Emily Jenkinson Wins the Rip Curl GromSearch Triple in Cape Town

With exceptional surfing performances in the highly contestable and consistent right-hand waves at Witsands, local surfer Emily Jenkinson emerged victorious in the U16 and the U18 Divisions, as well as the Expression session, at the first Rip Curl GromSearch event in 2025, held at Witsands / Kommetjie on Sunday, 23 February, 2025.

Cape Town delivered in style for the final day, providing clean waves, clear skies, and light winds at Witsands for the gathered competitors, and Kommetjie natural footer Jenkinson took victory from Leah Lepront, the goofy footer from Scottburgh, to win the Premier U16 Girl’s division crown, and Camilla Heuer earning bronze ahead of Taylor Emslie finishing in fourth place. 

This event, presented by Sea Harvest, provided a chance for some fresh faces to make their mark in the first event of the 2025 series, and Cape St. Francis surfer Summer Harding helped herself to the opportunity, impressing to take the U12 division.

Kommetjie surfers continued to dominate in the U14 Girls, with Coco Clark, Charlotte Copson and Emma Schermbrucker sweeping the podium, while Maya Malherbe from Coffee Bay rounded out the final in fourth.

A polished Emily Jenkinson from Kommetjie beat Maxine Kauffman from Durban in the U18 Girls, with Leah Lepront and Taylor Emslie in the minor positions.  

The Expression Session was a great addition to the day’s competition, and Emily Jenkinson continued her winning ways, making it three out of three wins, by taking out the Girls Expression session. She won the R1,000 prize purse with Leah Lepront in second, banking her R600.

The overall Premier U16 Girls winner of the Rip Curl GromSearch Series South Africa 2025 earns a coveted spot in the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final. This event, set for a yet-to-be-announced international location later this year, will bring together the worldwide GromSearch winners to battle it out for top global honours.

This competition will be remembered for the challenging conditions at Witsands but even more so for the incredible camaraderie among the groms – pushing each other, competing hard, and showing true sportsmanship. The kids are more than alright.

The Rip Curl GromSearch Series, run by Surfing South Africa, is a highlight of the junior surfing calendar – hugely popular and a clear reflection of the thriving talent in South African surfing. It’s also a glimpse into the sport’s future stars. Next up, the series heads to Port Alfred over Easter as part of the Port Alfred Easter Festival.

The Rip Curl GromSearch contests are all premier SAST events, with 1,000 points going to the winners with prize money, per all premier events. The Rip Curl GromSearch Long Beach contest is a Surfing South Africa tournament, supported by Sea Harvest.

Leading Results of the Rip Curl GromSearch at Kommetjie in Cape Town, the Western Cape, on Sunday, 23 February, 2025

U12 Girls

1. Summer Harding
2. Ella van der Made
3. Kayla Bone

U14 Girls

1. Coco Clark
2. Charlotte Copson
3. Emma Schermbrucker
4. Maya Malherbe

U18 Girls

1. Emily Jenkinson
2. Max Kauffman
3. Leah Lepront
4. Taylor Emslie

U16 Girls

1. Emily Jenkinson
2. Leah Lepront
3. Camilla Heuer
4. Taylor Emslie

Original Copy: Surfing South Africa, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: Emily Jenkinson emerged victorious in the U16 and the U18 Divisions, as well as the Expression session, at the first Rip Curl GromSearch event in 2025, held at Witsands / Kommetjie on Sunday, 23 February, 2025. All Photos: Keahlo van Gysen

Photo 2 Caption: Cape St. Francis surfer Summer Harding grabbed the chance to make her mark in the first event of 2025 series, impressing to take the U12 division.

Photo 3 Caption: Coco Clark topped the Kommetjie surfers dominating in the U14 Girls, ahead of Charlotte Copson and Emma Schermbrucker, and Coffee Bay’s Maya Malherbe.

Photo 4 Caption: Emily Jenkinson (right) took victory from Leah Lepront (second from right), the goofy footer from Scottburgh, to win the Premier U16 Girl’s division crown, and Camilla Heuer (second from left) earning bronze ahead of Taylor Emslie (left), finishing in fourth place. 

Photo 5 Caption: A polished Emily Jenkinson (right) from Kommetjie beat Maxine Kauffman (second from right) from Durban in the U18 Girls, with Leah Lepront (second from left) and Taylor Emslie (left) in the minor positions.