Grommets take on Steph, Parko in radical surf competition

A Coast competition will see surfers of all ages and skill levels taking on the same waves as homegrown stars Stephanie Gilmore and Joel Parkinson.

THERE aren’t many competitions where a grommet is surfing against a world champion, but that’s exactly what happens at Snapper Rocks.

Surfers of all levels will be competing at the Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club Open Championships on December 29.

Club member and former president Wayne Bartholomew said the event is a real grassroots initiative where all current and former members are invited to participate.

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“It’s a winner takes all event where everyone competes in the same event,” he said.

Snapper Rocks boasts some of Australia’s best surfing talent, including Joel Parkinson and Stephanie Gilmore who compete in the event every year.

Joel Parkinson will be returning his home club for the Championships. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“We have a young girl down here named the Flying Squirrel and you can have the amazing thing happen where you’ll have a heat where our youngest grommet will be surfing against Stephanie Gilmore,” Batholomew said.

Both Gilmore and Parkinson still support the Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club and in the week following the Championships the pair will be handing out the trophies for the club age champions for 2018.

“They give back to the club that they came from and it’ll be a double celebration this year with Gilmore having won her seventh world title and Joel Parkinson retiring,” he said.

Stephanie Gilmore will be celebrating her seventh world title with her home club. Picture: WSL/SLOANE

Bartholomew said the event is fun for competitors, but when it comes down to the finals things get serious.

“It really is a fun atmosphere. We don’t bring in judges, it’s all judged by the membership- it’s just how it rolls,” he said.

“But when it comes to the finals there’s always amazing surfers in the final and the surfing is always exceptional.”

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The trophy is named after club founder and club championship winner Wayne Dean, who passed away earlier this year.

Bartholomew’s own son, Jaggar, won the event last year and will be taking to the waves again this year along with up to 80 other surfers.

The Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club was established in 1964 and the championships have been running since 1977.