The first event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge completed at Mount Maunganui yesterday threw up a number of new junior surfers fresh to the winners' circle.

In solid 1.0m waves and sea breeze winds at Tay Street, seven of the eight winners across all the divisions were either first timers or returning to the number one spot after a long break.

Under 20 girls' finalists: Indica Ratima (Rag), Billie Scott (Whangarei), Lily MacDonald (Te Aroha), Maaia Reid – Bennett (Mnt). Photo: Cormac Seymour.

The final of the Under 18 Boys Division was the highlight of the afternoon with just over a point separating first from third.

The win eventually went to the experienced Caleb Cutmore (Ham) after the lead changed several times between him, Jared Gebert (Ohope) and Jay Piper – Healion (Whiti).

Cutmore surfed to a 6.53 point ride on his last wave in the final minute to snatch victory from Jared Gebert (Ohope), himself leapfrogging Piper - Healion with his last ride of a 5.63. It is a return to form for Cutmore and Gebert who suffered earlier than expected defeats at the National Championships.

However, it is the second successive final for Piper – Healion.

Local Mount Maunganui surfer and day-one standout Luke Griffin finished fourth in the final. Kea Smith secured one of two victories for local surfers by winning the Under 18 Girls Division.

Smith posted a 10.16 point heat total for the win defeating fellow local Tiana – Breeze de Mooij who finished second, Tegen Bishop (Chch) in third and Eden Gray (AUS) in fourth. It was Smith's first win since 2015 when she claimed a double in the Under 16 and 18s at the National Championships.

Manu Scott – Arrieta (Sandy Bay) was another returning to the winners circle after a long stint winning the Under 20 Boys Division. Scott – Arrieta eventually made easy work of the final surfing to a 12.63 point heat total to defeat Sam Sands (Chch) in second, Jacob Warnes (Mnt) in third and Eli Voschezang (Auck) in fourth. A pair of titles went to Whangarei after Billie Scott joined Scott – Arrieta winning her Under 20 Girls Division.

Scott's final was highlighted by a nice righthand runner that shaped up nicely for her to post a 7.5 point ride. Scott finished ahead of Indica Ratima (Rag) in second, Maaia Reid – Bennett (Mnt) in third and Lily Robertson (Te Aroha) in fourth.

Gisborne's Finn Vette won the Under 16 Boys Division, his first win after competing in the Billabong Grom Series for several years.

Surfing up a division, the 13-year-old goofy foot surfer defeated National Champion Kora Cooper (Rag) by less than a point in the final after posting the highest single wave score of 7.67 out of a possible 10 points.

Tom Robinson (Whangarei) finished in third ahead of Finn Johnson (Gis) in fourth. Australian Charlie Phillips continued her good form day one to claim the Under 16 Girls Division.

Phillips led the final from the outset and was only challenged toward the end of the final by national champion Brie Bennett (Rag) who eventually finished runner-up ahead of Georgia Wederell (Mnt) in third and Summer Carkeek (Auck) in fourth.

Raglan's Jayden Willoughby and Mount Maunganui's Anna Brock claimed titles in the Under 14 Divisions.

Both surfers are first time winners for the Billabong Grom Series. Willoughby surfed to a 12.0 point heat total while Brock won with a total of 6.30.

Please see below for final results from the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge completed at Tay Street, Mount Maunganui yesterday.

Under 20 Boys Division Manu Scott – Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 12.63, 1, Sam Sands (Chch), 9.3, 2, Jacob Warnes (Mnt), 4.13, 3, Eli Voschezang (Auck), 4

Under 20 Girls Division Billie Scott (Whngrei), 11.73, 1, Indica Ratima (Rag), 10.63, 2, Maaia Reid – Bennett (Mnt), 4.70, 3, Lily MacDonald (Te Aroha), 3.43, 4

Under 18 Boys Quarterfinals Heat 1 Conor McLennan (Chch), 13.17, 1, Tom Norton (Waipu), 10.77, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 10.7, 3, Thomas Carter (Waihi Bch), 6.8, 4

