Round 1

Heat 1

Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 11.17, 1, Andrew Fraser-Mackenzie (Tau), 10, 2, Joshua Farr (Tara), 8.53, 3, Daniel Kleinhans (Auck), 2.07, 4

Heat 2

Callum Chuter (Tau), 9.67, 1, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 8.17, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 5.73, 3, Lewis Mennie (Auck), 4.67, 4

Heat 3

Adam Clegg (Tara), 12.1, 1, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 8.5, 2, Maddy Gowthorpe Mnt), 5.63, 3, Simon Fraser-Mackenzie (Tau), 2.1, 4

Heat 4

Kehu Butler (Arataki), 12, 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 6.4, 2, Campbell Ivory (Tairua), 6.1, 3

Heat 5

Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 13.7, 1, Ben McCulloch (Gis), 12, 2, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 5.4, 3, Thomas Jay Bullock, 2.8, 4

Heat 6

Tane Bowden (Whmata), 13.4, 1, Samuel Sands (ChCh), 7.97, 2, Riccardo Lucibella (Tara), 6.5, 3, Cory Wood Auck), 3.23, 4

Heat 7

Te Rapai Barbarich Love (Waitara), 12.17, 1, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 9.43, 2, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 7.3, 3, Max Dicken (Auck), 4.27, 4

Heat 8

Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.7, 1, Jack Mills (BOP), 10.9, 2, Harrison Mossop (Tau), 5.83, 3, Schalk Willem Van der Merwe (Auck), , INJ

Under 14 Boys Round of 18

Shane Kraus (Piha), 12.17, 1, Jordan Knight, 3.67, 2, Sonny Rapira Martin, 1.93, 3, Connor Kennedy (Waiheke), 1.13, 4

Under 14 Boys Round of 16

Heat 1

Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 14.50, 1, Reuben Mottart (Gis), 7.83, 2, Thomas Dixon-Smith (Gis), 4.87, 3, Connor Seaman (Auck), 3.27, 4

Heat 2

Kehu Butler (Arataki), 16.33, 1, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 11.13, 2, Joel Clegg (Tara) , 5.60, 3, Jordan Knight, 2.67, 4

Heat 3

Daniel Farr (Tara), 13.57, 1, Shane Kraus (Piha), 10.43, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 7.5, 3, Brayden Louie (Piha), 3.27, 4

Heat 4

Samuel Sands (ChCh), 9.47, 1, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 8.3, 2, Reef Matthews (Waitara), 5.07, 3, Fraser Falconer (Auck), 3.23, 4

Under 12 Boys Round 1

Heat 1

Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 4.2, 1, James Ririnui (Mnt), 4.1, 2, Felix Ferris, 3.77, 3, Jai Wallis, 3.37, 4

Heat 2

Tane Bowden (Whmata), 1, Otis Hill (Piha) 2, Henry Copley (Piha), N/S, Sam Copley (Piha), N/S

Heat 3

William van der Beek (Mnt), 7.03, 1, Cory Vercoe (Mangawhai), 6.17, 2, Taylor O'Leary (Muriwai), 4.9, 3, Boss Meadows (Waiheke) T/P, 1.83, 4

Heat 4

Oli Meadows (Waiheke) , 6, 1, Tom Butland (Tara), 5.23, 2, Josef Jungwirth (Gis), 4.7, 3, Cody Lucas (Auck), 3, 4

Under 16 Girls Round 1

Heat 1

Claudia Fraser (Auck), 9.3, 1, Maaia Reid - Bennett (Mnt), 9.17, 2, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 5.63, 3, Britt Kindred (Muri), 5.17, 4

Heat 2

Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 9.43, 1, Kea Smith (Arataki), 9.3, 2, Dayna Story (Gis), 5.63, 3, Jennifer Rockwell (Auck), 2.57, 4