The 2025 Soundboks Oz Grom Open incorporating the WSL Traeger Grills Pro Junior finished in a climactic fashion on Tuesday, 8 July 2025 with Pro Junior and age division champions crowned across eight different divisions.
While the standard of surfing remained high in the final showdowns, the wave quality unfortunately crumbled with only one-foot waves hitting the Lennox Head shorebreak.
Locana Cullen (Avalon Beach, NSW) saved his best performance for last taking out the 16 Boys final. Cullen posted the only ten-point ride of the event in the final for a critical forehand snap followed by an accelerated air-reverse. Cullen backed up the perfect score with another excellent 8.67 wave score to take his accumulative two-wave total to 18.67 heat score.
Locci's 1st in the Oz Grom had been preceded by a 3rd in the 2025 Billabong Occy's Grom Comp., held June 27 - July 1 at Snapper Rocks, the second competition he has taken part in of the 2025 Surfing Australia National Rankings events for Juniors.
U16 Boys Champion Locana Cullen. Credit: Wes Thompson
Leihani Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW) continued to show why she is a star on the rise, taking out the 14-Girls for the second year running. The explosive natural-footer adapted perfectly to the tiny conditions, nailing a handful punchy little waves to be rewarded with a 15.83 two-wave heat total that left her fellow finalist Zara Owen (NZ) needing a two wave combination to take away the victory. This victory is Leihani's second Soundboks Oz Grom Open victory in as many years.
Morrison Massey (Palm Beach, Qld) approached the 14 Boys final with an energetic approach with him and his fellow competitor Billy Daniel (Fingal Head, NSW) catching a massive 31 waves over the course of the final. When the final hooter sounded, Massey was able to claim the top honours thanks to a pair of 5.73 wave scores.
The 16 Girls final got off to a slow start with 15 minutes counting down before anyone caught a single wave. Both Lucy Darragh (Kiama, NSW) and Eliza Richardson (Coolangatta, Qld) showed that they had the patience of statues and they resisted to the urge to paddle for a single wave and relinquish priority. In the dying moments of the heat, Darragh was able to pull the trigger and gain the upper hand thanks to the strength of a 5.00 wave score.
Meika Locke (Gold Coast, Qld) managed to claim the top honours in the 18 Girls division. In a pretty wave starved final, Locke was able to muster up a decent 10.50 heat total to take the victory over Brisa Canina (Peregian, Qld).
Sitting in priority in the final minutes of the 18-Boys final, Caden Francis (Coolangatta, Qld) was left chasing a high five-point score to knock Leo Matchett from top spot. When a small peak emerged, Caden capitalised, pulling the trigger and nailing two massive forehand turns in the small waves. Caden emerged from the heat with a decent 6.5 wave score which shot him into the top position and allowed him to claim the coveted division.
Ziggy Mackenzie (Burleigh, Qld) added another title to her already overflowing mantlepiece, taking out the Girls division in the Traeger Grills Pro Junior. Mackenzie seemed totally unfazed by the small waves and the onshore wind that popped up throughout the final with fellow Burleigh surfer Isla Huppatz nailing a series of massive snaps and carves to post a solid 14.33 heat total and her first victory at this event since 2023 when she won the 16 Girls division.
"This feels amazing to be chaired up the beach. I actually haven't won anything for quite some time, so it's such a nice feeling to get the win here again where I won one of my first grom comps," said Mackenzie. "There's little righthanders that were popping up everywhere out there so I just wanted to make sure I was in position for them when they came through. Isla is one of my best friends, so it was great to be out there in a man-on-man heat and I think it fired both of us as neither of us wanted to lose."
Landen Smales (Noosa, Qld) showed why he's an Indigenous Australian Champion, taking out the Boys final of the Traeger Grills Pro Junior. In the rapidly deteriorating surf, Smales took to the air to get the upper hand in the heat and as a result was rewarded with solid 7.10 wave score that allowed him to get the lead ahead of fellow Sunshine Coast surfer Mitch Peterson (Noosa, Qld).
"I didn't really have a tactic in this final as I knew the waves were getting pretty bad, but I just thought the judges would like it if I went to the air," said Smales. "My whole goal is to hopefully qualify for the World Juniors so hopefully this result will help me get there."
The 2025 Soundboks Oz Grom Open incorporating the Traeger Grills Pro took place from 3–8 July 2025.
As one of the most prestigious junior surfing competitions globally, the Soundboks Oz Grom Open brings together top-level competitors contending for national rankings, with the U16 and U18 divisions vying for selection to represent Australia at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Championships.
ISA World Junior Championship events are widely recognised as launching pads for surfing’s top careers, including Olympians and WSL Championship Tour contenders. With the LA28 Olympic surfing competition venue at Lower Trestles, this surfing development pathway takes on even more importance.
The 2024 Australia team won their Eighth Team World Championship at Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in May 2024 with surfers that included local surfers Milla Brown and Fletcher Kelleher .
The Soundboks Oz Grom Open event featured both the U14 to U18 divisions (competing for national rankings and ISA selection) and the WSL Traeger Grills Pro Junior, where surfers under 21 battle for qualification to the upcoming WSL World Junior Championships.
This unique combination of elite junior talent and professional-level competition makes the event one of the most exciting junior surf events worldwide.
With divisions for both boys and girls and a strong focus on inclusivity and youth empowerment, the event celebrates surfing's universal appeal—fostering confidence, community, and connection among the next generation of champions.
Traeger Grills Pro Junior results
Boys
1 – Landon Smales (Noosa, Qld)
2 – Mitch Peterson (Noosa, Qld)
Girls
1 – Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (Burleigh, Qld)
2 – Isla Huppatz (Burleigh, Qld)
Soundboks Oz Grom Open presented by O'Neill Results
18 Boys
1 – Caden Francis (Coolangatta, Qld)
2 – Leo Matchett (Kingscliff, NSW)
18 Girls
1 – Meika Locke (Gold Coast, Qld)
2 – Brisa Canina (Peregian, Qld)
16 Boys
1 – Locana Cullen (Avalon, NSW)
2 – Hamish Harrigan (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
16 Girls
1 – Lucy Darragh (Kiama, NSW)
2 – Eliza Richardson (Coolangatta, Qld)
14 Boys
1 – Morrison Massey (Palm Beach, Qld)
2 – Billy Daniel (Fingal Head, NSW)
14 Girls
1 – Leihani Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW)
2 – Zara Owen (NZ)
See more results from Oz Grom Open HERE.
After major shakeups in the Junior Series rankings, our future stars are charging ahead, with the next 10,000, the Rip Curl GromSearch taking place in Phillip Island (VIC) from September 30 – October 4.
See the Live National Rankings HERE. Top 3 results are counted. Dropped results have a strikethrough.
