The X man pushes his title chances

The waves might have been small, but the outpouring of flashy, no nonsense surfing was large when the SuperGroms took centre stage for the September pointscore.

The competitors threw everything except the dog next door at the windswept swells to showcase their prowess, with results adding a new lustre to the battle royale for the 2012 crown.

With disappointed Open and Junior contenders looking on (yet another false dawn from the wave Gods), the Groms were in their element.

The championship race is there for the taking, and a third win this season to Xavier Izzard has catapulted the first time Shoes member to within striking distance of frontrunner Travis Heaps.

Xavier just pipped Dion Earle, with Shannon Hatheier third, Hans Boerma fourth, Sam Lee fifth and Travis sixth (Trav had family duties and had to miss the final). The X man was smooth, stylish and sustained throughout the contest.

Dion, the defending champ, was fully back to his best, with plenty of fiery backside slashes attracting oohs and aahs from the the thousands of spectators in the Pavilion bleaches.

The Groms, as a whole, just keep getting better and with the points tight, not even Sporting Bet is prepared to lay odds on the final outcome.

Shannon Hatheier and Jae Withers put in a top showing, while new pintsized member Macauly Needham showed plenty of guts to reel off some cleancut rides.

The STC surf gear went to Xavier and Dion.

For the Juniors and Open, it’s a case of waiting until 22-23 September – and hoping that the swell delivers!

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