Mount Maunganui's junior surfers in with a shot of securing one of two spots on a flight to Indonesia following New Zealand's version of the Rip Curl GromSearch in Taranaki.

Held at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth this weekend, the Rip Curl GromSearch is part of the New Zealand Home Loans NZ Surf Festival with the Under 17 Boys and Girls Division winners gaining entry to the international GromSearch final to be held at Lakey Peak, Sumbawa.

Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler.

The lure of a trip to the tropics is bringing out more than 100 of New Zealand's elite young surfers who will contest the event comprising six divisions from Under 12 through to Under 17 for boys and girls.

Fresh back from the International Surfing Association World Junior Championships in Ecuador will be eight of the country's top surfers including Mount Maunganui's Kehu Butler who placed seventh at the event just over a week ago – New Zealand's highest placing at the event.

Butler is surfing up an age group in order to qualify for the trip to Indonesia. He was one of the stars of the recent World Champs and with two years left in the same division has high expectations for a medal in the next 24 months.

Butler is joined by local surfer and current Under 17 Boys ratings leader Daniel Farr, who was a team mate with Butler in Ecuador, along with current national champion Jonas Tawharu, Mount, and Manu Scott – Arrieta, Sandy Bay.

While the four representatives will be the ones to watch, you can't discount the likes of Isaac Kettle, a New Plymouth surfer who regularly surfers at Fitzroy Beach and has made several national finals this year or a number of other groms who have been within reach of making finals placings all summer.

This weekend's event also sees a big contingent of Christchurch surfers with a dozen young groms heading north. They will be led by the likes of Jack Wilson and Sam Sands who have frequented events in the North Island on several occasions this season.

The Under 17 Girls Division is potentially the most-wide open of all divisions with several top young surfers looking to win the honour of competing in Indonesia.

Current runner up in the Under 17 Girls Division, Mount Maunganui's Raiha Ensor is showing the type of courage needed in the waves at Indonesia following the most recent junior event held at Piha.

She is joined by several national representatives such as Jasmine Smith, Gisborne, Muriwai's Britt Kindred, and Mount Maunganui's pairing of Kea Smith and Elin Tawharu who will all be in search of a win this weekend at Fitzroy Beach.

With the looming Association of Surfing Professionals Australasian Pro Junior event which starts on Tuesday, the GromSearch is also attracting Australian entrants that will be contesting the girls divisions to keep the Kiwi girls on their toes.

The Rip Curl GromSearch sees the addition of boys and girls Under 12 Divisions which is attracting high entries. Many of these surfers have been competing in the Under 14 Divisions all season but will now get their chance to compete in a younger age group.