Quiksilver ‘King of the Groms’ Crowns Regional East Coast Winner
Pat Schmidt at Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon
- June 12, 2010
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- By Story/Photos By Quiksilver's Kristen Nahin
Orlando, Fla. (June 10, 2010) – The Quiksilver King of the Groms east coast qualifying event finished yesterday with a limited field of 28 grom competitors from all along the Eastern seaboard and the Caribbean. In the end, Pat Schmidt was awarded the prestigious title of 2010 East Coast King of the Groms. Along with $1000 cash, Pat also clinched an all-expense paid trip to the Quiksilver Pro France to compete in the King of the Groms World Championships this September.
"I've never surfed at Typhoon Lagoon before and I didn't think it would be that different surfing in freshwater, but it actually was,” says Pat Schmidt. “I'm stoked to get the trip to France in September, and since I'm heading to California for NSSA Nationals and the U.S.A. Championships next, winning the King Of The Groms is definitely a good way to get some momentum going!”
Last year Quiksilver moved their King of the Groms east coast qualifier from the Atlantic Ocean to the man-made wave pool at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon because of poor surf conditions - a first for this surf contest. The result was a competition that was as unique as it was successful, prompting Quiksilver to repeat the format for 2010. This year, each grom – the sport’s nickname for surfers aged 16 and under - was once again treated to an unrivaled experience in the water.
“It’s great having a constant where every wave is the same and lets the groms show their stuff,” says contest organizer Matt Kechele. “Plus, it can be really difficult to get good waves this time of year, so the Disney Typhoon Wave Pool is the perfect solution.”
First round standouts were Tanner Strohmenger, Pat Schmidt and Noah Schweizer. Also putting in solid performances were Knox Harris, Mauro Diaz, Corey Howel, Cam Richards and Josh Burke. All of the competitors set the bar high, with each advancing through round one easily.
Round two saw Schweizer, the wave pool regular and expected front-runner, along with Strohmenger and Howel all looking strong. However, Schmidt stepped it up with a solid first turn and a clean rotation for an 8.61 mark, the highest post of the evening. This score proved to be unmatched, and Pat, a native of Manasquan New Jersey, brought the Crown home to the North East for the first time in the King of the Groms history.
Finalists from each of the regional qualifying events held in Brazil, Tahiti, Europe, the U.S. and in other countries throughout the world will move on to compete at the prestigious global final held at the Quiksilver Pro France in late September. The next domestic King of the Groms stop is on June 21, 2010 in Huntington Beach CA.
For more information please visit
www.quiksilver.com/kotg2010
RESULTS
1.Pat Schmidt $1000
2.Tanner Strohmenger $500
3.Corey Howel $250
4.Noah Schweizer $100
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Kristen Nahin...
