A couple of months ago, Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol added two Indian stops to its tour, presented in the region by Arun Vasu. The goal was simple: give young Indian surfers the opportunity to test the waters at home before taking on international waves. And with nearly 30 groms showing up to compete, the intention clearly hit the mark.
The first leg was held at Tannirbhavi Beach in Mangalore, where competitors were met with intense weather conditions. The original setup was nearly destroyed, forcing organisers to improvise with a line-up of SUVs serving as a makeshift judging tower. “It’s probably the toughest contest I’ve ever had to direct,” said Contest Director Nawaz Jabbar to ASC. “The forecast was looking worse each day, so it was very possibly the only day we could hold it… Having to consider all these aspects, as well as the safety of the kids and contest crew while taking a decision, made it extremely challenging.”
Among the standouts was 15-year-old Saanvi Hegde from Mangalore, who dominated both the Under 18 and Under 16 Girls Divisions. A familiar name in India’s surf scene, Kishore Kumar clinched the win in the Under 18 Boys category. In the younger divisions, Harish P and Pradeep Pujar both competed in the Under 14 and Under 16 Boys categories—each claiming a win and a second-place finish. Harish took the Under 16 title with Pradeep in second, and the positions flipped for the Under 14 division.
The surfers will next compete on the east coast in Covelong at the end of July, a decisive event that will determine who advances to the Grom Patrol finals in Kuta Beach, Bali this August—marking the culmination of the season.
