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While August 4, 2007 may be reminisced fondly for generations by the Nor Cal population as the day Barry Bonds climbed to the top of the Home Run ladder alongside Hank Aaron, a younger generation will hold August 4, 2007 in the VIP section of the memory bank for a different reason. The 5th stop of the 2007 Rip Curl GromSearch presented by BOOST Mobile served up a competitive experience for Nor Cal’s hottest talent that undoubtedly won’t be forgotten any time soon.
Amidst the beanies, wool-lined flannels, facial haired spectators, and all the other special elements that define this fine stretch of coast known as the real Surf City, the groms were greeted to glassy conditions but dismal surf. A fading SW swell that never fully developed mustered up soft waist high slopes; however, big things still went down in the small conditions.
In the Girls 16/under division, defending Santa Cruz GromSearch champion, Demi Boelsterli, showed no intention of relinquishing her crown. Mid-way through the 20-minute final, Demi unleashed the fury on an unsuspecting Pleasure Point righthander, as she pummeled the wave with a rapid-fire frontside hack attack. Score: 9.5. Game Over.
In the Boys 12/under, a power-packed final showcased local phenomenon, Nic ‘Hdez’, a born and bred Eastside Santa Cruz flag-waver, pegged up against the likes of Costa Mesa wave-killer, Colin Moran. After a few mind-blowing exchanges, Hdez held home-court and took the victory on his home soil, despite a close split decision from our panel of ASP judges.
Dominic Dipietro from North County, San Diego made the pilgrimage up to Santa Cruz for one reason: to make a statement. The long-time G-Search veteran, at only 14-years of age, entered two divisions, where he proceeded to dominate the Boys 14/under and 16/under divisions, making both finals. Showing patience and polish in the inconsistent Pleasure Point conditions, Dom sealed the deal in the 14/under final with ease, as he cashed in his chips on a lined up right.
Still not done, he faced a fired-up Ford Archbold in the 16/under final, who had arguably been the standout of the event up to that point. With about 5 minutes left, both surfers caught consecutive waves, dismantling each simultaneously. After the dust settled, Dom saw his score come in .5 higher than young Ford’s to confirm his double victory.
“Couldn’t be more stoked!” released Dominic amidst the catered award ceremony at Santa Cruz Surfshop. “It’s a long drive up here from San Diego, but it was definitely worth it.”
It sure was! Dipietro walked away with a brand new BOOST Mobile phone, a BOOST Mobile ‘Golden Ticket’, which effectively is an all-expenses paid trip to the BMP of Surf WCT at Lower Trestles that provides VIP access to the event and tickets to Disneyland. Not only that, young Dom is granted that exclusive invite to the National Final, going down this November 3 at Salt Creek.
The GromSearch madness is now getting ready for a full-fledged East Coast invasion, hitting North Carolina, New Jersey, and Florida in a 10-day mission. Stay tuned to HYPERLINK "http://www.ripcurl.com" www.ripcurl.com for all the info, news, and coverage!
Complete Results of stop #5 of the 2007 Rip Curl GromSearch presented by BOOST Mobile: Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz
Boys 16/under
Dominic Dipietro
Ford Archbold
Kyle Alreck
Brandon Barnes
Boys 14/under
Dominic Dipietro
Pete Mueller
Sam Regan
Nick Fowler
Boys 12/under
Nic Hdez
Colin Moran
Kadin Panesi
Jake Logan
Girls 16/under
Demi Boelsterli
Sahara Ray
Cienna Norton
Danielle Clow
Kenzi Stair
Cole Kaitlyn