Heat 2 Luke Griffin (Mnt), 14.23, 1, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 12.83, 2, Shane Kraus (Piha), 12.33, 3, Jack Rosewarne (Ham), 6.2, 4

Heat 3 Jared Gebert (Ohope), 15.53, 1, Jay Piper - Healion (Whiti), 12, 2, Ayrton Yarrell (Waihi Bch), 7.4, 3, Tyler Carrington (Wgtn), 7.33, 4

Under 18 Boys Semifinals Heat 1 Jay Piper - Healion (Whiti), 12.63, 1, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 12.43, 2, Conor McLennan (Chch), 11.6, 3

Heat 2 Luke Griffin (Mnt), 13.6, 1, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 9.9, 2, Tom Norton (Waipu), 8.16, 3

Under 18 Boys Final Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 12.60, 1, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 12.33, 2, Jay Piper Healion (Whiti), 11.73, 3, Luke Griffin (Mnt), 8.03, 4

Under 16 Boys Quarterfinals Heat 1 Kora Cooper (Rag), 11.4, 1, Finn Johnson (Gis), 11.3, 2, Tom Butland (Tara), 9.5, 3, Jack Hinton (Mnt), 7.87, 4

Heat 2 Jack Lee (Whaka), 12.2, 1, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 11.3, 2, James Ririnui (Mnt), 8.84, 3, Te Kauwhata Kauwhata (Whngrei), 6.93, 4

Heat 3 Finn Vette (Gis), 13, 1, Luis Southwood (Whaka), 12.2, 2, Josef Jungwirth (Gis), 8.77, 3, Manawa Ruru (Gis), 8.37, 4

Under 16 Boys Semifinals Heat 1 Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 13.5, 1, Kora Cooper (Rag), 12.3, 2, Luis Southwood (Whaka), 9.86, 3

Heat 2 Finn Vette (Gis), 11.8, 1, Finn Johnson (Gis), 10.5, 2, Jack Lee (Whaka), 9.1, 3

Under 16 Boys Final Finn Vette (Gis), 13.77, 1, Kora Cooper (Rag)12.93, 2, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 11.23, 3, Finn Johnson (Gis), 10.77, 4

Under 16 Girls Final Charlie Phillips (AUS), 11.83, 1, Brie Bennett (Rag), 11.17, 2, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 8.26, 3, Summer Carkeek (Auck), 7.0, 4

Under 14 Boys Semifinals Heat 1 Jayden Willoughby (Rag), 15.3, 1, Koby Cameron (Chch), 9.9, 2, Bill Byers (Piha), 7.53, 3

Heat 2 Navryn Malone (Rag), 13.9, 1, Reef Newdick (Mnt), 8.77, 2, Jai Wallis (Auck), 4.4, 3

Under 14 Boys Final Jayden Willoughby (Rag), 12.0, 1, Navryn Malone (Rag), 9.5, 2, Koby Cameron (Chch), 9.17, 3, Reef Newdick (Mnt), 3.33, 4

Under 14 Girls Semifinals Heat 1 Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 14.43, 1, Asia Braithwaite (Gis), 8.57, 2, Jay Ryan (Gis), 3.87, 3

Heat 2 Anna Brock (Mnt), 10.1, 1, Daizee Rawls (Gis), 9.47, 2, Daisy Boon (Auck), 6.4, 3

Under 14 Girls Final Anna Brock (Mnt), 6.34, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 5.60, 2, Daizee Rawls (Gis), 5.27, 3, Asia Braithwaite (Gis) 3.30, 4 The 2018 edition of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge is split into four divisions ranging from Under 14 through to Under 20 in two-year increments.

It is the thirteenth year that Billabong has sponsored the series in partnership with Oceanbridge who has been a proud supporter of surfing in New Zealand. This year's series is also supported by BMW Motorrad.

Entry into the final two Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge events can be completed here: Event 2 – 10 – 11 February, Whangamata Event 3 – 24 – 25 February, Piha Beach, Auckland.